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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Dan Haygarth

I tried the curry house that Ryan Reynolds declared the best in Europe

Sandwiched between a credit union and a double-glazing contractor in Ellesmere Port is a favourite spot of one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

In August last year, Ryan Reynolds branded the Light of India on Whitby Road the best Indian restaurant on this continent. The Deadpool and Van Wilder actor posted a photo of the restaurant's flyer to his then-44 million Instagram followers with the caption "Best Indian food in Europe".

Ryan's post came as he was in the UK to watch Wrexham beat Maidstone United 5-0 early in the National League season. The Canadian actor co-owns the club with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenney and the two have recently celebrated the North Wales outfit's promotion to the Football League.

READ MORE: Dad and son run tiny pub on 'Millionaire's Row' packed with regulars

Light of India is 21 miles from Wrexham's Racecourse Ground and it is still not clear whether Ryan sat inside or enjoyed a takeaway before he made his big claim. The restaurant's owners were not aware of his work, so he could have entered unrecognised, as they told CheshireLive.

Nevertheless, to put the leading man's verdict to the test - and to mark Wrexham's promotion - the ECHO went to Ellesmere Port to try the curry.

Light of India in Ellesmere Port was declared the best Indian in Europe by Ryan Reynolds (Dan Haygarth / Liverpool ECHO)

The first promising sign at Light of India is the menu. A heavy, leather-bound book with laminated pages, it is how every curry house's menu should look.

After ordering a pint of Lal Toofan (an Indian lager which I'd never seen before) each, my dad and I work our way through our options. Choosing to avoid poppadoms on the basis that there are always more interesting starters on offer, we went for a chicken naga chat, sheek kebab and a portion of onion bhaji.

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A few swigs of the beer make it clear that there is a reason why you see Cobra and Kingfisher more often, but the starters arrived swiftly. The chicken naga is excellent - a tangy, juicy and slightly smoky chicken curry with a lively heat that lingers on the tongue.

The sheek kebab is decent, if a little chewy. However, there are no such complaints with the bhajis.

They are superb - a perfectly crisp outside gives way to a soft, golden inside, which is both fragrant and flavourful. Accompanied by a good mint yoghurt sauce, bhajis don't get much better than this.

The starters - sheek kebab (top left), onion bhaji (top right) and chicken naga chat (bottom) (Dan Haygarth / Liverpool ECHO)

So far, pretty good. To follow the starters, we have a chicken jalfrezi, a methi chicken, with garlic pilau, peshwari naan and a side of Bombay potatoes.

The rice provides a good platform for the curries, with a nice prominent hit of garlic.

A deep red jalfrezi has a good hint of tomato in a nicely spicy, rich sauce that possesses a vibrant tang. Large, juicy chicken pieces work well alongside large onion and green pepper slices.

The naan is not the greatest I've tried and could have done with being crispier. However, the Bombay potatoes are a tasty side dish, elevated by their curry sauce.

Without doubt, though, the methi chicken wins this round.

The sauce is full of flavour but remains delicate. It is buttery, rich and creamy, while the fenugreek provides depth with a welcome herby taste. It is as satisfying as curries get.

Peshawari naan, methi chicken, bombay potatoes, chicken jalfrezi and garlic rice (Dan Haygarth / Liverpool ECHO)

Ryan Reynolds was on to something. The best Indian food in Europe may be a stretch, but as Balti Houses go, Light of India is a cut above most.

Its slightly dated décor is part of the charm. This is a traditional curry house as people know and love - serving great, flavourful curries in a relaxed setting.

Found in an unassuming spot on Ellesmere Port's Whitby Road, just a stone's throw from the town's Merseyrail station, Light of India is well worth visiting. With Wrexham set to face Tranmere Rovers in League 2 next season, Ryan has no excuse not to return to this Wirral gem.

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