Is this the best restaurant in Blackburn?

Serving 'authentic south Indian' cuisine from the heart of East Lancashire, and with more than 200 positive reviews on travel website Tripadvisor (223 of those rated excellent), Thira Indian restaurant on Darwen Street can safely claim to be one of, if not the best restaurant in town.

With their extensive menu offering a wide range of dosas, masalas, biryanis, and a selection of rice, sides and soups, Thira is the only Blackburn eatery on the site to have been given a five star (excellent) rating in all three categories - food, service and value for money - from their 264 reviews.

One diner, who visited in July said: Excellent and authentic South Indian food.

"The ambience and service was great too. Everything just perfect about this place.

"Would love to visit again soon."

While another exclaimed: "Who would have ever thought that Blackburn, an old industrial town in Lancashire, England will have one of the best Indian restaurants serving Keralan cuisine in the UK?

"My origins are from Kerala in South India and I can immediately say whether a restaurant serves authentic cuisine or not.

"Thira certainly does. It is a feast and every dish (we have been several times and tried various combinations) is superb.

"The aapams, kerala parotta, dosas, vadas, chilly chicken, chicken 65, naadan chicken curry, chicken varatharicha curry, kerala fish curry, fried mussels etc are simply delicious.

"In fact my mouth waters as I type and reminds me of home.

"The prices are very reasonable and a family of four adults can have an excellent meal for around £50.

"What a great place and kudos to the all at Thira.

"I look forward to visiting them as soon as the lockdown is lifted."

And one reviewer who dined in August said it was the 'best they'd had in a long time'.

The reviewer said: "For main I got lamb Rogan Josh and my fella got butter chicken, which came with chips and spicy rice, poppadoms and chutneys.

"It was very nice indeed. The best I've had in a long time.

"We both will go back again 10/10."

Thira's dish prices range from £4 to £10 and the restaurant, which also does take-away and is participating in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, caters for vegans, vegetarians and those with other dietary requirements.

But Thirla isn't the only restaurant in Blackburn to have set diners' tastebuds tingling, as both Calypso Caribbean on The Wharf and Kebabish Original on Whalley New Road were highly rated on the site, each amassing four and a half out of five ratings from more than 600 reviews each.