ROMSEY is blessed with a generous array of multinational eating establishments.

From Thai to teashops, it is easy to fly across the continents with just a step along the high street.

And, following a quick bit of online research, Purbani in Bell Street came out favourably with glowing endorsements for its food and service.

However the visit did not get off to the best start as the first thing we were told on entering – at 1.30pm – was that we only had an hour to eat.

Although the lunchtime opening hours listed online stated 12pm to 3pm, we did not argue and were quickly shown to a table and offered a laminated sheet displaying the set menu.

However disappointed I was that there was not a full menu on offer on a Saturday, and instead only a handful of choices of curries, this soon turned to wonder at the price tag of just £6.95 for a two-course meal.

The bargain hunter in me perked up and I was soon ordering onion bhajees to start and tikka massala to follow.

Although the menu offered sides of naan bread or rice, I was told that there were no naans available so settled with the basmati.

Within a matter of minutes the onion bhajees had arrived on our table, but instead of tasting crisp and freshly cooked, they were soggy and tepid.

Not undeterred, the rice and curries arrived with equal haste.

The tikka massala was no great Indian delight – but instead a rather mediocre chicken dish accompanied by dry and tasteless rice.

And I am disappointed to say that I have tasted the same quality in a cheap chain pub, instead of it being the authentic experience I had hoped for at Purbani’s.

But if I thought that I had the raw deal with my ‘safe’ curry, the husband was much more unhappy with his chicken jalfrezi, which was regretfully abandoned halfway through the meal.

The saving grace was the exceptionally cheap bill, which came to less than £20 for a two-course meal for two plus a couple of drinks, but I would have happily paid extra for a much more satisfying dining experience.

And after a trip to the nearby bakery for a sandwich (the half-touched meal had not been enough to fill up the husband) and a consolatory visit to next door Sundae’s Child (which more than made up for the poor experience with a few scoops of chocolate and blackberry crumble ice creams) we could well have saved money by visiting a more pricey establishment.

Another gripe was the speed of service.

Everything was delivered to our table in record time, but 30 minutes for a two course meal just left me feeling harassed from the frantic to-ing and fro-ing of the waiters and with more than a little indigestion.

Definitely not the leisurely lunchtime meander I had in mind.

JEN RIVETT