Salkaara

Head down to Wellfield Road in Cathays and you'll find Salkaara doing what it does best: taking Indian cuisine seriously without the pretension. You're looking at a neighbourhood spot that's become genuinely popular with locals, not tourists ticking boxes. The kitchen knows what it's doing—spices are balanced, dishes arrive properly executed, and the team running front-of-house actually cares whether you're enjoying yourself. It's the kind of place where regulars know the owner and recommendations mean something.