Villa de l'Inde

On rue de Paris, right in the centre of Vichy, among the shops and not far from the thermal baths. You push open the door and the spa-town setting disappears: wooden statues, warm lighting, a dining room that takes you somewhere else.

In the kitchen, Khan Biplop has been cooking in France for 27 years and puts everything on the tandoor, the clay oven. Meat and fish are marinated then cooked inside: this is where the restaurant gets it most right. The naans arrive hot, the biryanis and curries follow, and the lamb vindaloo holds its own. The vegetarian menu is extensive: the palak paneer (spinach, cheese) is around €12.50. They'll adjust the spice level if you ask.

At lunchtime, the starter-main-dessert thali is listed at around €17.90 (price as recorded, check it before you come). In the evening, à la carte, allow more like €20 to €30 per person. Booking is possible and very useful at weekends, and there is paid on-street parking in the neighbourhood.

Our take, frankly: it's one of the few serious Indian restaurants in the area, and it's the tandoor that makes the difference. Order a naan and a meat or fish dish that comes out of it. One piece of advice: à la carte, the bill climbs quickly if you order dish after dish.