An authentic flavour of the street food and home-cooked meals of Bombay has arrived in Ashford.

Businessman Swapnil Pradhan, 32, has opened the Bombay Street Indian deli and cafe in the town’s Bank Street.

Stanhope resident Mr Pradhan previously worked as the manager of KFC in the lower High Street.

But he and his wife Maithily, who also worked as a manager for the fried chicken chain, have always dreamed of owning a restaurant.

Mr Pradhan said: “I’ve always wanted to do this. I started cooking when I was 13, just home cooked foods like rice and curry, as well as some Chinese food like noodles and fried rice.

“And we both really wanted to bring Indian street food and home cooked favourites to Ashford.

“There’s so much more to Indian food than the type of dishes you find in takeaways. It’s perhaps not always as spicy, but it has layers of flavour.

“And home cooked food in India is like home cooked food anywhere, there has to be love and passion behind its preparation.”

Bombay Street sells a mixture of sweet and savoury dishes, as well as home-made pickles and preserves, and is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm, and Sunday, 12noon to 7pm.

The shop is a franchise of the Royal Sweets chain, which produces Indian sweets, desserts and savouries.

To find out more, visit the Bombay Street Facebook page or call 01233 634116.