It isn't often I feel moved to rave about rice and I am sure I will be criticised for it, but the rice at Xenuk really was great.

I am not a huge fan and usually regard it as bland but useful for soaking up the sauce of whatever else I am eating.

But the waiter at Xenuk suggested lemon rice to go with my main course, and the man obviously knows what he is doing taste-wise.

The rice was light with the zing of tiny pieces of lemon, instead of just being flavoured with the juice and coriander, and it was a fine foil to my lamb shank (£13.95).

Lamb shank? No, not my usual choice in an Indian restaurant – I hankered for the redcurrant-rich version before trying this.

But it was (purely coincidentally) my birthday and, I thought, the night to try something I had always singled out on the menu but never ordered. I will be ordering it again long before my next birthday, because I enjoyed every mouthful.

I am trying to avoid clichés but the meat was meltingly tender and it did fall off the bone (both bones, as I was served a Man v Food-sized two shanks).

And the sauce, rather undersold on the menu as “a thick, medium spicy sauce”, was thick with lentils, still with just a tiny bite of texture, and the spices gave a warm afterglow just right for a cold winter’s night.

It was a gem of a dish, especially as I accompanied it with my favourite Mushroom Bhajee (£4.35).

I have eaten at Xenuk many times and don’t know what the chef does to the humble mushroom, but the result has depth of flavour while tomatoes balance the taste and texture and stop it being cloying, like some mushroom bhajees – Xenuk’s is always a winner.

It was obviously the night for new dishes and my husband Tony chose Duck Shashlik (£13.50), as opposed to the chicken and lamb shashliks we know and love so well.

A Xenuk strength is the restaurant serves everything straight from a burner at the table, so everything that should sizzle really sizzles.

The duck was tender and more delicate in taste than he had expected. It was accompanied by green peppers, onions and tomatoes with the edges just seared from cooking over charcoal – no burnt offerings – and crisp salad.

Tony also tucked into one of Xenuk’s light and fluffy onion bhajees and a great pillow of garlic naan, and when he put his knife and fork down he was a happy man.

My birthday obviously put me in an adventurous mood and I also tried a starter I hadn’t ordered before.

Chicken Momo (£4.95) is fairly new to the menu and I thoroughly enjoyed two flour wraps filled with finely shredded chicken, spring onions, coriander, chilli, turmeric and green peppers.

It was light and delicate but still woke up the tastebuds, just right for anyone who fights shy of too big a spice kick.

And it was generous enough to be a main for anyone with a smaller appetite than mine, which some might describe as bordering on greed when faced with food as good as this.

I make no secret of the fact Xenuk is one of my favourite local restaurants.

I love the curry and have always had the friendliest welcome from long-time proprietor Sultan Ahmed and his staff and faultless service, whether reviewing or dining with my family.

And now the restaurant serves a Sunday buffet (£8.95, and £5.50 children, noon to 10pm) so I may be kicking a few roasts into touch in the near future as well.

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