Rajput in Cashel: rock-solid reliable (Photo: sxc.hu)

My friend Roisin got in touch with a recommendation for an Indian restaurant in Co. Tipperary. Roisin has annoyingly impeccable judgement when it comes to everything, so her recommendations can be relied on:

I’ve never felt compelled to write a restaurant review before, but the food was so good in this place that I asked for a card and resolved to spread the word! We arrived into Cashel at 10pm when most places were closing up and we thought we’d end up in a chipper at that stage. Parked at Supervalu and by chance glanced up and saw the lights on above Paddy Power bookies, so up we went. The decor was a big surprise, lots of work went in to trying to transform a space that was probably originally intended to be open plan office space for the bookies.

When the poppadoms arrived with the most complex and flavoursome dips I’ve ever tasted, we really sat up. They were amazing. When the main course arrived it exceeded our raised expectations. The lamb was cooked to absolute perfection. Still with its lamby taste and tender but not mushy. The Jalfrezi sauce tasted like no Indian I’ve ever eaten. Usually nothing but heat and punch, this sauce was layered with subtle flavours and exactly the perfect level of heat to make it addictive. The saag aloo was creamy and salty and sweet at the same time. To die for. The sweet naan bread was sent from heaven, again with perfect balance of savoury and sweetness, not overwhelming either.

I’ve eaten hundreds of Indians in the UK and Ireland, and I’ve never tasted such good Indian cooking as this. We were really stunned. And very jealous of the people of Cashel. The bill including 2 drinks each was only €35 for the two of us. For that food at that price we left a tenner tip.

Readers, can you recommend anywhere else worth trying out in Tipperary?