Jatt Flava

LOCATION
In the Central Brunswick restaurant precinct, five minutes from Fortitude Valley train station.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Fortitude Valley has something to offer most types of diner. For the post-pint crowd, pubs and takeaways offer five-buck steaks and limp kebabs. Big spenders, meanwhile, have the gorgeous playground of the Emporium, offering fine food of every type, taste and arresting aroma. Somewhere in between these extremes lies Central Brunswick, a tidy little restaurant precinct tucked away behind Brunswick Street. A central courtyard amply furnished with potted trees and calm breezes is ringed by a panoply of international cuisine outlets, from Mexican to Italian, Central Asian to Thai.

On the northeast corner of the square sits Jatt Flava, Central Brunswick's Indian representative. The buzzing cluster of diners outside suggests immediately that this place is a little bit special; a spicy waft of curry leaves and coriander confirms it.

The prices on the menu would seem to label Jatt Flava as yet another budget Indian outlet, but the taste and presentation of the food punches far above its price bracket. The delicious chicken chetinad, succulent in a feisty coconut-and-mustard sauce, is a perfect example. For a milder option, the lamb korma is thick and creamy without being too heavy for a Queensland evening. Cool lassi and a sweetly nutty Peshawari naan are a must to accompany the more fiery dishes.

All this with friendly, informal service; what more could you ask for a casual night out in Brisbane? Cutlery is of course provided, but if the urge takes you to dig straight in with your fingers, Indian-style, why hold back? Just be sure to lick the juices from your fingertips afterwards. With curries like these, not a drop should be wasted.

Aran Ward Sell