INDIAN restaurant owner Aziz-Ur-Rahman is very proud that British band Radiohead often eat at his curry house when they return home to Oxford.

They are not the only famous people to drop in to the Aziz Indian Cuisine, in Cowley Road, which has just been named as one of the country's top 30 Indian restaurants.

Arsenal defender Martin Keown, who lives in Wheatley and used to go to school in Oxford, often pops in for a takeaway - and Mr Rahman has also served Inspector Morse star John Thaw and top French chef, Raymond Blanc, who runs his famous hotel and restaurant Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons at Great Milton.

Mr Rahman, 39, and his 12 staff even have built up such a reputation in the city that people all over the country know of the Aziz and he get bookings from Belgium, France and Germany.

His restaurant, which he set up eight years ago after selling the successful Polash in Park End Street, was placed among top eateries such as Bombay Brasserie and Chutney Mary in West London, Far Pavilions in Edinburgh and Shimla Pinks in Birmingham by the Real Curry Restaurant Guide.

Mr Rahman said: "The Bombay Brasserie is world-renowned and for us to be among them is amazing, really.

"I'm very proud to have received that award. We are with the elite." He added: "Radiohead are a regular customer. They regard it as one of the best restaurants they have ever been to. When they come back from abroad they will come straight here as they think so much of it."

The vice chairman of the Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs has won such acclaim after being the man to bring many new ideas in Indian cuisine to Oxford.

He said: "It's a job I love doing because I'm a host to a party every night. I like being among people."

At the age of 19, Mr Rahman left a course in electrical engineering at the Oxford College of Further Education to help manage the Star of Asia, in Cowley Road, where he claims to have introduced tikka dishes to Oxford.

Mr Rahman then started the Bilash in Botley in 1984 and the Polash two years later. He enjoyed a lot of success at the Bilash by introducing fresh vegetables and fruit from Bangladesh and India and followed this up at the Polash, which had Regency-style decor.

Stars such as Jonathan King, Alvin Stardust, Lynsey de Paul, Norman Wisdom and Richard Briers dined at the Polash when they were in town. The well-known local restaurateur was one of 98 nominated for the award out of 10,000 and picked up a plaque and a certificate from Indian actor Saeed Jaffry, the star of the film My Beautiful Launderette, at a London hotel this week.

He said: "It's good for Oxford. I have always been one bringing new ideas and concepts to Oxford.

"I was the first guy to bring chicken tikka to the city. It's now the most popular dish."

He was also the first restaurant owner in the UK to cook his meals without the bright chemical dyes which colour a lot of Indian food.

Mr Rahman said: "I believe I have always tried to improve my standards in food, service, ambience, menu and presentation slowly to see if I can get national recognition. I don't know how my reputation spreads - there must be people who write to various people.

"We haven't deliberately gone out of our way to be recognised by the media but it's a pleasure when they do because it's good for us. Sometimes I have said what am I doing here but when you get a pat on the back or someone shakes your hand then it makes it all worthwhile."

He is also in the Egon Ronay guide this year and has been in the top 100 in the world-famous Pat Chapman Curry Club Guide - which is recognised all over the world - for the last five years.

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