I've been dining at Balti 3-4 times a year for at least 10 years, until earlier this year. I haven't been there for about 8 months or thereabouts, so this review is based on my experiences up until then. A couple of negative reviews on other web sites suggest that standards may have been slipping in the last few months, so keep that in mind as you read this review. I plan to return soon to see if that's true, and if necessary I'll write an update. In the meantime, if you're wondering whether to eat there: I think Balti's food has been of a sufficiently good standard over enough years to make it worth giving them a try.

I've always thought Balti was one of the best places in the inner north for Indian food at a reasonable price. Very good curries, naan, and bhaji, and the serves are generous. The curries vary from the very mild to the tongue-blistering, so everyone should be able to find something to suit them.

The tables are tiny, and the wait staff don't seem to know what to do when they bring the naan out of the kitchen and the table is already filled with drinks, plates, curries (each with its own little burner underneath to keep it hot), and rice. Management should consider trying to get hold of larger tables, although it's a very small room so that would mean fewer of them.

Service can vary depending on whom you get. Some wait staff are fine, others seem to be lacking in confidence and prone to mistakes. But the food has always been sufficiently good that I'm prepared to overlook a few glitches in the service.