Bikano’s, Widcombe, Bath

There are multiple reasons for going out for dinner: excitement, indulgence, bonhomie, celebrations… escapism. But the impromptu “let’s just put our going out clothes on and go out for something to eat” is one of the best reasons of all.

Now I’m not saying for one moment that Bikano’s is all and only about simply offering a quick fix when you just can’t be bothered to cook – there’s much more to it than that. But this cheerful little Indian restaurant ticks all the classic casual neighbourhood bistro boxes: friendly service, wallet-friendly prices and super-fresh food based on a classic Indian cross-continent motif. It’s a familiar vibe, for sure. But sometimes, familiarity is exactly what you need to get by.

While I’m guessing that, post-9pm-ish, Bikano’s could be the kind of place that lures you in on a whim if you happen to have had several pints in one of the congenial watering holes on Widcombe Parade – and there’s nowt wrong with that. But I very much doubt that any sniff of ‘over-exuberant’ behaviour would be tolerated by either the staff (friendly; mellow; laid back) or the merry band of locals who clearly rely on dinner at Bikano’s to punctuate their weekend plans. On the evening we visited, a big party (quietly, politely) dominated centre-table proceedings, while a mixed bag of couples and foursomes were doing exactly what we were doing: simply having a cosy dinner in cosy environment on a damp Saturday night.

The starter array on the pretty little menu offers all the classic Indian bistro fave raves you crave – Bhajis, Chats and Pakoras; Kebabs, Tikkas, Tandoori Chicken Wings, et al – alongside both fish- and meat-based sharing platters for those who can’t make their minds up. We, however, made our minds up pretty darn quick. The result? The freshest – in terms of both crispy batter and huge, succulent slabs of fish within – Amritsari fish Pakoyas imaginable, and Achari Chicken Tikka featuring succulent chicken thighs marinated in pickled ginger, and garlic, and waves of thick yoghurt. It’s clear that attention to detail goes large in presentation terms here too, despite how busy the kitchen may be; even our pre-dinner Poppadoms – crispy little non-oily shards of delight served with a lovely little array of homemade chutneys and a minty-creamy dip – looked pretty.

Few kitchens, however, could make a Sag Gosht look pretty; slow-cooked lamb with masses of spinach is never going to be ready for its Insta close-up. But thankfully, there was no filter on the taste, either: bitter-sweet, nutty fenugreek, earthy cumin and lashings of garam masala (am I alone in thinking of garam masala as the most gregarious guest at any Indian-themed menu party?) wrapped in and around soft, velvety, satisfyingly fatty chunks of lamb. Sticking with the lamb theme, the vibrant Rajasthani Laal exceeded expectations too: luxuriously rich and glossy, complex but accessible and agreeably hot, it was the kind of deeply satisfying, grass roots, tradition-laden kinda dish that Rick Stein would have swooned over when he travelled across India in search of the perfect comforting curry.

We had a side of cauliflower-based Gobhi Mutter too, and fluffy pilao rice, and fragrant, oven-fresh breads (a Peshwari naan and a flaky paratha, since you asked)… and then we had a very dull Pistachio Kulfi, the only low point of the whole array (pistachios? No sign of them in this Kulfi!). Ah well, the divine Gajar Ka Halwa more than made up for the Kulfi’s deficiencies, and the Bikano’s experience overall left a very pleasant taste in the mouth on many levels.

There are multiple reasons for going out for dinner at Bikano’s.

The small print: our dinner cost £111.85 for two, including 2 pints of Cobra, 2 large red wines and 10% service.