NOTHING beats a Christmas knees- up at your local restaurant and the Maharaja in Benfleet bills itself as one of the best venues in the business.

Indeed, on the night we visited the Indian restaurant, a chilly Wednesday, it was full of parties, indulging in their fair share of festive spirit.

The restaurant is famed for its spectacular decor and friendly service, and inside it didn’t disappoint. It also refers to itself as Essex’s finest Indian restaurant.

The interior was a feast for the eyes, awash with marble surfaces, giant Arabian-style cushions and neon pink lighting.

Amazingly, despite the culture clash of influences, nothing seemed out of place.

The piece-de-resistance is a floor-lit dancefloor, which looks like a cross between Saturday Night Fever and Blockbusters.

The main dishes didn’t quite live up to the interior design, but the starters, however, were beyond reproach.

We had tasty tandoori chicken drumsticks and spicy mixed vegetable pakoras, along with the standard offering of popadoms.

If anything, this appetising and large offering was too much and we could have gone home full after the first course.

For the main course we had a pair of curries which were a bit bland.

I had a chicken jalfrezi, with saffron pilau rice and a side order of naan bread, while my companion had vegetable curry with mushroom rice.

My curry was lacking flavour while the rice was a little cold.

My companion fared a little better, reporting that her curry was reasonable.

The side orders of Bombay potato and sag aloo were good.

I left the Maharaja frustrated – it could have been a wonderful evening out.

The waiters were attentive and friendly, the decor outstanding and the restaurant was full of busy chatter and smiling faces.

It made me wonder if our meals weren’t a freak accident, as everyone else seemed to be tucking in with relish.

WHAT WE ATE Tandoori chicken drumsticks £3 Vegetable pakoras £2.95 Chicken jalfrezi £13 Vegetable curry £8 Bombay potato £2.95 Sag aloo £1.75 Our verdict (out of 5) Atmosphere 4; Food 2; Decor 5; Value 3; Service 4; Disabled access 5.