What is it about an Indian restaurant in Mitcham town centre which is able to draw celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Mo Farah and last week, Michelle Keegan?

Chak89 in Bond Road has become an unlikely celebrity hotspot since it was opened by the West London Film Studios-owning Khalid family in 2006.

Named after a small plot of land in a northern village of Pakistan where the family's ancestor once lived, the restaurant's success is a bit like a Slumdog Millionaire storyline, with the 'Brad Pitt of India' Shah Rukh Khan now among its self-professed fans.

The restaurant is just one small part of the venue, which also includes banqueting halls, a bride's changing room, conference rooms and state-of-the-art cooking facilities to make bulk ready meals for supermarkets.

Selling all this is Bobby Syed, the recently-appointed manager who has given up a life of managing luxury hotels in Dubai in exchange for a new challenge and the chance to live in London.

"With the private parking and security it's like a mini private state in Merton", he says. "It's a hidden jewel in the borough's crown."

The facilities currently attract a lot of Asian and African families, but he says he is hoping to appeal more to the British market with the launch of a new continental menu.

You'll be hard-pressed to find such a large space for hire in south-west London - with the venue boasting 100 parking spaces and facilities for up to 1,000 guests.

Prices for hiring a hall start at £1,500, with food packages, extra rooms and crockery available at an added cost. For those who just want to get a nice Indian, the restaurant is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 6pm and 11pm with an impressive range of meat and vegetarian curries.

Its Bollywood-style decor makes it a great venue for a special occasion, with plenty of space between tables and a separate bar area.

I would recommend the Chak Chicken Special - cooked with spring onion and aromatic spices its probably more authentic than your average Chicken Tikka.

My dinner guest, who usually gets her Friday night take-away from Wimbledon, said she would be bringing her boyfriend back for the Kashmiri Rogan Josh, a tender lamb dish cooked in a tomato-based sauce.

Curries range from £5.50 to £8.25, with take-aways also available.

Fancy giving it a go? Comment below with your dining experiences, or email louisa.clarence@london.newsquest.co.uk.