I HAD vowed to stay out of curry houses for a while.

It was one of my (failed) New Year's resolutions as I determined to tackle a growing waistline.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

Which is how I came to find myself in Chutney's in Mumbles' Newton Road.

"It's always booked out on a Friday and Saturday," various websites had warned when I'd checked.

So I'd phoned to be ahead of the game. I'm not sure why! In we walk at 8pm to find just two other tables occupied. And one of the groups gets up and leaves having finished their meal within 10 minutes of our arrival. Was it something we said?

No matter.

We're shown past the glossy bar to the ultra-trendy dining area. It is a well designed space with a buzzy, upmarket atmosphere. In short, a model of monochromatic sophistication.

The menus we are handed are bristling with Indian beauties. The important constituents are all there: the tikkas, the shashlicks, the tandooris.

What to have? Me, I don't really care just as long as it tastes fabulous. In the end, I opt for chicken tikka masala, my dining companion, a lamb version. To go with them, a fluffy garlic and chilli naan and some coconut rice.

We warmed up with a stack of crisp (as opposed to greasy) papadums served with a tray of decent chutneys all of which looked and tasted just-made.

On to mains. Very good they are too thanks to the fusion of some great authentic spices and flavours from the subcontinent with British culinary traditions going into the mix as well.

The dishes were full flavour but not too overpowering. They each contained generous amounts of good quality meat with a fair number of chillis to add a nose-tingling amount of heat. We mopped up with the rice and the duvet-like naan. Our wine, a house white at under a tenner, was a tad too warm. But that was the only gripe in what was otherwise an enjoyable meal.

Service, as you might imagine given the paucity of customers and at least five waiting staff to serve those who were there, was top notch.

In short, a Friday night treat. Just a pity there were so few others out enjoying it with us!

Peter Slee