Papadum, Riviera del Sol, Spain

You deserve a good curry if you can find Papadum. People who regularly visit this small Spanish resort are likely to go years without knowing Centro Commercial even exists. Up a steepish hill, but only a 10-minute walk from the main centre, this small cluster of bars, restaurants and shops serves the many ex-pats who can do without the walk up and down for beers and food.

The restaurant is neat, tidy and modern but has a slightly empty feeling  which was not helped by the lack of music. Who would have thought you’d ever miss that piped Indian music, eh? Once the bulk of customers had left, though, this was the first time I have ever heard football commentary broadcast in a curry house (Europa Cup Final between Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao).

The Tandoori Chicken Salad (€5.50) was something new. Slices of cold, marinated chicken on top of a crunchy salad of lettuce, onion and tomato that had been smothered in a spicy chaat masala sauce. Fresh and delicious.

I plumped for a rare forage into the vegetable mains and the Vegetable Jhal Fraize (€6) was just right, thick with sauce and a variety of veg and spicy to the core. It’s a shame a lot of us overlook veg so often as they really do absorb Indian spices so well. Add a generous portion of pilau rice (€3) – the waiter was honest enough to say they used tinned mushrooms in the mushroom pilau, which was the first rice choice – and a Lamb Bhuna (€9), coated in thick tasty sauce oozing with the meat’s sweetness for a decent Costa curry.

Papadum, Calle Acuario, Centro Comercial Las Terrazas de Miraflores Golf Local No 11, Riveria del Sol, Mijas Costa, Spain. Tel: +34 951 273 032. Open:5.30pm–late.

Papadum snapshot

Food ① ② ③

Decor ① ② ③

Value ① ② ③

Atmosphere (Wednesday night) ① ②

Service and friendliness ① ② ③ ④