“I can’t believe it. It’s like heaven.”

A group of three suited and booted businessmen were on the next table and they’d obviously just stumbled across the Curry Night at the Flowerpot pub in Mirfield.

They were clearly just home from work – or maybe they were avoiding going home from work, for a little while at least.

These middle-aged gents couldn’t believe their luck – a curry and a pint at their local. What’s not to like?

We’ve got the Flowerpot on our doorstep, too, and if we’re not careful it could become a Monday night habit.

The Curry Night has been running for a couple of months now and it looks like many people are catching on.

The owners of the Flowerpot, the very successful real ale pub chain Ossett Brewery, have had a lunchtime pub grub menu for a while now.

But they decided that a Curry Night might go down a treat with regulars – and bring drinkers and diners out on a quiet Monday.

They’ve teamed up with The Spiced Mango restaurant in nearby Middlestown and the result of this collaboration is pretty much spot on.

Diners get a starter, main course and sundries for just £9.95 a head – and a beer voucher for a pint of Yorkshire Blonde (my favourite) or White Rat for £2 a pint.

Yorkshire Blonde (don’t mind if I do) is the perfect accompaniment for the curry. Lager? Too fizzy. Cobra? Just a triumph for the marketeers.

When you go into the pub the ‘curry house’ is on your right with the food served on hotplates.

We were served by the helpful Motahir Ali who takes time to explain the food on offer. The menu changes every week but there seems to be a theme of mild, medium and hot.

Starters were vegetable samosas and onion bhajis. The bhajis were tightly-bound, deliciously spiced balls of onion which were complimented by the sweetest and most suble mint sauce I think I’ve ever had. Fortunately, Motahir was not mean with the mint sauce.

The samosa and onion bhaji starter, along with the delicious mint sauce, and a pint of Yorkshire Blonde at the Curry Night at the Flowerpot in Mirfield.

In fact, Motahir is not mean – full stop. He’ll happily let you go back for seconds. Thirds really is greedy, however.

For mains it was a choice between Chicken Madhu (mild), Chicken Balti (medium) and Naaga Pepper Masala (hot stuff).

The Spiced Mango menu says that the Naaga – succulent pieces of chicken and lamb cooked with onions, tomatoes, crushed peppercorn and Scotch bonnet peppers – was “for the braveheart in you.”

That was a hint at its heat and it was enough to bring a tear to my eye. Pity I didn’t have the cooling mint sauce handy – although I did have the Blonde. Phew.

The meat combination was great and it was all well cooked.

My partner had the ever-popular Chicken Balti which is always a safe option if hot curries aren’t your thing.

I don’t do the mild. It’s a curry. It should be spicy!

The sundries on the night we visited were pilau rice, plain naan bread (a bit on the small side!) and there was also Saag Paneer, or Indian white cheese cooked with spinach. I can never eat spinach without thinking of Popeye. If you don’t know who Popeye is ask your gran. Or Google him.

I doubt Popeye ever had spinach, Indian-style. He was a straight-out-of-the-can kinda guy.

Anyway, back to the point. Great curry. Great beer.

Our ‘friends’ at the next table filled their boots. One thought his voucher entitled him to a free beer. No, mate, but 80p off a pint of Blonde ain’t to be sniffed at.

Another wanted to trade up to a cheeky red. Come on.

Overall verdict? Super. Top grub, top beer, good value – and no cooking or washing up. See you on Monday!

The Flowerpot

65 Calder Road, Lower Hopton, Mirfield, WF14 8NN

Phone: 01924 496939

Website: www.ossett-brewery.co.uk or www.thespicedmango.co.uk

Curry Night: Mondays 6pm-9pm

Disabled access: Yes

The bill: £23.90 including two pints

Would you go back? Oh, go on then...