Do you want the best butter chicken in Wellington? I challenge you to find a better option than Planet Spice. My palate for Indian food isn’t the broadest but in my 48 years I’ve had A LOT of butter chicken and since the departure of Dawaat from Manners Mall (when it used to actually be a Mall) I haven’t found an Indian restaurant / takeaway that tops Planet Spice. Normally I go for a takeaway, and save half for delicious next day leftovers. However I recently had a chance to dine in, which gave me the opportunity to stray from my usual sides of garlic naan, roti or onion bhaji. I went for the lamb curry puffs as a starter, which could almost serve as a meal in itself. Curry puffs, much like spring rolls, are an excellent measure of whether a restaurant cares to put effort into their staples or whether they just stock up on bulk frozen items and deep fry the life out of them when needed. I certainly don’t expect these to be hand made to order, but these puffs tasted fresh and flavourful. Given that I would be eating an entire main after a substantial starter I opted for a lighter side in the kachumber - basically diced tomato, cucumber and red onion, with a bit of spice. This turned out to be a perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of the main course. It may even steer me away from my favourite bread sides in future orders. Certainly a more guilt-free selection. Another essential addition is a mango lassi - perfect to temper any heat and double as a dessert. Thanks Planet Spice for another winning meal.

Huge selection of Indian dishes, nicely done. Local beers to complement. Not too crowded. Medium spicy was hot to me- all their preparations allow you to specify spice level.