National award for Indian restaurant in Tullamore

The Zaiqa Indian restaurant in Tullamore picked up a national honour at the third annual Asian Restaurant Awards this week.

The restaurant on Columcille Street, won the 'best front of house team' awards both for Leinster and Ireland as a whole.

The awards night was held in the Castleknock Hotel on Tuesday. Over 250 guests were in attendance, competing for the 59 awards on offer.

The Zaiqa Indian restaurants in Roscommon and Ballinasloe were also among the award winners on the night.

Roscommon's Zaiqa restaurant was presented with the 'best front of house team' award for Connacht, while the 'best Indian chef' award for Connacht went to the Zaiqa restaurant in Ballinasloe.

Another winner from the Midlands was Kin Khao in Athlone, which was named 'best Thai restaurant in Leinster'.

The Asian Restaurant Week and Awards were set up by former Restaurant owner and hospitality consultant Paul O’Connor to celebrate and highlight the ever-expanding Asian food scene in Ireland.

The founder of the awards, Mr O'Connor, said: "It is more important now than ever to celebrate our restaurant culture, and particularly how it has been enriched by the Asian diaspora making a home here.

"These fabulous restaurants and the people behind them, enrich our lives, through their food, expressive flavours, and making the most of our wonderful Irish produce too.

"We are already looking forward to next year as so many of our winners announced new openings!" he added.