Dinner At Anoki Indian Restaurant At Egginton Near Burton-upon-Trent
Published On Sunday 25 May 2025 by Sticky Beak
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Well, after more years passing than I care to admit for us to visit Anoki Indian in Egginton (near Burton-upon-Trent), we nearly whizzed past it! You need to keep your eyes peeled for the entrance, as it’s straight off a dual carriageway, my top tip? Heed the marker signs as they count you down to the entrance’s proximity – just saying, Man Bird!
Thankfully, the car park is a very good size, so His Nibs managed to pick a space fairly close to the fancy arches that guide you into the restaurant. We arrived in daylight, so didn’t get the full effect of this statement entry; however, on our departure the light had faded, and we were treated to a dazzling display of rainbow lights – very swish. There is also a seated area for dining al fresco, set with wooden circular tables and chairs, and an assortment of Palms. I was impressed before I’d even walked over the threshold to meet Naveed Khaliq and his dedicated team and was keen to see Anoki’s interior.
Nav opened the ‘original’ Anoki in Derby in 2003, followed five years later by both the Nottingham and Burton sites. With an uncompromising vision to deliver world-class cuisine in fine-dining surroundings, Nav and his Chefs offer only authentic dishes on the menu. For those of you that insist on having a Chicken Tikka Masala, Madras or Jalfrezi (all non-traditional Indian curries) you may request them; though why you wouldn’t take advantage of trying authentic dishes done by experts is beyond me…but anyhow.
All the team members wear traditional male Indian dress, and looked stunningly smart in the silvery grey colour, and one gentleman escorted us to our table, pulled out the high-backed chairs to seat us and then placed the cloth napkins in our laps. The wine list was handed to us and after a short while, our drinks order was taken.
As you’d expect of a popular, classy establishment, the drinks list was nicely varied; I chose to have a glass of Marlborough Sauv Blanc, The Man had a chilled bottle of Kingfisher lager. Having accepted the offer of Poppadoms and Pickle tray, we were then left to peruse the menu and, because it was Thursday, the Thali menu was also placed before us. Priced at £35 per person (£30 for gold members), a Thali offers a wide selection of dishes, sides and accompaniments and we have had one before, but just fancied single dishes on this occasion. However, you can also opt to have a single course (£32.95pp) or two courses (£39.95pp) that come with unlimited Poppadoms, Pilau Rice, selection of Breads, and drinks… and of course there is the phenomenal 50% discount on food on Wednesdays at Anoki to take advantage of.
The Poppadoms were broken up into more manageable pieces and arranged on a platter, with the pickles arranged in pots on a silver toned salver. As well as a smooth Mango Chutney, there was a fresh Onion Salad, Herbed Yoghurt and a delightfully tangy Tamarind Chutney to savour. When we’d steadily munched our way through this ‘pre-starter’ and were awaiting our starters proper, I took the chance to scrutinise the restaurant a little more closely.
Starting with our table, I noticed the black cloth had a white runner at its edge for a discreet contrast and decoration came via a stunning arrangement of faux, red blooms that stood on a dramatic, tall wire-work stand. A central, oval-shaped recess in the ceiling had been peripherally lit so as to mimic a sunset with its fiery tones; there’s something calming about a sunset, don’t you think? Other lighting was provided by a multitude of recessed ceiling bulbs, at a level that was mood creating but not unduly dark. Pillars with painted murals on broke up the space where we were seated, and one wall had orchids painted on. Further along, at the far corner opposite to the entrance was a feature wall of bold red flowers that had a stylised, neon-lit ‘Anoki’ sign in its centre, and this is where you can have selfies taken…it even comes with a professional ring-light. No dodgy shadows wrecking your pic for the ‘gram, here!
I had ordered Tandoori King Prawns to start (£12.95), followed by Cod (£27.95), and The Man chose Spicy Garlic Chicken (£11.95) with [on the bone] Lahoori Lamb (£26.95) for his main. To accompany our meal, we opted for Lemon Rice (£4.95) and Tandoori Roti bread (£2.95).
The starters were exquisitely presented, both had intricate vegetable ‘art’ on the platters and colourful, garnishing dots. If you feast with your eyes, then we were most certainly in luck. My trio of butterflied King Prawns were huge, and all had beautiful charred details on them that lent a tantalising smokiness to the dish, contrasting with their sweet, fragrant flesh. The Mans’ choice of Spicy Garlic Chicken was certainly going down well, the succulent pieces of breast meat bathed in a zingy sauce that wasn’t shy in making its presence known. Finely chopped Peppers and Onions gave a beautiful thickness to the sauce, and it clung to the cutlery without dripping as His Nibs scooped it onto the chicken.
Up next were our mains and the serving of these was slick and professional: one member brings a collapsible stand and round tray with the food on, and another member of the team serves with him to ensure that there is no waiting. Little details like this, and the hot towels that are brought over when you’ve finished your main course, are what elevates Anoki into something a little more remarkable and memorable. After checking that we had everything we needed, we were left to tuck in.
Both curries were presented in terracotta bowls and had more of the vegetable art decorating them, as well as a liberal scattering of chopped, fresh herbs. One thing we both remarked upon was the fact that an abundance of seeds and leaves from the spices utilised could be seen throughout both curries; clearly no pre-packed spice mixes were used by Chef, and you could really tell on the palate! My Cod fillet was deceptively large; each piece was a good size in its own right (and there were several of them!) and, oh, it instantly melted in my mouth. I can only recall one instance when I have experienced such a tantalising sensation, and that was when I had Black Cod in Nottingham. Such delicious fish deserves a worthy partner, and the sauce was certainly that with its complexity and layers of flavour. Respecting the delicate taste of the Cod, Chef had created a sauce that was packed with elements, but not overly spicy as to dominate. This was one of those DeLorean moments, make no mistake. If a curry could be a person, this would be the Duke of Hastings from Bridgerton; it was that sexy!
Equally marvellous was The Mans’ Lahoori Lamb; so tender was this, that it simply fell away from the bone. Where my curry had been subtler and aromatic, His Nibs’ was an altogether bolder number, and the fresh, whole Green Chillies were front and centre in the unctuous sauce! Bringing a rich, sweet depth to the dish, the chunks of Lamb were delightfully soft in the mouth with an earthy back-note that brought a lovely balance to this meal.
Fluffy grains of sunny coloured Rice were punctuated with a multitude of spices and seeds that all imparted vibrant flavours, but the sharpness of fresh Lemon juice was what really set this side dish apart from its cousins around the county. Nav also doesn’t skimp on the amount of rice he serves to his guests; both of us helped ourselves to spoonfuls several times, and there was still plenty left in the hammered, copper-toned bowl.
When having an Indian meal, you simply have to scoop up any sauce with whatever bread you’ve chosen: rice just doesn’t cut it as a means to gather up remaining liquid parts. Very often, we’ll go for a [leavened] Naan bread as they’re more substantial, but this time we chose a Tandoori Roti. An unleavened bread, the Roti is soft and thin in comparison to a thicker, chewier Naan, and this made it more pliable to get into the terracotta pot and get the very last scraps of curry out. After our dishes and plates were cleared away, our lovely server returned bearing a white platter that had different mints in various sections, and those citrus-scented hot towelettes, which he tore open and presented to us so that we could wipe our hands thoroughly.
By now, our tummies were quite round and full with food (thank the lord for elasticated waistbands!) but there’s always an extra pocket of room specially reserved for pudding, which was soon to be filled by some tremendously scrummy Gulab Jamun. It’s so easy to make this ridiculously sweet dessert soggy by serving it with an abundance of syrup – which it doesn’t warrant, because it’s already sugar loaded – but at Anoki, they serve it with enough to provide moisture without sogginess. We were also impressed by the fact that there was no trace of oil or fat to be tasted; no mean feat given that this is a deep-fried treat! A good quality Vanilla Ice Cream was all the partner that this classic Indian dessert needed, and it had been a very nice concluding course.
As a final flourish, we were offered Indian Tea (Chai); not the common Masala spiced type, but the clean elegance of the pairing of Black Tea and Milk by themselves. Creamy tones from the [often sweetened] milk lead the parade, followed by the gentle bitterness of the tea leaves. Even Mr Coffee/The Man himself, said how much he’d enjoyed this warm beverage.
Throughout our time in Anoki, we had been treated like royalty, and it wasn’t just us; every table had had the same attentive service, even the children – especially the children, actually. Check backs were religiously done at each course, with assurances sought that we had every comfort and pleasure with our food. I can honestly say that it was a total pleasure to dine here and have no hesitation in awarding Hot Wings to Naveed and his wonderful team.
To book a table (at the Egginton, nr. Burton site), call 01283 704888. Alternatively, you can visit the website www.anoki.co.uk, pick the site and reserve a table online. Anoki Burton is open 7-days-a-week from Noon-10pm, and you can also order takeaway if you want to eat at home. There’s also the option of visiting one of the ‘Anoki Express’ vans that visit various pubs around the county (visit www.anokiexpressrange.co.uk for latest locations). If you do grab a curry and sundries from Anoki Express, let us know how they are; just like the restaurant, we’ve been meaning to try it for years and not got around to it!!
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