A Grays restaurant has been shortlisted as one of 15 best Indian restaurants in the country.

The Village Indiya Restaurant, in Lodge Lane, Grays, was shortlisted for the most prestigious Asian food awards, the Curry Life Awards.

Diners from across the country nominate their favourite chef and restaurant in the annual awards ceremony, which is presented by Curry Life magazine in association with the takeaway food ordering app, Just Eat.

General manager of the Village Indiya, Ali Hussain, said: “We were stunned when the judges turned up at the restaurant and told us that we’d been shortlisted in the Best Restaurant Category, as the best in South West Essex.

“They were meticulous in their assessment of the restaurant, speaking to the staff, visiting the kitchen, watching the food being freshly prepared and sampling the menu as well.

“Learning we had been nominated for the award by our customers was especially wonderful.

"Our head chef, Abdus Sahid, and the team have worked so hard to deliver an authentic and contemporary Indian dining experience and we’re all delighted that our customers have enjoyed themselves so much that they wanted to nominate us for the Curry Life award.”

To help the Village Indiya clinch the award, customers can complete additional nomination forms, available at the restaurant, or they can also visit the following website to complete a nomination online: https://www.travellink.co.uk/currylife

All completed entries will also be placed into a free prize draw to win two flights to Dubai.

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