A VEGETARIAN Indian restaurant has launched a “grown-up” sister branch to cope with its growing popularity.

The new branch of Planet India opened two weeks ago on Third Avenue in Hove and at 80 covers is twice the size of its popular cafe in Brighton.

The Hove restaurant has much the same menu that regulars will be familiar with, but in a smarter setting.

Owner Nilesh Rupani said: “People love the food because it’s simple and honest. It’s not flash or fancy but it is very tasty.

“The new restaurant serves familiar food in a new setting. I wouldn’t say it’s up-market but it’s a bit more grown up.

“There aren’t really any funky vegetarian or vegan specialist restaurants in Hove, so I think we’ll do well.”

The small menu includes regional dishes such as Mumbai potato curry, peas and paneer, tarka dall and masoor dall.

A particular favourite is the dhai bhel puri, a street food dish starter which combines a sweet, sour, spicy, soft, crispy, fresh and zesty in a chickpea batter case.

The dishes are derived from his mother’s recipes which have been updated over the years.

Nilesh has trained up a cook to master the repertoire to give more time to mingle with guests at the front of house in his unmistakable traditional dress and bare feet.

A few additions have been made to the Hove menu, such as a palate cleanser of mango and papaya to take between courses.

The Brighton branch opened in 2008 in Richmond Place, and before that it was in Preston Street for three years.

The family originally got into food when running a corner shop in Upper Lewes Road where they would sell Nilesh’s mother’s frozen curries.

Nilesh said: “A lot of customers that have been with us from the start have been coming and have been very supportive.

“We’ve picked up some our old customers from Preston Street who live in Hove, as well as a few that have moved from Brighton and Hove.

“I’m going to have to develop the art of cutting myself in two, but I’ll mostly be based in Hove and my wife Mamta will be in Brighton.

"Friends that have come down were really happy to see how far we’ve come, from a tiny café-style place in Brighton, to a proper full-on restaurant in Hove.

He added: “Indian restaurants are growing in numbers which is nice to see. It’s good to have competition. There’s plenty of customers so I don’t see why we can’t all be busy.”