Author: Daniel Ford

Daniel Ford is a media entrepreneur, writer, editor and publisher who specialises in launches and re-launches. He is the Publishing Director of media company Chase My Snail. He was previously Editor-in-Chief of GQ (South Africa), Editor-in-Chief of Sunday Life magazine (Independent News & Media) and CEO of the African design magazine Ogojii. He has consulted on digital media, magazines and books in England, India, the USA and South Africa, including creating a glossy print edition of the SABC's TV show Top Billing and branding for the Laureus World Sports Awards. He has written a number of books on fitness, sport and travel, which have been published all over the world, from China to Africa and from Russia to Australia. He loves carefully crafted words, digital and print publications produced with passion. And curry.

A proper vindaloo

On By Daniel FordIn 2. Reviews (Other UK)Leave a comment

Chilli & Spice, Reading

Inauspiciously situated (and advertised) as being next to Burger King and above Perfect Chicken, Chilli & Spice is a restaurant which knows about proper heat when it comes to Indian dishes.

Is it just me or are vindaloos and Madras dishes generally getting milder? I suppose I might just be immune to spice heat after decades of curry munching but in recent years I’m increasing unimpressed by many of these so-called hot dishes. Hot? Hot? You call that hot? Do the chefs pop their heads around the door and think, “Oh dear, he looks a bit pale, think I’ll calm his order down a bit.”

You will find no such worries at Chilli & Spice because the chef clearly knows how much heat dishes really should have. First up a King Prawn Dhansak (£9.50). Most of us know that this lentil-laden Persian dish should have sweet and sour tastes (tamarind and sugar usually does the trick). But there is a third leg to dhansak dishes and that is… hot. Prawns and lentils absorb heat fantastically and the chef here certainly knows how to use them perfectly to create all three tastes. Spot on.

And when it came to the Keema Vindaloo (£5.25) the chef certainly didn’t pop his head around the door. This was a proper vindaloo, with the mince lamb so drenched in spice it led to sharp intakes of breath. When was the last time a vindaloo made you do that?

PS. Try to get your hands on a takeaway menu leaflet before you visit as it includes a 25 per cent discount on food for diners.

Chilli & Spice, 1st Floor, 10 St Mary’s Butts, Reading, Berkshire RG1 2LN. Tel: 0118 956 7080. Open: Mon-Thur 6pm-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 6pm-00.30am. Sun closed. E-mail: info@chilli-and-spice.co.uk.

Chilli & Spice snapshot

Food ① ② ③ ④

Decor ① ②

Value ① ② ③ ④

Atmosphere (Saturday night) ① ②

Service and friendliness ① ② ③


Buy five curries get sixth one free

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

Curry fans will love the loyalty card available from Green Chillies in Blackheath Road, Greenwich. Spend £12 or more on a takeaway (collection or delivery), get your card stamped and enjoy your curry. Do this five times and the sixth curry (up to the value of £12) is free.

Green Chillies, 110 Blackheath Road, SE10 8DA. Tel: 020 8469 1719. E-mail: info@greenchillies.com.

Tip or flick?

On By Daniel FordIn 2. Reviews (Other UK)Leave a comment

Red Chilli, London, E1

“Didn’t you tip him?”
“Yes, I added it to the card.”
“Oh!”

“Oh,” indeed. The question had been prompted because at the end of the meal at Red Chilli my credit card had been push-flicked towards me on to the table by the waiter from the plastic holder thing it’s always presented in along with the receipt. Had I imagined it? Sadly not. It had followed a couple of sharp comments from staff earlier which I had chosen to ignore (well, I had a curry to eat after all).

It’s pretty easy to keep me happy when it comes to curry. Give me a seat, a table and food that is spicy and a curry house has pretty much cracked it. Upmarket or downmarket, old-school or contemporary, cheap or pricey, hey, it’s all curry in the end. I’m not against that complimentary brandy when the curry is finished but it’s not crucial. But I think I’ll skip the bit where my credit card gets flicked towards me thanks.

Red Chilli had come highly recommended and its walls are covered in certificates celebrating various awards. The menu is extensive and, as well as the usual dishes there are two speciality sections – Red Chilli specialities and more unusually Vegetable House specialities with no fewer than 19 dishes listed. The word ‘Signature’ dots the menu indicating the restaurant’s special dishes.

Sadly, as well as the main waiters being off on holiday (I’m assuming), it seems the main chef had the night off too. My taste buds must have though I’d stumbled into a Chinese. The Chicken Shashlik (£7.50) came with fried tomatoes, peppers and onions as you’d expect. I suppose even the stir-fry style of the Mushroom Bhaji (£3.25) in a thick sauce could be enjoyed as ‘something different’. But there was a theme emerging and the Chicken Pathia (£6.50) stayed true to form. There was certainly sweet but where was the sour and hot? I quickly check the rice to see if it’s egg-fried.

Red Chilli, 137 Leman Street, London, E18EY. Tel: 020 7481 3300. E-mail: redchillicurryclub@hotmail.co.uk.

Red Chilli snapshot

Food ① ② ③

Decor ① ② ③ ④

Value ① ② ③

Atmosphere (Thursday night) ① ② ③

Service and friendliness ①


Red Chilli on Urbanspoon

Curry chic

On By Daniel FordIn 2. Reviews (Other UK)Leave a comment

Curry Leaf East, London, EC1Y

This smart restaurant near Moorgate appears to have a steady stream of City workers looking to enjoy a decent curry in clean, cool surroundings after work or after a few post-work drinks. It is one of about 20 in the group I am told (and yes there is a Curry Leaf West, it’s near Tottenham Court Road).

The food in Curry Leaf East is not going to be the cheapest you’ll ever enjoy but you’ll be hard pressed to find better curry. This contemporary venue is right up there when it comes to quality ingredients and offers a balanced and interesting menu without completely ditching the old favourites.

The colour palette of the restaurant is mostly cool creams but set off with dark wood chairs and metal, latticed Indian-style lights. The centrepiece is a wooden installation hanging from the ceiling that will remind you of a small whale skeleton. A couple of tables sit under this, while others line the walls of the long, narrow space.

It’s always a delight to see Chicken Nilgiri Korma (£10.95) on a menu. This spicy version of the classic offers a nice balance of creaminess and spice bite, although this one came in a greener sauce than you’ll usually find thanks to freshness of the mint and coriander used to create the sauce. There is also dark rum in this dish.

Lal Maans (£9.95), a rich Rajasthani dish, was the closest dish we could find to the craved-after Keema. But don’t expect frozen peas anywhere near this dish. The small chunks of lamb were perfectly cooked and tender, and smothered in the trademark thick, dark sauce of northwest India.

The Khumb Makai Masala (£4.50) offered button mushrooms instead of the more common slices served in other curry houses, and the baby corn supplied an excellent crunch to add to the sweetness of the dish. Add to this the tang of the Lemon rice (£3.95).

The obvious freshness of ingredients ensured all the various flavours of each dish was distinctive and balanced and none were overpowered. One moment there was the creaminess of the korma, then the kick of the chilli, then the sweetness of the lamb and the zestiness of the rice. It’s what makes Indian food so wonderful and not something we should really be surprised at, but as we all know from the more cheap and cheerful corner-of-the-street curries, this isn’t always the case.

Curry Leaf East, 20 City Road, London, EC1Y 2AJ. Tel: 020 7374 4842. Open: Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6pm-11.30pm; Sat-Sun 6pm-11.30pm.

Curry Leaf East snapshot

Food ① ② ③ ④ ⑤

Decor ① ② ③ ④

Value ① ② ③

Atmosphere (late on Tuesday night) ① ② ③ ④

Service and friendliness ① ② ③ ④

Curry Leaf East on Urbanspoon

So far, yet so near

On By Daniel FordIn 1. Reviews (London)Leave a comment

Gaylord, London, E14

The foot tunnel linking Greenwich with the Isle of Dogs was opened on 4 August 1902. Prior to that there was a ferry service. On 3 December 1999 the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) line linked the two places. The foot tunnel is free and takes about 10 minutes, while the DLR takes a couple of minutes (one stop from Curry Sark) and costs a bit more than a pound.

My friend tells me his grandad from Deptford never went north of the river in his whole life. And when it comes to curries the people of the south haven’t moved on much.

The Gaylord is a superb restaurant on the Isle of Dogs. Granted, it’s not in the most salubrious of locations but this place consistently delivers great food with friendly service and in a decent setting.

There is a large menu with all the old favourites (Murgh Madras, Murgh Korma, Murgh Dhansak, all £5.50), some even older favourites that have dropped off many other menus (Gosht Ceylon and Murgh Malaya, both £5.50), as well as specialities such as Bakhara (£6.95) with a heavily spiced herb flavour, or Shahi Jhinga Pakeezah (£10.95) charcoal-grilled prawns with diced onions.

It’s worth noting some interesting dishes. Fish lovers rejoice because the Tandoori Fish (£7.25), mildly spiced trout cooked in the tandoor offers a deep fish taste perfectly offset with some salad a bit of mint sauce. Mach Bortha (£5.25) is tagged as ‘exclusive’ and offers mashed mackerel (no bones), fairly hot (in spice terms) which can be served either hot or cold.

Bangladeshi telapia is well represented: Fish Tikka starter (£3.50) is a variation on a favourite, a classic Fish Curry (£7.95), or try Fish Massalla (£7.95) for fillets cooked in a massalla sauce.

But, why oh why is Aloo Bhortha (£3.15), a traditional Bengali dish, not on more menus? It’s worth a visit just to try this mashed potato with mustard, green chilli, fresh coriander and onions (would go well with the Greenwich Curry Club’s specially created curry sausages actually). Remember, people of south London, there is a foot tunnel and the DLR…

The Gaylord, 141 Manchester Road, Isle of Dogs, London, E14 3DN. Tel: 020 7538 0393. Open: daily noon-2.30pm, 6pm-midnight.

Gaylord snapshot

Food ① ② ③ ④

Decor ① ② ③ ④

Value ① ② ③ ④

Atmosphere (Friday night) ① ② ③

Service and friendliness ① ② ③ ④

Gaylord on Urbanspoon

West End curry

On By Daniel FordIn 2. Reviews (Other UK)1 Comment

Strand Tandoori, London, WC2E

The only thing wrong with the West End (apart from the high prices, the tourists blocking the pavements etc) is that curry houses are thin on the ground. First you have to search for your curry fix, then you get ripped off with the prices, then the food is naff because they don’t need to try because of where they are. Luckily there is the Strand Tandoori.

Okay, you have to accept that a place so close to Covent Garden is going to be a bit more more expensive than your local on the corner of your road. In fact there will be a few dishes you will probably avoid due to the prices (Tandoori Chicken at £15.50 and King Prawn Biryani at £15.95 for instance) but generally it’s not toooo bad on the wallet.

The Chicken Dopiaza (£8.25) was probably the best I have ever tasted, with a delicious slightly creamy sauce that had me scraping the serving dish and thinking there must have been a bit of yoghurt added (the waiter’s raised eyebrows told me “no” when I asked). Great sauce, crunchy onions and perfectly cooked chicken. The Lamb Sag (£8.75) also delivered with an excellent consistency and no shortage of spinach (i’ve been in a kitchen where a sag dish was bulked up with the basic masala sauce to keep costs down). Add pilau rice (£2.95) and an extremely fresh nan (£2.25).

Strand Tandoori, 45 Bedford Street, London Wc2E 9HA. Tel: 020 7240 1333. E-mail: strand tandoori@live.co.uk

Strand Tandoori snapshot

Food ① ② ③ ④ ⑤

Decor ① ② ③

Value ① ② ③

Atmosphere (late on Monday night) ① ②

Service and friendliness ① ② ③ ④

Strand Tandoori on Urbanspoon

Fresh of Borough

On By Daniel FordIn 2. Reviews (Other UK)Leave a comment

The Balti House, London, SE1

When in a place called The Balti House, have a balti, that’s what I say. The key attraction of a balti is the freshness of all those ingredients cooked together and the Chicken Tikka Balti (£7.50) was super fresh. Isn’t it great to taste the individual parts of a curry rather than them just getting lost in a mush? Baltis start from £5.95 (Balti Vegetable) and rise to £10.50 (Balti King Prawn Tikka) and are to be recommended.

Strange then, that these appetising curries are found not in the most appetising of locations – downstairs in a darkish part of Borough. The decor of wicker chairs and, neat but bog-standard tablecloths doesn’t add to the ambience. Think dining hall in a two-star holiday place in Majorca. Mind you, the waiters don’t speak Spanish and are very friendly. A draught pint was replaced without hesitation for a bottled beer at the mention ‘that it doesn’t taste right’.

Apparently The Balti House thrives on takeaways, which might explain why it was so quiet, despite a large number of tables. Luckily a slightly tipsy work crowd appeared to dismiss the quiet and before long there was even dancing. Now we had more than the food to entertain us.

The Balti House, 7/9 Newington Causeway, London, Se1 6BD. Tel: 020 7357 6175 or 020 7357 6177. Open: Mon-Fri noon-2.30pm, 6pm-midnight. Sat-Sun 6pm-12.30am.

The Balti House snapshot

Food ① ② ③

Decor ① ②

Value ① ② ③ ④

Atmosphere (Thursday night) ① ②

Service and friendliness ① ② ③ ④


Balti House on Urbanspoon

Durban curried bar snack

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

Richard, our Durban correspondent (South Africa’s tropical coastal city is home to the Bunny Chow) has reported on a new bar snack he has invented to go with stout or ale. These Durbanites certainly like everything curried.

1. Choose your own bread. Thick cuts of semi-wholewheat are recommended.
2. Add butter and the secret ingredient, a thick onion marmalade to the bread.
3. Add a thinly chopped mild curry achar.
4. Slap them together to create a sandwich.
5. Chow* down, washing every other mouthful down with a healthy swig of stout.

* Chow is a South African word meaning ‘eat’.

Let there be (chandelier) light

On By Daniel FordIn 2. Reviews (Other UK)Leave a comment

Jewel in the Crown, Swindon

On a short stretch between the old town and new town of Swindon you will find a glut of choices for your spice needs. The Jewel in the Crown, we were told, was the one to choose. And clearly everyone else knows it.

The restaurant has many inter-leading rooms so the atmosphere remains intimate enough for a big place. And the big place was buzzing with couples and larger groups of friends out for a Saturday. In return they get good food, attentive service and, wow, glitzy decor (including the waiters’ outfits).

The interior designer certainly took the name of the restaurant to heart, possibly even a little over the top for some. Chairs are beautifully carved and upholstered, the dish warmers a notch up from anything you’ll usually see, and there are more chandeliers in here than a lighting shop. Waiters are dressed in traditional long, white shirts with fancy, colourful waistcoats.

It was a nice touch to serve a ‘shared’ Sheek Kebab (£2.90) on separate plates, each with their own salad, rather than the usual one plate-two forks version elsewhere. And it was tasty, top-quality meat too. These different touches continued. As dishes are wheeled to each table a single-ring gas burner is used by the waiters to make sure each dish in a Karahi is bubbling hot. Then there is the complimentary brandy, of course.

Eyes down from the decor for a moment and you could enjoy a Large Vegetable Biryani (£5.90) served with a large Vegetable Curry, or a Gourmea Garlic Chicken Massalla (£6.95). The food’s as good as the decor.

Jewel in the Crown, 14-16 Victoria Road, Swindon, Wiltshere. Tel: 01793 522687 or 511943. Open: noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-midnight.

Jewel in the Crown snapshot

Food ① ② ③ ④

Decor ① ② ③ ④

Value ① ② ③

Atmosphere (Saturday night) ① ② ③ ④

Service and friendliness ① ② ③ ④


Greenwich whisky and curry dinner

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

A whisky and curry dinner will be held in the Mogul in Greenwich Church Street on Wednesday 19 September at 7.30pm.

Five different Indian dishes will be served, and each will be paired with a different whisky. Enjoy whiskies from Auchentoshan, from the Scottish Lowlands to good old Jack D, and dishes such as Goat Korma. Discover how the flavours of this famous drink pairs so well with Indian food.

Whisky writer and editor Daniel Ford (and Greenwich Curry Club man) will present the pairings, explaining a bit of the background of each one.

The evening will be held in the upstairs private dining room. Tickets cost £25. Please call 020 8858 6790 to book as numbers are limited.

The menu

1. A fine Lowland whisky, Auchentoshan, paired with Aloo Tikki.
2. Jack Daniels, paired with a traditional Indian Goat Korma, served with rice.
3. A special surprise malt whisky, paired with Subzi Bhajias.
4. Johnnie Walker Black label, paired with Tandoori Meat Sizzler.
5. A smooth Glenrothes Select Reserve, paired with a delicious surprise dish.