There are just two rules to follow to have an awesome experience at Wynyard Quarter's Urban Turban: stay clear of the bastardised, Indian-themed pizzas and Chef's Specials, and always, always order dessert.
Turban's housemade ice cream is ruinously good – try the tasting trio, which includes mango, rosewater and paan, an indescribable flavor extracted from the betel leaf. It might even be a smart idea to order dessert first, because the curries are bottomless (!!), and there's a real risk you'll stuff yourself before the main attraction.
Situated on lively Jellicoe Street and overlooking the wharf, Urban Turban boasts great views and people-watching and is beautiful on the inside too: sleek, modern and understated with only subtle references to the motherland.
The menu is inspired by Mumbai cuisine and divvied up into entrees, street food, sharing plates, Bombay classics and bottomless curries. Respectively, your best bets from the above include: Gun Powder Prawns (giant tiger prawns marinated in Urban Turban's hot chilli sauce), Flavour Bursts (puri, or little deep-fried bread pockets, stuffed with potatoes and yoghurt), Spiced Fries, Hot 6 Chicken (tandoori chicken coated with a six spice mix and served with fried rice), and Sali Boti (boneless lamb cooked in a rich, tangy tomato-based gravy).
Turban's clearly tried to be a little playful with its offerings – it's not conventionally Indian. Most of the time it pays off (hello, Bombay lamb sliders and chocolate samosas!) but can fall flat too: the Chicken Tikka pizza and attempts at adding an Indian twist to dishes such as the pork belly or soft shell crab don't work as well as they could.
Overall, Urban Turban serves up some pretty tasty food, the location is fab and there's a fun, buzzing atmosphere: it's a solid contender for your next group/celebratory dinner.