NESTLED in the heart of Axminster is a dining experience so authentic you could be forgiven for thinking you are in upmarket New Delhi.

Cinnamons is a small restaurant with a big reputation in the world of curry aficionados who return time and again for its skillfully cooked dishes.

The restaurant may be on the small side but it is perfectly arranged so couples can enjoy an intimate dining experience or, such as this time, a large group can be accommodated easily.

Around 10 of us arrived at the restaurant more in hope than anything else thinking we had missed closing time after a couple of drinks in town.

But as is the norm the friendly staff simply smiled and showed us to the table, despite it being almost 11pm.

As we took our seats the helpful waiting staff took our drinks orders, and the whole table ordered a couple of poppadoms each.

The tower of poppadoms arrived with four small tubs of pickles.

I always think you can tell the quality of the restaurant from these and the lime pickle was a particularly fine balance of sweet and spice and coupled with the crispy and non-greasy poppadoms set up the rest of the meal perfectly.

Next we had the Cinnamon mixed platter of side and starter dishes, and the amount which the waiter brought out had our eyes as well as our mouths watering.

A selection of perfectly cooked samosas, onion bhajis with a crisp exterior and soft middle, and succulent tandoori chicken had the whole group hushed as they tucked in.

Cinnamons’s reputation of serving the very best cuisine by mixing traditional Indian food with modern award-winning recipes was already on show.

And so for the main course and I chose chicken pasanda and pilau rice.

It was one of many classic dishes in the packed menu which boasted all the Indian cuisine favourites along with the chef’s recommendations, Cinnamons’ specials and Bangladeshi and Balti dishes.

Succulent chunks of chicken sat invitingly in the deep pastel yellow sauce of the pasanda which was garnished with an eye for detail.

This simple dish was executed perfectly; the taste was rich and full of flavour offering a smooth hint of chilli tempered by the coconut, which rounded of the dish.

The rice was a wholesome accompaniment to the main course.

Established in 1994, the restaurant has been awarded Best Indian Restaurant in Somerset and Dorset at the British Curry Awards and going by my meal will continue to go from strength to strength.

• Cinnamons, 10 South Street, Axminster, EX13 5AD 01297 631185

The bill

Poppadoms and pickles for two: £2.60

Cinnamon mixed platter for two: £9.50

Chicken Pasanda: £8.95

Pilau rice: £2.85

Total: £23.90