Zaaffran

In a location better known for its tourists, we are won over by tomato, tamarind and tandoori.

Darling Harbour: it's not so much an acquired taste as it is nobody's or everybody's taste. The tatty and characterless Harbourside mall still pumps with the constant tourist trade, even as it looks weathered and worn about the edges. You could do worse, probably, than take friends from out of town for a meal in Darling Harbour. But despite the close-up views of the city at night, the reflections playing on the water and the near-nightly fireworks, I find something dispiriting about the place.

This does not stop Zaaffran, a vast, well-regarded Indian restaurant on the upper floor of the mall, from filling up with hungry people late in the week and especially on weekends. True, even if it is in Darling Harbour, the balcony is a pleasant place to sit on a warm summer's night, especially since inside the airconditioning doesn't seem to be very effective. Pity the busy kitchen staff who are sweltering away over the tandoor.

The decor is dead plain – nothing to distract from the water views, which, in turn, are trying to distract you from the prices, which are steep compared with similar Indian restaurants. Throw in a few curry-friendly beers and the bill adds up quickly.

Zaaffran's particular strength is its extensive and interesting vegetarian and vegan options, which suit one of our party very well. We find the staff generally to be hyper-efficient, professional and unfazed by our last-minute request to accommodate an extra guest.

Somewhat overwhelmed by the vast menu, which offers everything from stir-fried lobster to pan-roasted spatchcock and extensive banquet options, we decide to focus on the vegan and fish dishes.

A mixed seafood starter comprises richly spiced baked salmon, a peppery, crunchy king prawn and a thickly crusted deep-fried white fish. It's a salt-laden onslaught but fresh, perfectly cooked and fiery. The mixed vegetarian starter is pretty good, too: the beetroot patty served with cooling yoghurt raita is the highlight, though we could just as easily have done without the chunk of marinated Indian cottage cheese.

Fresh, warm wholemeal flat bread goes well with the mellow-flavoured but lurid-green subz miloni, translated as a selection of seasonal vegetables, chickpeas and potatoes in a fenugreek-flavoured garlic and spinach sauce. Our vegan diner also appreciates the baingan ki launj, or eggplant in a sauce that features tomato, tamarind, jaggery, fennel and nigella seeds.

There's a half-hour wait for the mouth-watering-sounding tandoori baby snapper but we're hungry so we go for the meen mappas – fish crusted and fried and served up in a tomato-based sauce with coconut, chilli, fennel and ginger notes, sitting on an island of tasty spinach. It's filling, rich and more than enough in this hot room.

A cooling stroll along the water is just what's called for. Perhaps Darling Harbour isn't so bad after all.

Summary

Menu Rich choice of seafood, barbecue and tandoor with strong vegetarian and vegan options.

Value Climbing towards waterfront/tourist restaurant prices.

Recommended dishes Mixed seafood starter; subz miloni (seasonal vegetables in spinach sauce); meen mappas (crusted fish).