Heera Indian Restaurant Renfrew dinner review

Elise Hendry visits Heera, a stalwart of Renfrewshire’s Indian restaurant scene, and she certainly didn’t leave disappointed 

Just off a bustling main road in Renfrew, the soft glow of warmly lit windows cuts through the harshness of the winter evening. The noise of the street fades away and a quieter path leads toward Heera – a cherished Indian restaurant that has been a staple in the West of Scotland since 1974, delivering, in their words, “generous portions with very reasonable prices, friendly service and homely atmosphere”.

Heera’s reputation precedes it, bolstered significantly by their head chef Yaggha Murti Dhakal winning ‘Chef of The Year’ at the 2019 Scottish Curry Awards. As the first Indian restaurant to claim this accolade, the victory cemented their standing in Scotland’s dining scene.

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In their takeaway area, a collage of newspapers describing this success is proudly mounted on the wall. To take a gander at the walls of this restaurant is to peer into their rich history and celebrate their successes along with them. 

Stepping inside, the restaurant exudes a homely atmosphere, where the staff move with practiced grace, offering warm smiles and expert recommendations. The heart of this family-run business is evident in their outstanding service – whether it is your first or tenth visit, every guest is treated like an old friend. Owner and fully trained chef, Sunny, was exceedingly charismatic and treated us with expert care and genuine enthusiasm. 

After this warm greeting and quick chat, we were led to a beautifully set table and handed the menus. Before we had even ordered, we were treated to two large crisp poppadoms with an array of accompaniments including tangy yet sweet spiced onions. 

We were informed that the chefs use fresh and seasonal ingredients, and with that, we opted to share the mixed pakora. This selection included chicken, vegetable, mushroom, haggis, and aloo tikki pakoras, each were light and crispy in texture with rich seasoning.

The standout for me was the haggis pakora due to its peppery warmth, making them a perfect Scottish twist on pakora. Meanwhile, my friend and fellow foodie, Zoe, enjoyed the vegetable pakora most of all. 

For our mains, I chose my all-time favourite, chicken korma, while Zoe went for the classic chicken tikka masala. The korma was luxuriously creamy, with a delicate coconut sweetness that did not overwhelm the spice of the tender chicken.

Restaurant manager Sundar, photo ©Mill Magazine Ltd

Zoe’s masala, with its signature burnt-orange colour, delivered luscious tomato flavour and heat. To go with our meal, we shared a fragrant portion of fried basmati rice and a large naan bread that was both soft and crisp, perfect for dipping into the korma and masala sauces. 

We very much enjoyed our meal, the atmosphere was perfectly relaxed, and we could tell the staff were going the extra mile for every customer. We decided to stay for a little while longer and enjoy another drink before stepping back out into the cold winter evening.

The dishes were competitively priced for their exceptional standard. Heera also offers many incredible deals including a sit-in banquet meal with three drinks for £29.95 per person, available Tuesday to Sunday.

©Mill Magazine Ltd

Wednesdays are their tandoori nights, where you can enjoy a delectable tandoori dish, an accompaniment and a drink for only £19.95 per person. They offer many more incredible deals that can be found on their Facebook page.

Heera remains a firm favourite for good reason. It effortlessly blends a warm, welcoming setting with exceptional food and genuine hospitality. Whether a casual mid-week dinner or a special occasion, this is a restaurant that pledges to deliver. With its rich history and award-winning expertise, Heera is the perfect place to visit for some outstanding food and amazing service. 

Heera Indian Restaurant, 18 Porterfield Road, Renfrew, PA4 8HJ, 0141 886 3222, visit the website to book your table.