Top gong for popular Kettering curry house

The Raj in Rockingham Road was named East Midlands Restaurant of the Year at a glitzy Asian Curry Awards ceremony in London.

It's the first time the restaurant has won the award and owner Goyas Miah said it was all down to those who dine there.

He said: "We would like to thank our customers. Without them we are nothing."

The restaurant serves up classics such as chicken balti, samosas and tandoori chicken as well as seafood specials including spiced lobster and swordfish.

Mr Miah, who has run The Raj for 28 years, said it was a well-deserved accolade and that they do things a little bit differently with a piano lounge and shisha lounge.

He said: "We have everything you need in one place.

"Normally you have your food and then go on to somewhere else but here you can eat, have a drink and relax."

The Asian Curry Awards shortlist was determined by more than 100,000 votes from spice-loving members of the public.

A team of judges led by Pat Chapman, editor of the Cobra Good Curry Guide, toured the country to determine the winners with preference shown to restaurants, with healthy, authentic regional dishes with modern gastro influences.

The awards ceremony was attended by London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Mr Khan said: “By bringing the best of Asian culinary traditions to these shores these restaurant owners have expanded not only the choice of food available to the British public, but our very identity as an open, inclusive and multicultural nation."