Category: 2. Reviews (Other UK)

Great name, great food

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

Biplob, Swindon

It’s hard enough for me to walk past an Indian restaurant at the best of times but when one is called Biplob, with the tag “The art of Tandoori dining” I’m afraid there is no chance I won’t be looking for a table.

This smart and well-designed restaurant said it could do tandoori so it was ordered.  Shaslik Chicken (£8.95) followed a couple of popadoms, that were served with huge quantities of pickles and mint sauce. The pickle pots are certainly big down this way.

The Shashlik was spot on, with huge chunks of nicely marinated chicken and decent pieces of green pepper and a bed of onion as well as the usual chunks. I could have have done with a bit more tomato although the bits on the skewer were spot on. My friend, surprisingly, had never tried a Shashlik, and this is a man who likes his curries, so it was pleasing to see his thumbs up. I think we forget there are other options to the usual tomato and onion based curries we oh so often go for.

But a nice bit of sauce never hurt anyone so we also ordered a Garlic Chilli Masala Paneer (£7.95), which was decent enough but a bit thin in texture. I prefer a thicker sauce coating larger chunks of the cheese, although in this instance, because of the drier chicken dish it went well on the table. Pilau rice at £2.95 finished a decent curry at a decent price.

Biplob, 12-14 Wood Street, Old Town, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4AB. Tel: 01793 490265/431416. Open: daily noon–2pm and 5.30pm–midnight (1am Friday and Saturday).

Scores on the tandoors

Food 8
Decor 8
Service 8
Value for money 8

It takes all sauce

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Ribble Tandoori, Clitheroe, Lancashire
(Takeaway)

As one of only a handful of curry houses serving the market town of Clitheroe, as well as the large surrounding area of villages and farms, the Ribble Tandoori needs to be good. And as it is the nearest Indian to my friend’s cottage, requiring a good 40-minute round trip, I am delighted to report that it is, which is no surprise as it’s been operating since 1993. A post-pub curry in these parts need a certain amount of planning if you live in one of the Forest of Bowland villages, so disappointment isn’t really an option.

The sauces for both the South Indian Hot Garlic Keema (£5.45) and the Rogan Josh (£5.45) were thick and tasty, using finely chopped onions instead of the oft mulched-in-blender method for the base. This found an immediate fan, not least because I have adopted this approach in my own cooking in the last couple of years. Self-validation and all that. It does take a bit longer to soften up the onions but it draws out their sweetness better and the reward in the texture is well worth it, as anyone who has dished up a curry that makes them think of baby food will agree.

The garlic in South Indian Hot Garlic Keema was similarly noticeable and its taste prominent, as indeed it should be if you order a dish with garlic in its name. It was refreshing to see this dish on the menu, and indeed there were many others that don’t appear on too many others, including Lonka Garlic Masala, Lonka Piaja, Jai Puri, Zafranai, and Hathkora. I could have stayed for ages discussing the ways these dishes are created with the friendly guy serving and watching the chefs at work in the open kitchen, but alas it was necessary for me to go and find out the bit below for where to have a beer while you are waiting.

And the curries were indeed worth the wait. We added Lemon rice (£1,95) and a nan (£1.50).

Parking: on the Waddington Road or one of the nearby side streets.

Delivery: yes, but the menu doesn’t specify a distance or a minimum. Because it serves a rural area it will depend how far away you are ordering from.

Beer while you’re waiting: the Wagon and Horses is a two-minute walk up Pimlico Road and the Royal Oak, in Waterloo Road, is four minutes.

Ribble Tandoori Takeaway, 19 Waddington Road, Clitheroe, BB7 2HJ. Tel: 1200 443368. Open: daily 5pm-11.30pm. Sunday 4pm – 10.30pm.

The scores on the tandoors

Food 8

Waiting area: 5

Value 9

Service and friendliness 8

A fine lunch

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Charcoals, Glasgow, Scotland

Lunchtime curries are always a bit of a treat and it certainly is a treat at Charcoals. This smallish curry house doesn’t look much from the outside but the food is cracking. It’s also just around the corner from The Horseshoe, one of Glasgow’s best known pubs, so you can have a nice post-curry pint if you plump for an early executive lunch.

At just £6.95 it’s particularly good value, although once you’ve added a during-curry pint (£3.60 for draught Tennent’s), some pickle (95p) and a tip it’ll be double that.

The food is exceptional and the Chicken Desi Karahi one of the best curries I’ve ever had. The first mouthful simply exploded in flavours. The sauce was sweetish, but spicy, and full of onion, peppers and juicy bits of meat. I had it with two chappatis but you can also chooose boiled rice or a naan if you prefer.

The deal also comes with a starter (you can choose from a small range) and the Chana Poori was nearly up there with the main in the flavour stakes. Super tastes all wrapped up in puffy, flaky bread.

There’s a small hatch near the door, which the chefs use to let out the heat, and as I was the table nearest this it was fascinating to watch them at work. I’d love to show you a pic of these great chefs but unfortunately I was told that taking a pic is “against the law, against company policy” by the slightly grumpy waiter. The hatch door was promptly shut and steamed up. Mmm.

Instead I will show you a pic of the fine lunch  this unassuming but quality little place dished up. If you don’t hear from me again it’s because the curry police have taken my camera and I’m hiding in the oven.

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Tasty karahi, pickles, chappati and a beer. A fine lunch…

Charcoals, 26a Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland, G2 1LU. Tel 0141 258 6482. Open: noon–late.

Scores on the tandoors

Food 9

Decor 6

Service and friendliness 6

Atmosphere 6 (Wednesday lunchtime)

Value 9

 

Charcoals on Urbanspoon

Style in the city

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Assam’s, Glasgow, Scotland

I’m thinking the relaxed style of the service in Assam’s is the way forward for curry houses. British people, after all, don’t really do “receiving service” very well. False, American-type “have a nice day” service makes us cringe, Snooty “I need to give you a look that makes you feel that we don’t want you here” service irritates us, while bowing and scraping “I’ll do anything for you sir and madam” makes us feel decidedly uncomfortable.

The latter two, of course, are peas from the same pod as we search for egalitarianism as we sit down to eat. We don’t want people to treat us as if we are not good enough for anywhere (our grandfathers told us about this sort of thing), and we don’t want anyone else to act subservient just because they are serving us (as our grandfathers wouldn’t accept that either). We are not “under” anyone and we are not “above” anyone either. Ah, the dilemmas of a class system.

And so the poor old people that serve us have to walk a tightrope of being efficient but not too attentive, friendly but not too friendly, fast but not too fast and on the list goes. An impossible job. Yet the two young lads at Assam’s seem to have got it just right, mixing up banter with efficiency. A job in training awaits you.

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Modern decor in an elegant setting
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Tandoori Chapati, ideal for scooping up tasty curry

Assam’s, situated in an elegant building in West Regent Street, in the centre of Glasgow, has been operating since 2009. The high ceilings, large windows and gold picture frames sit comfortably alongside the clean, contemporary lines of the modern furniture and smart bar. It’s a pretty cool place.

The menu is not huge (although the chef will cook other curries if you ask) so presumably they stick to what they know best. The Garlic Chilli Chicken (£9.95) was full of soft, whole garlic cloves, peppers and chilli, with the thick, sweet sauce coating the tender small chunks of chicken. The Tandoori Chapati (£1.20) was the size of London naan and the wafer-thin bread had been popped and singed by the searing oven heat in all the right places. It was ideal (after a quick chat with our waiters about how it was cooked) for scooping up the curry topped with a dab of homemade pickle (65p).

Sadly the Vegetable Curry (£8.50) did not receive such high praise from The Vegetarian despite the large chunks of fresh broccoli and cauliflower. The vegetables were declared too soft and the dish itself described as “more lightly spiced veg than veg curry.”

Elsewhere on the menu Spiced Haddock (£5.95) and Aubergine Fritters (£3.20) from the starters stood out, while the Karahi Garlic Lemon (£6.95 for lamb) has my mouth watering for a return visit.

Assam’s 57 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 2AE, Scotland. Tel: 0141 331 1980.

Scores on the tandoors

Food 7.5

Decor 9

Service and friendliness 9

Atmosphere 6 (late Monday night)

Value 7

Assam's on Urbanspoon

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Waiting for spice

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Shah Manzil, Liss, Hampshire (Takeaway)

The Shah Manzil is the new name for the Saaki (previously reviewed here, also following a takeaway). The new owners took over about a year ago and from what I have seen not a lot has changed except the sign. It’s a decent enough restaurant, tucked away off the ‘main’ road of the village, but it takes a brave businessman to take on the illustrious Madhuban just up the road.

But the new owner seems to be making a good bash at it. There was a steady flow of takeaway trade when we visited and he has (thankfully) left the nice little waiting area for those of us who like to collect our takeaways. It’s an ideal little nook for a cold pint of Cobra and a couple of popadoms while you wait for the spice clock to tick down. Some waiting areas in restaurants really are naff (I suppose because they don’t want to waste space they can use for diners) so well done on keeping this as it was.

The food selection certainly did the job, and you get 10 per cent off the listed price if you collect, so you can have that waiting beer guilt-free. The Jhinga Zaffrani (£10.95 before discount) was my stand-out dish from the selection we choose. Nice plump prawns coated in ginger, garlic, chilli and yoghurt, then topped with an aubergine terrine and served with pilau rice. Shame I had to share really.

The Vegetable Naga Mirchi (£6.25) was mind-blowingly hot but still had everyone tucking in for “just a little bit more” and was nice when mopped up by the naans (£2.10 for plain and £2.45 for the peshwari and keema versions). The Achari Lamb (£8.95) is a delight for pickle lovers because there really is no holding back from the kitchen if you like the taste of lime and mango in your sauce.

The only disappointment was the Chicken Tikka Masala (£8.95) with the chef drifting down the route a lot of restaurants seem to be – too nutty and not creamy and luxurious enough, This dish is going to be knocked off Britain’s favourite-dish list if they keep going that way.

Takeaway essentials
Parking: on-street parking along Station Road.
Delivery: free within three miles for minimum orders of £15.
Specials: 10% discount on takeaways collected.
Beer while you’re waiting: Shah Manzil is a fully licensed restaurant or the Whistle Stop pub is a short walk away.

Shah Manzil, 73 Station Road, Liss, Hampshire, GU33 7AD. Tel: 01730 895455. Open: daily noon–2.30pm, 5.30pm–11.30pm.

Scores on the tandoors

Food 7

Waiting area  7

Value 7

Service and friendliness 7

In praise of curry and chips

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Saffron, Braintree, Essex

Strange, this one. The decor of Saffron certainly needs a spruce up (bit tired), the place could do with a tidy up (the back of the restaurant was being used to do the laundry), and the food isn’t even all that (bit standard), yet I’d come here again. In fact, if I lived in Braintree, I’d probably come here quite often.

Now, and you’d be partly right, that maybe because this part of Essex is hardly rocking with things to entertain. But it’s also because Saffron feels right. The waiter was very polite and had just the right balance of making you feel as if you are welcome, yet not fawning all over you. The portions are extremely generous, and even though I say the food’s not all that, it’s just right for a “that hits the spot for my spice fix on a weekday”. And best of all there were no eyebrows raised when I ordered a prawn curry (£5.50) and chips (£1.50). That’s right, curry and chips, that guilty little pleasure.

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Oh yes, it’s curry and chips

Now, it’s been a long time since I’ve ordered that in a restaurant, if fact I can’t even remember if I ever have. A bag of greasy chip shop chips topped with a takeaway curry, oh sure, but it’s not really the restaurant thing. But that’s what I fancied so that’s what I ordered. It was spot on.

Away from such delicacies the menu offers up quite a few alternatives. For an extra pound any dish can have fruit (either mango, banana, pineapple or lychees) add to it. Don’t ask me. Then there is Nawabi Lamb (£7.95), a spicy dish with an omlette, and Moghal Chicken (£8.95), which is cooked in sour cream and egg. More than enough variety to keep you away from the chips.

Saffron, 24–26 Coggeshall Road, Braintree, Essex, CM7 9BY. Tel: 01376 331900/838. E-mail: http://www.shanti-braintree.co.uk. Open: daily, 5.30pm–midnight.

Scores on the tandoors

Food  5

Decor 4

Atmosphere (Monday night) 4

Service and friendliness 9

Value 8

Saffron on Urbanspoon

Bit of a classic

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Aroma Spice, Macclesfield

Although we were  eating a little bit early on a Saturday night I was surprised this curry house wasn’t a bit busier. Aroma Spice is a good-to-honest curry house that ticks all the boxes: smart interior, friendly enough service and food that hits the mark. All in all this is what all curry houses were like before the contemporary restaurants started appearing.

The restaurant was recommended by a local resident and if I lived in Macclesfield this is the sort of place that I would visit regularly for my curry needs. Restaurants across Britain have been churning out classic starters like Tandoori Chicken (£2.90), Sheek and Shami Kebabs (both £2.50) for years – and the chef here certainly has perfected them in that classic (lots of red and salad) way. They all hit the spot.

The stand-out main dish was the Zinga Garlic Chill (£9.90) with plump prawns coated in a thick, juicy sauce littered with garlic, although there was certainly no complaints about the Chicken Tikka Masala (£7.50) or the Chicken Dupiazia (£6.20). Special Pilau Rice  was £2.80 and a rather good Keema Nan £2.50.

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Classic starters: Tandoori Chicken and Shami Kebabs

Aroma Spice, 40 Park Green, Macclesfield, SK11 7NE. Tel: 01625 503374/500927. Open: Sun–Thurs 5.30pm–11.30pm, Fri–Sat 5pm–midnight.

The scores on the tandoors

Food 7

Decor 7

Service and friendliness 7

Atmosphere (Saturday night) 6

Value 8

Aroma Spice on Urbanspoon

When in Bradford…

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Mughals, Bradford

Sweets to tempt you as you enter… and leave Mughals
Sweets to tempt you as you enter… and leave Mughals

When in Bradford, one of the UK’s curry capitals (I don’t want to get into arguments here…) you should head to the busy and long Leeds Road we are told by nearly everyone. Assuming you’re after a curry, of course. Zouk’s Tea Bar and Akbars are two places that are highly recommended. But these were rammed and there were queues so we plumped for a less-assuming place.

Mughals is essentially a takeaway but it has a few of those plastic canteen style tables so you can eat in if you choose. Its fronted by a huge display of colourful sweets and desserts, and many people pass through to do nothing more than pick up a few treats.

But we’ve got our mind on something more spicy. We go for Seekh Kebab (£1.95 each) and Lamb Chops (£4), all mouth-watering and up there with the best tandoori you’ll find anywhere. Then we add a Paya Balti (trotters) at £6.95, to be scooped up with chapattis (35p each). Yes that is 35p each.

To those who don’t like trotters I can only describe this as sucking spicy fat off a bone. You’ll find more meat in the African Chicken Feet recipe that is posted elsewhere on this site. But a man I know who is a big fan of goat’s and cow’s trotters (it’s obviously off-limits to Hindus) says tucking into paya is like “really eating the cow”. And he was licking his lips as he told me. He also told me a nan (£1.60 in Mughals) would be better than the chapattis with a dish he describes as a winter dish or a dish ideal for cold mornings.

• No alcohol is served but you can bring your own and there are shops nearby.

Paya Balti (trotters)

Mughals, 790-792 Leeds Road, Bradford, BD3 9TY. Open: daily 3pm–11pm.

The scores on the tandoors

Food 7⃣

Decor 3⃣

Service and friendliness 8⃣

Atmosphere (Saturday night) 7⃣

Value 9⃣

Mughals on Urbanspoon

Smart curry night

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

The Modern, Lincoln

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This smart, modern (yes, it really does live up to its name in style) is situated on the High Street as you head away from the historic centre of the city. The subdued lighting, faux leather chairs, minimalist black tables and Art Deco wallpaper give the restaurant a wine bar feel.

However, apart from a couple of unusual sounding house specials (Delight, a dish garnished with thin crispy potatoes, and Phonier, a dish topped with melted cheese) the menu sticks firmly to the traditional side of things. And what in the modern sense comes more traditional than Chicken Tikka Massala (£6.50)? This was declared, as the plate was wiped clean with the remnants of a keema nan (£2.50), to be the “best ever”. Now, while such wild claims needed to be taken with caution from a man who’s a late-night-after-the-pub curry eater, the food really was up there with the best of them.

The Chicken Dopiaza (£5.50) was also given praise, although not such elevated esteem as from the CTM muncher, and although the order of Prawn Balti Bhuna (£6.50) with an accompanying Green Salad (£1.75) raised eyebrows but it was perfect as a light-style curry after a night in the pub.

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A Prawn Balti with Green Salad is an unusual but refreshing choice on curry night

The Modern, 370 High Street, Lincoln, LN5 7RU. Tel: 01522 534202. Open: daily 5.30pm–11pm (11.30pm Fri–Sat).

The scores on the tandoors

Décor 8⃣

Food 8⃣

Service and friendliness 7⃣

Atmosphere (late Saturday night) 5⃣

Value 7⃣

Bread and wine

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The Bay Leaf, Grayshott, Hampshire

The Bay Leaf is a friendly restaurant in the large village of Grayshott, which locals tell me is fast building a good reputation in the area and is often packed on weekends.

It could just be for the Keema nan (£2.20), which not only has spicy mincemeat on the inside but is also coated in it. It makes the bread look like a pizza and the meat on the outside naturally dries out a bit, but it is extremely tasty so much so that I stopped mopping up my curry and ended up eating it on its own.

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The double helping of keema with the Bay Leaf’s nan

But you can’t just sit and eat Keema nan now, can you? Madira means ‘alcohol’ in the language of the owners (Nepalese) apparently. The dish, either chicken (£7.95), lamb (£8.25) or king prawn (£12.50) is cooked in red wine and the (ho hum) chef’s special sauce. The red wine, clearly noticeable in the special sauce works nicely with chicken and for curry experimenters this really gives a new taste to your favourite food.

Another dish that caught my eye in the chef’s specials section was Five Spice Sea Bass (£12.95) with fillets of the fish pan-fried the spices and served with spinach and basmati rice.

But for those who like to stick to the good old favourites I can report that the Butter Chicken (£8.95) was just as it should be – creamy with a slight tasty tang and filled with perfectly cooked, juicy chunks of meat. Maybe with a Keema nan?

The Bay Leaf, 2 Crossways Road, Hindhead, Grayshott, GU26 6HJ. Tel: 01428 608030. E-mail: info@bay-leaf.co.uk. Open: Tue-Sun noon-2.30pm, Mon 6pm-10.30pm, Sun-Thur 5.30pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-midnight.

The Bay Leaf snapshot

Food 7⃣

Decor 7⃣

Value 7⃣

Atmosphere (Tuesday night) 5⃣

Service and friendliness 6⃣