The Malletsheugh is crowned New Restaurant of The Year at Scottish Curry Awards

The Malletsheugh in Newton Mearns opened in August last year after owners the Birk family invested in a stylish redesign and renovation of the original structure.

Serving Indian food alongside a full Scottish menu to showcase the two sides of the family’s heritage, the restaurant was featured by American internet personality Kalani Ghost Hunter who visited last month and awarded 10/10 for his meal, praising the honey chili chicken while his video notched up 1 million views in less than a week.

Mum of the family and owner Tina Birk said: “We are thrilled by this latest honour and the most touching part of it is the organisers said we had a huge number of nominations from the public.

“Thank you so much – I honestly cannot tell you how much it means to us to win such an honour in our first year.

“In such a short time, we have built an incredible number of loyal supporters who really understand what we are doing – we wanted to be a community hub and welcome diners into our family.

“People have really embraced that and I think it’s what keeps them coming back…as well as the food of course.”

Stand-out dishes include lamb chops, butter chicken, okra fries and garlic naan bread.

The restaurant recently created a new glass-walled private dining room which and they are now renovating the back area of the building.

General manager Bobby said: “We work so hard to deliver exceptional service and food, we all pour our heart and soul into what we do – it’s not a job, we live for this.

“The Malletsheugh is a dream we have had for as long as I can remember. Thank you to the people of Glasgow and Ayrshire for making it come true, and then some.

“Things have been crazy in the best way, then Kalani showed up out of the blue and it all went through the roof – everyone is coming to try the dishes he had and loving them, so we are looking at some special ideas to celebrate that.

“But this award just hits different. I hoped we would win and I am sure we deserve it but still – I was gobsmacked. Thank you to everyone who nominated and voted and to the judges.

“This really means the world to our family.”

The restaurant is run by Tina and her sons, largely in loving tribute to their grandfather who started their new heritage of Indian cooking in Glasgow, and later their father.

Now with sons Pavan, Aman, Bobby and Rohan all working in the restaurant, it’s a tradition which is set to continue. Baba Shora - spiced, slowly cooked chicken - was their grandfather’s favourite dish and is a favourite at The Malletsheugh.

Pav said: “Our family have incredible passion for hospitality, food and people. We love sharing our lives with our guests, who become our friends.

“Our grandfather was an amazingly talented chef but just as importantly had this incredible desire to look after people – and our parents, then my brothers and I, have all grown up with that ethos at the heart of everything.

“Big wins mean the world, things like the award and Kalani, plus the bloggers and reviewers who come in all the time to try what we do.

“But most importantly the public and the local people who come in again and again – that’s what really makes us smile.”

The Malletsheugh, 340 Ayr Road, Newton Mearns, G77 6RT.