I tried food from Blackburn’s new Indian restaurant in Northgate, Akbar’s and here is what I thought

Blackburn’s new £50m Cultural Quarter has a new flagship restaurant by the name of Akbar's which has locations all over the country.

Once I stepped into Akbar’s I was treated to a beautiful setting as the décor was vibrant which would definitely draw onlookers in.

From plush leather seating to extravagant flower walls, the decorations really had it all and really added to the overall experience.

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Whilst the décor was eye-catching, I was here for the food and the menu did not disappoint.

It featured a large array of choices ranging from your classic Indian staple dishes like dansaks and kormas to more specialty dishes and unique curries.

I was simply spoilt for choice but I started with an appetiser of a classic pickle tray which featured two poppadoms accompanied by four dipping sauces.

These sauces were a mint yoghurt, mango chutney, a green chilli sauce as well as some fresh tomatoes.

All four were great but the mint yoghurt and mango chutney really stood out to me due to their refreshing taste going well with the poppadom.

A good start but it was now onto my starter and my indecisiveness was showing so I asked for the waiter’s recommendation to which he said the fish pakora was amazing.

I decided to take his word for it and I was not disappointed as I was served four battered pieces of fish alongside a side salad.

The fish was seasoned to perfection and the batter was nice and crispy, not to mention the salad which brought a sense of freshness to the dish.

If I were to have one gripe with the starter is that it could have done with some sort of sauce on the side.

Now onto the main event and I decided to go for a curry I had never tried before and that was the chicken karahi.

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I ordered this with a side of pilau rice as well as a garlic naan which was larger than my head!

The curry itself was delicious as the chicken was well cooked and the spice level was just the right level to enjoy.

Being accompanied with the naan and rice, I was left stuffed, defeated and satisfied as all the elements of the meal were excellent.

So overall, I would recommend Akbar’s to anyone craving an authentic Indian meal in a beautifully decorated restaurant with a buzzing atmosphere.

You can read more about the opening of Akbar’s here.