The Capital Restaurant is situated in the heart of historic Catherdral city of Durham. It offers a unique dining experience set in a grade II listed building inviting ambience combining English design with Indian visual themes. The restaurant presents a periodic evolving menu and a carefully matched wine list. Our Chef has won the numerous International Curry Awards and known for his creativity, innovation and his culinary talent. Innovation and authenticity At the Capital we challenge the notion that Indian Haute cuisine can only be created using age old recipes and ideas. We believe that Indian food should constantly evolve and adapt. Our chef creates dishes and menus combining Indian ingredients with local produce and Indian cooking techniques with a European design template which produces a distinctive layering of flavour. Indian History India is a vast country with great diversity of climates, cultures, people and geography. It is this rich tapestry woven by Indian culture which gives its cuisine its unique place in culinary history. Indian cuisine has been shaped over the centuries by many forces. Religion, now as in the past, has had a profound influence. There are many religions practiced in India and most of them give some instruction as to the food eaten by followers. The different races which have at one time invaded the country have also brought their influence to bear on the cuisine. The Mughals from Afghanistan brought with them exotic spices and dried fruits and nuts, the Persians contributed the Dansak style and the Kashmiris contributed numerous wonderful vegetarian dishes. The vast sub-continent of India offers a range of culinary delights as rich and diverse as its people and history. Each religion has its own style: cream, ghee, nuts and yoghurt feature in dishes from the North, while the South favours chillies, coconut and coconut oil. Fish and mustard oil predominate in the East while the West has incorporated the greatest of foreign ingredients. One element unites these diverse styles – the use of spices to create flavours and aromas distinctive of Indian cuisine. At The Capital, we have brought you all the culinary delights from every corner of India and we hope you enjoy your visit to our restaurant and may it be the start of many more visits in the future.