Nelson’s victory

They now have a dining room which matches any Indian restaurant for its calm, smart style. The palette, as they say, is cream and light brown and dark aubergine, over tiled floors. A pitched glazed roof illuminates a raised area of tables at one end. The ceilings are high, and big windows let in lots of light but, thankfully, not the noise of traffic on the hectic junction outside.

The food is splendid, prepared in an open kitchen – nice that the chefs can see who they are cooking for and how the food is appreciated. It is sourced, as they say, locally. It is one of the best curries I have had in ages, and quite a match for that sole Michelin Asian listing in the region, Zaara’s in Shipley (reviewed here on April 16). In charge at Jaipur is Chef Raja, a Punjabi.

Alan Bennett grew up in Armley in the 1930s. His father was a butcher at the local Co-op. The family will have known Samuel Ledgard, who owned the Nelson from 1896 to 1952 and was a bus operator, brewer and quarry owner.

There’s the prison, of course, and across the road from Jaipur a cluster of tower blocks, plus a welcome green space of grass. It rubs shoulders with some drab buildings and, being optimistic, may be a beacon of resurgence. A few doors away, The Golden Lion is awaiting rescue. Its windows are chipboarded over and the walls are a riot of graffiti. There is parking for Jaipur after 6pm behind the Golden Lion. A man in a high-vis vest monitors the customer cars, so your wheels should be there when you depart, replete.

The welcome from the Chabas is exemplary, as is the attention throughout, even to asking whether the table was ready for the next course or would we like a breather. The clientele is half my age, smart, multi-cultural, possibly informed on good food.

Gratis popadoms with home-made dips set the scene. Fennel seeds give a new interest in the mango sauce – so often just spooned out of a jar in other places.

Three vegetable samosas are perfect, with identifiable ingredients inside the filo casings – these devoid of grease and an appetizing mid-brown. With them came diced greens with fresh coriander. They are the precursors of what was to be a smashing dinner – in quality and in content.

My guest was a local upholsterer who had eaten at Jaipur several times and was full of praise. At £2.95, the samosas were the cheaper end of the starters, which included paneer tikka, and lamb chops with ginger – the root being a feisty favourite at Jaipur. It even crops up in crème brulée – arguably a step too far.

The menu is intentionally concise. Does anyone enjoy page after page of suggestions? Old School Dishes just lists chicken, lamb, vegetable, king prawn and you request vindaloo or whatever. Probably better to go for, say, Rajastani lamb, as succulent as you’d hope, of haddock in a Goan recipe with coconut milk sauce.

The specials board suggested Sada saag, this from the Punjab, using both fresh and frozen spinach to achieve the desired texture, ginger, onions, garlic and butter to create a richly flavoured stew. Delicious, that’s it, £6.95.

Also from the board: khara chicken fried in a Jaipur masala sauce, semi-dry and massively tasty. Accompaniments were a tandoori roti, chilli rice and a mint/methi parantha (all spellings are as printed on the menu).

At this stage, it was evident there was too much to eat. The plate of rice (actually rather greasy) was ample for two people. The bowl of chicken (£9.95) was twice as much as I was served, for example, at a disappointing meal in London at the renowned Bombay Bicycle in Balham. It was, indeed, enough for two people, even without first courses.

To finish it off, I tried the chef’s kulfi ice cream – the typical block of spoon-resistant creamy impulse which you’ll either like, or not. Here they put the container in hot water to soften the outer layer.

The Gents, so often a let-down in Asian restaurants, is equally chic, with a trick mirror over the sink. However, the shade of the retro brick wall is unfortunate in a WC.

Verdict: Jolly good so far. Worth a detour.

Jaipur Restaurant, 212 Armley Road, Leeds LS12 2LS. Tel: 0113 263 2594 www.jaipur-restaurant.co.uk Opening times: Weekdays (closed Tuesday) 6pm-10.30pm. Weekends 6pm-11pm. Licensed, including specially-brewed Jaipur India Pale Ale. Disabled access: ring to discuss parking. Our three-course meal for two cost £41.80. Disabled access, yes, but ring first.