African Queen - The AQ Bar & Restaurant, Hounslow

"Located away from the main drag of the High Street in Hounslow, this curiously named Punjabi sports bar (there’s no connection with Africa), can be tricky to find but is well worth the effort. There’s a tiny bar at the front leading to differently sized dining rooms with TV screens showing cricket and football. ‘Punjabi papad’, topped with so many finely chopped tomatoes, onions, coriander leaves (and a sprightly sprinkling of chaat masala) they’re almost like a salad; and deep-fried, battered cubes of Amritsari tilapia are juicy and moreish. Succulent masala lamb chops pop with ginger, garlic, chillies, and black peppercorns; and there’s excellent tandoori paneer tikka made from very soft, freshly made cheese. Feisty curries can be found, too, including red kidney bean, and egg — but like in all Indian pubs, snacks and sizzling mixed grills are the things to go for." - Sejal Sukhadwala