Two Bolton curry houses have been shortlisted for awards dubbed the “Curry Oscars.”

Widely regarded as a highlight in the Asian culinary calendar, the Asian Curry Awards will be held later this year.

The shortlist of restaurants has now been revealed and includes Achari on Crook Street and Spice Island, on Tonge Moor Road.

Asian Catering Federation chairman Yawar Khan said: “We’re seeing some remarkable innovation by pioneering restaurateurs, adapting to challenging trading conditions and more sophisticated customer preferences.”

He added: “Afternoon chai, weekend brunch, more use of quality local produce, especially seafood and game, are now being widely served.”

The list of more than 200 restaurants can now be voted on by the public to decide the top 100 finalists.

The winners in each category will then be decided by a panel of judges from the Asian Catering Federation, which organises the event.

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The organisers say that the awards cover the complete range of Asian and Oriental cuisines: Bangladeshi, Burmese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Middle Eastern, Pakistani, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese.

The victors will be revealed at a gala dinner and presentation ceremony, hosted by BBC newscaster Samantha Simmonds, held at the Grosvenor House in London on Sunday November 19.

The public can vote for the top 100 finalists by going to the shortlist section on the Asian Curry Awards website.