MAXINE GORDON samples some stellar fare at a curry house in a residential part of York

My heart sank as I read the sign on the door inviting customers to bring their own beer and wine. I wish I'd been forewarned that The Star of Bengal, Burton Stone Lane, York, was unlicensed and I'd have come prepared. After all, a spicy curry without a cold beer or two to cool the palate is as ridiculous as papadoms without mango chutney.

"You can buy alcohol at the shop on the corner," our helpful waiter informed.

Well we could, I thought, frowning, if we had any money. I'd planned to pay by cheque as I hadn't made it to the bank that day. Now I just hoped I had enough coppers in the purse to buy a take-out beer from the Jackson's store on the corner.

Things looked promising when Nick, my dining partner, produced a fiver from the depths of his jeans pocket. It turned out to be three-quarters of a fiver, as the right-hand edge had mysteriously vanished.

A frantic search in the bottom of my handbag unearthed a collection of silver coins - enough to buy three bottles of Stella Artois from Jackson's with change for a tip.

"I hope you have a bottle opener," quipped Nick to the waiter.

He politely laughed, as if hearing the remark for the first time.

Scanning the menu, I was cheered to see my favourite dish: Chicken Tikka Bhuna. Often at Indian restaurants I have to ask for this specifically. They always oblige, but I felt it was a good sign that The Star of Bengal had decided this delicious dish deserved a listing of its own.

The second thing that cheered me was the very reasonable prices. Starters averaged at £1.10 each, with main courses ranging from £2.70 to £5.50, with the majority skirting the £3 or £4 mark.

Suddenly feeling extravagant, I convinced Nick to order three starters: onion bhaji, chicken bura and bhuna prawn on puree.

The next thing to cheer me was the waiter popping some complimentary papadoms and a pickle tray on the table. Then panic set in.

Had he rumbled us? Had he been tipped off the Evening Press was sending a reviewer around for a taste test? But he was equally as nice to the family at the table behind us, so I put my cynic's hat away, ready to sample the starters.

I'd ordered the chicken bura because I'd never had one before. "It's like an onion bhaji, but with chicken," the waiter helpfully explained.

Mmm...I don't think so. It was more like three stodgy patties, without onion, or chicken. When I asked whether we had the correct dish, the waiter explained the chicken was shredded into the patty mix - hence its low-key presence.

Luckily, my prawn puree was exquisitely delicious and more than made up for the disappointing bura. The sauce was delicately spiced and sweetened by soft onions and tomatoes with a generous helping of prawns - and all for £1.40.

Nick's onion bhaji was tasty too, although the side salad was limp with the lettuce shreds starting to turn brown at the edges.

But that was soon forgotten when his Tandoori Chicken Tikka arrived sizzling hot and mouth-wateringly succulent. A squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of raitha, and a couple of chapatis made his meal complete.

My Chicken Tikka Bhuna oozed equal star quality. I love this dish and this was definitely a good version. The secret here is definitely in the cooking: twice in all, to combine wonderfully-moist chicken tikka with the aromatic bhuna flavours.

Our waiter suggested a vegetable side dish for us - potatoes with chick peas, which proved to be an excellent choice: the potatoes were fall-away soft and thoroughly scrummy.

This wasn't on the menu, but then our waiter said they couldn't possibly list every dish on the menu and said customers were welcome to ask for anything they wanted.

There were no desserts or coffee on the menu, but he assured us they were available. We were too full for Kulfi (Indian ice cream) and instead settled for coffee. We were given two chocolates each with our coffee and some more with the bill, which came to just over £19.

If you hark back to the days when going for a curry meant a fairly informal and inexpensive night out, then The Star of Bengal, tucked away in a residential part of York, should be right up your street.

Restaurant:Star of Bengal

Address:197, Burton Stone Lane

Telephone:01904 646549

Reviewed:31/10/98

Food:very tasty

Service:friendly and efficient

Ambience:informal and relaxed

Value:excellent

PICTURE:The Star of Bengal, Burton Stone Lane, York: great food at an even greater price.