With a wood fireplace crackling away and the sweet scent of aromatic curries, Horn Please in Fitzroy North was the perfect dining experience for a winter’s night out.

It was a typically cold Melbourne night in June, and rugged up in my winter coat, the frosty wind still permeated though my body, but entering the warm airy dining room of Horn Please was an immediate respite from the outdoors. The sleek light modern décor welcomed me, as did the thoughtful nods to India with traditional Indian portraiture mounted on the walls.

One of the first things that caught my eye was the well-stocked fridge full of craft beers. Labelled with the Hindu script for Beer and with colourful bottles lined up, the fridge was calling, but my priority at that moment was some hearty Indian food pronto, to warm me inside and out!

The food service was prompt and it wasn’t long before I was busily gobbling down the sweet coconut milk infused fish curry with my pillowy naan bread. As per usual, my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I ordered too much food. I wasn’t going to let a full stomach stop me. The fresh goodness of the yogurty Raita dip gave me a second wind and I continued, enjoying the tender lamb curry with my rice.

I’m always keen to try new foods, so I gave the Gol Gappa a go. Served with six shot glasses lined up in a row, who doesn’t love a dish that has a little bit of drama? You pour the saucy contents of the shot glass into a crisp puff and gulp it down in one mouthful. A burst of flavours in one delicious hit.

A Bollywood film projected on the wall, kitsch Indian portraits and Hindu phrases dotted around the venue, and a fresh modern take on hearty Indian food, this North Fitzroy restaurant ticked all the boxes for a great Melbourne dining experience.