TIM HUGHES soaks up the elegance of North Parade and discovers curries don’t come much more refined than this

I have always liked North Parade. It provides an oasis of good food and beer among the residential desert of rarefied North Oxford. Until recently it also possessed a kind of stolid familiarity but now, slowly, the road is changing its face. While some familiar shops, and faces have gone, its credentials as a foodie destination continue to grow, with a new café BREW, quality produce at the prosaically-named 2 North Parade and a regular farmer’s market.

But there is another reason for gourmands to make a beeline for this confusingly named road (I have yet to hear a satisfactory explanation as to why it should be south of South Parade). Sitting at the Banbury Road end of the avenue sits what could be Oxford’s most refined Indian restaurant.

Jee Saheb (the name means ‘yes sir’) is a bastion of quality and great service with no fanfare or razzmatazz – it would be hard to find a more ‘North Oxford’ curry.

The décor is bright and modern without losing sight of its South Asian roots. On the Thursday night my brother and sister-in-curry dined, it was quiet, with just two other tables filled – one by a family with teenage children, which is a great sign. As is our custom, we left it for the chef to choose for us. Unusually, the best came first, after some pleasantly spiced masala popadoms, in the shape of a wonderful plate of mixed starters, which included our first ever Ajwani salmon (£5.95). These small succulent parcels of chargrilled loveliness – fresh pink Scottish salmon dusted in masala and carom seeds and cooked in a tandoor – are worth a visit alone.

We paired them up with tender strips of chicken and lamb tikka, sheek kebab and some delicate onion bhajis (£5.95) – and, because we can never resist them – the loveliest butterflied king prawns. These mammoth chunks of yielding seafood (also £5.95) were gently spiced and perfectly cooked. We agreed, over pints of Kingfisher, that it was going to be hard to beat the starters.

Indeed it was going to be hard to fit anything else in. The mains, when they arrived, though, were light and delicately flavoured. Best was another tandoor creation – a plate of lamb chops (£9.95). Marinated in herbs spices, they were packed full of flavour, and so tender they fell off the bone. They came with a cooling mint sauce and were truly addictive.

They went well with a creamy, yoghurt chicken pasanda and a selection of vegetable side dishes (all £3.95). The best by far were the bindi bhaji (okra or ladies fingers) which were fresh and had a lovely firm texture, and my personal favourite: sag paneer – firm chunks of cheese in creamy spinach.

If there was one word to describe the food, it would be refined. The same went for the service. Jee Saheb’s colonial- sounding name seems strangely appropriate, yet this is no relic of our curry house past; it is the future – elegant, cool and with a healthy flavour of tradition – just like North Parade itself.

Jee Saheb 15 North Parade Avenue, Oxford 01865 513773 jeesaheb.co.uk