It’s hard to imagine Sydney without Abhi’s, and thankfully for the past 35 years or so, we haven’t had to. Kumar and Suba Mahadevan opened the restaurant in 1990, and the cosy, silver-wallpapered dining room has pulled a spice-loving crowd ever since.

All the staples are present and correct, from dark, creamy dhal makhani and fall-off-the-bone Punjabi goat curry, to rose-scented kulfi for dessert, rippling with cardamom. But then it pays to look outside the tried and true.

To a pot of scallops and prawns, perhaps, slick with spice-tinted oil and crunchy with curry leaves, served with wood-fired garlic naan, or to specials that might include fragrant and onion-rich Chettinad chicken, finished with a crack of black pepper.

Big shout-out to the good-value wine list, generous BYO, and to restaurants built from family pride, hard work and a pioneering spirit.

Best for: Going old school, but still finding new favourites.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.