Best in Britain award honour

It was also listed in the top 50 alongside some of country’s long-established and Michelin starred Asian restaurants.

Cardamom Black Pan South Asian restaurant and cocktail bar on Cheltenham Parade was listed twice in the Best in Britain Awards (BIBA) as “new to the list, but highly recommended”, as well as best in the North East region.

Nick Rahman, owner of Cardamom Black restaurant, said: “We are delighted to have won this prestigious award and are really proud to be listed among some of the finest Indian restaurants in Britain.

“In just four years of opening it is the third award we’ve achieved, as we previously won Best Indian Restaurant in the highly regarded Oliver Awards in 2013 and runner-up in the Northern Design Awards in 2012, which we have been shortlisted for again this year.

“The Best in Britain Awards is a real achievement, not only for us, but for the region.”

The annual BIBA Awards started in 1993 to support the growth and development of the ethnic restaurant sector, which is worth an estimated £3 billion.

Mr Rahman’s career started in the Indian food industry in Bradford, but his dream was to open his own restaurant and change peoples’ perception of Indian restaurants from being a ‘curry in a hurry’, to more of a dining experience.

In 2011 he realized his dream when he opened the doors to Cardamom Black Restaurant after an extensive £1 million renovation of the near derelict old Empire Theatre building.

The building was lovingly restored to its former glory with many of the original features preserved, including the stunning mezzanine balcony overlooking the Grand stage. The restaurant seats over 200 people, has a separate cocktail bar and also offers a private dining area.

Cardamom Black’s extensive menu places a huge emphasis on sourcing local produce, such as its Nidderdale spring lamb chops, provided for the restaurant by a local farm.

The fresh produce combined with the accomplished skills of the chefs, who take the flavours and styles of the different regions of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, help to create the unique Pan-South Asian menu with the restaurant adding its own twists on classics and original creations.

Each dish is cooked fresh to order, with freshly ground spices so curries can be prepared to your exact requirements from mild to extremely hot, while offering the flexibility to add or remove any particular ingredient.