YOU know when you're in a good restaurant when you turn up on a busy Friday night, with the house full to the rafters, and receive the most sparkling of welcomes from the manager.

That's just what happens at the Ruhi Balti House on Woodchurch Lane, Prenton, where owner Mr Hussain rolls out the red carpet for diners whether you're a valued regular or visiting this Balti paradise for the very first time.

Your Dining Outers are regular visitors to the Ruhi for the simple reason that it offers top quality food in beautiful surroundings, with service that's second to none.

With Valentine's Day in mind, the Ruhi is the perfect place to celebrate. There is a special night planned with flowers on hand for female diners. Be sure to book in advance as it's sure to be a sell-out.

As mentioned earlier, we arrived at the Ruhi on a busy Friday night to a warm welcome. With such a full house, customers could expect to wait a while to be seated, but not at the Ruhi!

Quickly seated, we were presented with delicious Popadums and a wide range of tangy chutneys. Looking down the menu, all tastes are catered for at the Ruhi. There are several specialities conjured up by the ex-Birmingham chef, alongside everyone's favourites like the Jalfrezi and Bhuna.

I started with a Tandoori Mix Kebab, almost a full meal in itself with lamb tikka, sheekh kebab and chicken tikka. Truly a delcious starter with beautifully tender meat cooked in mild spices.

Across the table, a Chicken Chat rapidly disappeared. One of the most popular starters, Chicken Chat consists of tender chicken and spiced chat sauce served on a thin crisp pancake. The Ruhi's Chicken Chat is a triumph and is highly recommended.

When it comes to drinks, the Ruhi has the best of both worlds - they are fully licensed, but Mr Hussain doesn't mind if you bring your own drinks. There is a good range of wines and beers on the premises - including your Dining Outers' favourite - Toofan Indian Beer!

Moving on to the main courses, I went for the Muchammon from the chef's specialities list. This consists of chicken tikka grilled in the charcoal oven, coriander, a touch of garlic and sliced green beans. This may sound a strange combination, but on the plate it is a delicious beanfeast with a good kick to the spices. Again, highly recommended.

We also sampled a Chicken Tikka Massalla. This is a very popular dish and with a mix of tender diced chicken, spices and herbs, cooked in a yoghurt sauce. Simply gorgeous!

The main meals were well complemented by a special rice and two nan breads. But don't forget to order side dishes. The Ruhi's are all fabulous - we tried a Cauliflower and Bhindi Bhaji which provided the perfect addition to the main dishes.

After all that, amazingly we called for the dessert menu! There is a large selection of ice creams available or if your belt has already been loosened, stick to a coffee!

The Ruhi is open from 5.30 to 11pm every day except Christmas Day and there is a full take-away service. To make a telephone order or book a table, call 609-1718.

So, whatever time of the week, no matter how busy the Ruhi may be, you're guaranteed good food, a warm welcome and quality service from Mr Hussain at the Ruhi Balti House.

S.A.J.M.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.