More than just food, Maharaja is about presentation. Our meals are all mouth-wateringly beautiful, steaming fresh from the kitchen, and smell amazing. Massive chunks of marinated paneer, spiced chicken straight from the tandoor, and curries garnished with the little extra bits that really make a difference.

Maharaja is a destination Indian restaurant, located in a renovated villa on the eastern side of Papanui Road. You’re unlikely to stumble across it by accident and it is absolutely worth seeking out.

The attention to detail is clear from the second we walk through the old-skool heavy timber front door. The restaurant has a welcoming feel and is divided into dining rooms that can accommodate groups and small tables.

The manager Gagan cheerfully talks us through what’s on offer while taking drinks orders (the Cityscape group somehow unanimously bypasses the extensive cocktail menu to order a round of mango lassi). The lunch menu is packed with easy-to-eats and what you might call Indian fusion, like loaded fries and spiced Indian-style burgers as well as the house lunch speciality: Naan’wiches (more on these later). The main menu has all the classic Indian curry and rice dishes, and everyone in the group quickly finds something to their taste.

While we wait for our food, we take in the surrounds: delightful Desi music gives an atmosphere to the place without being imposing, and we are seated right next to the old villa fireplace, decorated with tastefully modern fern motif wallpaper and a signed Black Caps cricket bat.

The curries arrive first, and the small details that make Maharaja stand out are immediately apparent. Each curry is served in a metal balti dish, sitting on a short stand with a tealight candle underneath to keep it hot. The colours are rich and the garnishes just top things off; the mango chicken looks particularly good with a swirl of cream and mango, sprinkled with sliced almonds and topped with a flower. The mango lassi are similarly well presented, and the taste shows they were clearly made fresh with the appropriate amount of cardamom to offset the sweet and tangy drink.

Meanwhile, there’s only so much column space a reviewer can dedicate to writing about bread, but the garlic naan smell fragrant, fresh and garlicky. They taste toasty and tandoori smoky, the texture is crispy, and they complement the smooth and rich curries perfectly.

Next, the Naan’wiches land on the table. Think a sub sandwich, but made with naan bread and fresh Indian fillings. Each is loaded with a main filling (paneer, chicken, lamb or onion bhaji). Like everything else at Maharaja, they are presented beautifully – each Naan’wich comes in a stylish black bowl, giving us the option to wrap them up and eat with our hands, or pick at them with forks for the more hands-off among the group. The chicken and lamb fillings are plentiful, and the paneer comes in satisfyingly huge pieces. Fresh salads, pakora pieces and aromatic spices combine with juicy house-made sauces for a storm of flavour that really just works. The Naan’wich experience is a satisfying one, and it would make a great takeaway lunch, too.

Recipe: Learn how to cook a Maharaja Naan’wich Chicken Tikka at home

There is nothing frantic or rushed about the dining oasis that is Maharaja, and after a fairly long and conversation-filled lunch, we feel relaxed, full to the brim, and ready to head back out into the busy world.

maharaja.net.nz