Ben Hopkins laps up the spice in one of Bangkok’s favorite Indian restaurants, Indus

Indus, like India itself offers the visitor a rich and colorful abode full of spice and surprises. Built into a 1960’s art deco house the restaurant’s design theme echoes the northern Indian cultural heritage of the Indus Valley Civilization, dating back over 2,000 years.

Herbs and spices blend with a visual feast of oil paintings depicting historical scenes from Indian folklore. Jagged sandstone walls, antique doors, wall tapestries and giant pots with serpent nozzles create an authentic feel of the era.

Behind the restaurant is the Indus Bar and a Moghul inspired lounge boasting plush leather sofas, natural dyed colored cushions and rustic brick pillars. The predominant color is red which contrasts well with the illuminated garden pulsating under tropical vines. Here guests can relax on large cushion chairs, smoke hookah pipes and listen to crickets compete with the restaurant’s ambient sounds.

Wine from just about every corner of the globe is available, even – would you believe it – from India. A bottle of red from the Maharashtra state, not far from Mumbai, goes well with the obligatory chutney, onions and poppadoms. The wine is surprisingly good but the chutney just isn’t spicy enough. “Never mind” says my host “we have spicy chutney we save for our Indian guests”.

That an Englishman won’t like spicy food is a false assumption. The Indian meal has replaced fish and chips as our favorite dish, many a farang longs for the hot spices typically found in London and Delhi.

Sorted with some decent chutney I drop some ice into my wine and fling down a gulp to cool the buds and ready myself for the next course. Mulaiyan Shiekh Kebab – tender minced mutton barbequed on skewers and infused with garlic, onion, ginger, coriander and spices. Absolutely delicious, the mutton, all too often written off as the dead meat of sheep becomes transformed when marinated in such a way.

It’s so good I’m tempted to go another round but the choices before me are huge so I choose a dish from an untamed corner of the Himalayas. Badami Gosht: Kashmir tender lamb in almond coco milk and yoghurt spice. Not being the most commonly found meat in Thailand lamb always comes as a treat. No less so on this occasion. The yoghurt and spice add a fresh zest to the tender flesh and before I look up it’s gone.

Outside the moon is up and the garden is swelling with revelers. Besides being a popular venue for small groups and couples Indus is also popular as an events destination. Private and corporate parties are regularly held here. The second floor VIP rooms can accommodate groups of sixty with wireless internet, volume and temperature controls and spacious balconies overlooking the garden. Tonight the Indus Bar has been booked for a birthday party and many of the revelers have spilt into the garden and are disappearing behind smoke from the hookah pipes.

Back inside I cork another Indian red and work into my final course. Tandoori Tiger Prawns: nothing complicated, just perfect. Fresh barbequed tiger prawns marinated in butter, garlic and herbs. The juices get soaked up with what’s left of the Kashmir naan.

Having polished my plate the outdoor bar conjures up a myriad of cocktails too numerous to mention while a few rounds of apple tobacco from a five foot high hookah seals the night with authentic flavors.

Indus offers a broad range of fine Indian cuisine at very reasonable prices. A good choice for all you lovers of authentic Indian food – but if you do like it hot, remember to order the Indian chutney.