Tim Hughes has a Bangladeshi meal with a difference at Zaara in Bicester – where they prefer to do things differently

No-one loves a curry more than me, but I have to admit to being a creature of habit. Must of us have our go-to dishes, whether they be nights out at the local Bangladeshi restaurant with friends, or takeaways for an evening of guilty pleasures in front of the box.

So I take off my hat (which this week takes the form of a Christmas cracker paper crown) to Tito Miah and Shamsul Hoque, the proprietors of my new favourite Indian restaurant, Zaara, in Bicester, for shaking this most set-in-his-ways diner out of his reverie and opening my eyes to a whole new world of Asian cuisine.

Tucked away on the Causeway, in the town centre, Zaara occupies an historic old shop and courtyard. But while it looks quaint and rustic from the front, it is sleek and modern inside; all clean, white walls with a lack of clutter – far from the traditional flock wall paper-clad ‘curry houses’ of old, at which most of us cut our teeth and earned our spurs.

We were out to celebrate the birthday of a friend, a respected chef. Even though we all live in Oxford, within a poppadom’s-throw of some great Indian eateries, we had heard great things about Zaara – tales of fabled meals of hitherto unknown dishes and authentic Bangladeshi recipes scarcely seen this side of the Padma River. That, and reports of its friendly owners and quaint setting were enough to have us heading up the A34.

Tito greeted us like old friends and showed us to a window table in a cosy corner.

We started with fizz, because it was a birthday, before moving on to the more traditional Cobra beer with poppadoms.

The surprises started with the starters – a Zaara mixed platter (£20.25 for four), which featured an extraordinary selection of chicken and lamb tikka sheek kebab and the biggest king prawns I have ever seen. indeed a debate raged over whether they were in fact lobster tails. I maintain they were. They were absolutely divine, dusted in spice and lightly cooked, leaving them sweet and succulent yet packed with flavour.

The only problem was they were too good, and we ate way too much – something we were to regret later when the full folly of our over-ordering manifested itself.

We did go slightly overboard with the mains, the highlights of which were numerous. Among the best was Akbori Honey Duck (£10.95) a sublime tandoori duck cooked in coriander and cream with strawberries and honey sauce. It was subtle and mild, the slow-cooked meat firm but tender. It also looked magnificent.

Also wonderful was the lamb chilli Lahori – strips of lamb tikka cooked with a thick, rich spicy sauce of peppers and spices . It was hot enough to tickle the toes and beautifully cut through the sweetness of the honey duck.

The gold medals though went to a dish calling itself Zaara 8, a fillet of fresh salmon served with slices of baby corn, mange tout and asparagus spears and topped with spinach. It was delightfully delicate – and unlike anything I’ve ever eaten in a South Asian restaurant.

They peaked however with an Aubergine Bengali, a delicate vegetable dish served in a scooped out marrow – fashioned into the shape of a Bengali fishing boat, complete with oar and sails. It was every bit as tasty as it looked. It was served with onion rice (£2.80) and a sweet and tasty Peshwari naan (£2.50) – though they went largely uneaten, so full were we.

We finished with refreshing fruit salads – raspberries and strawberries in pretty scooped out melons. The perfect sweet and juicy finish.

“We like to do things a little bit differently,” said Tito afterwards – making perhaps the understatement of the year. “It’s important to us to use fresh ingredients but also to make things as healthy as we can. And people obviously like what we do, because they come from far and wide.

“Even people shopping at Bicester Village come into town to eat here, because they’ve heard of us.”

Personally I wouldn’t bother with the shopping, but I’ll certainly be back to Bicester to eat very soon.

For this old curry fan, there’s nothing finer than Zaara – and certainly nowhere quite like it.

  • Zaara – Bar and Bangladeshi Cuisine
  • 8 Causeway, Bicester, OX26 6AW
  • Hours: Sunday-Thursday: Noon-2.30pm, 5.30-11.30pm; Friday and Saturday: Noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-midnight
  • Parking: Plenty nearby
  • Managers: Tito Miah and Shamsul Hoque
  • Try: Forgot your usual favourites and ask for a recommendation. You are guaranteed to be delighted.
  • Staying in: Get a takeaway. Get 20 per cent off your first online order at zaarabicester.com