If you care about global warming or are simply after value for money, one of the best cheap restaurants in Brighton ensures that you can forget about flying to Southern India to find an authentic daal when Planet India offers it on your doorstep.

The Venue
Nestled behind the Pressure Point pub, on Richmond Parade, you can’t miss this restaurant’s bright pink, garish frontage. And the interior is no less eye-catching. As you push open the door you walk straight into a welcoming, colourful, ethnic decor. Everywhere you turn there are sari hangings, family pictures, chimes and candles, all adding up to a cosy combination.

The Atmosphere
Planet India is a family affair – the husband and wife team are an amiable, Zen-like couple who take orders and serve up the food with laidback ease - and yes, he is walking around barefoot. The calm ethos of the restaurant is reflected in the reggae beats and the cheery sounds of happy, well-fed diners.

The Food
The menu is an experience in itself and fun (albeit slightly confusing) to read with engaging, cute descriptions of vegetarian and vegan dishes with prices intriguingly ending in seven pence for the owner’s own favourite dishes. Although, perhaps the number seven being used in the prices shouldn’t come as so much of a surprise. In all cultures, seven is considered to be a lucky number (seven wonders of the world, seven ancient seas that travellers commonly crossed, seven days of the week) and in India, in accordance with Hindu astrology, the number seven is considered to belong to Ketu who is believed to give spirituality and make a person philosophical. Perhaps, the prolific use of the number on the menu explains why both the owners and diners are so ridiculously relaxed.

To start, munch on a traditional bar snack of spiced chickpeas, peas and nuts whilst you wait before trying the ketchoris (£2.72) as a starter – two mini Cornish pastie-like treats filled with coconut and peas accompanied by a tasty yoghurt and tamarind sauce, which works moreishly well. Poppadom fans will quickly become addicted to the papads (£1.31 for 3), lightly spiced affairs served with homemade pickles and chutneys for an additional 67p - not Patak as the menu wickedly points out which are seriously hot but oh, so fiendishly tasty. Curries are offered as half (£2.77/£3.07) or double portions (£4.27/£4.77) so you can sample more than one curry in a night and a really good idea if you generally tend to get a bit bored with just the one large portion. The chickpea with a little bit of potato curry in a light tomato masala sauce is delicious as is the curried spinach and paneer dish. Look forward to simple, full flavours that are perfectly complemented with side orders of crisp chapattis, fluffy parathas with shreds of onion and spicy cumin rice.

The Drink
Organic, vegan wines and beers (£3.37) are on the menu along with lassis, mineral water and Pepsi (Coca Cola is happily boycotted here no doubt due to their intensive water plant in Rajasthan). Don’t be shy to just ask for tap water as it is happily served here without any qualms and in dinky juice bottles. You won’t be able to order a coffee to round off the meal but hey this is genuine, Indian food so save the caffeine kick for another time.

The Last Word
Authentic, affordable Indian food in the heart of Brighton that wouldn’t be out of place at one of the best restaurants in India. No wonder Planet India is widely regarded by those in the know as the restaurant to head to for top notch Indian cuisine if you value charm over extortionate prices.

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