This was not the first visit by to Akbarsby the GCC’s Coventry branch but unlike previous occasions we were treated to a surprise. On entering the previously small (15 tables) narrow shop fronted, cramped, old-style restaurant in the run down, edge of the town street, we were pleased to find that it had been transformed into a modern expansive and vibrant venue that had increased its capacity fivefold by extending behind the adjoining properties.Service was attentive but not overbearing and the mix of ages and genders made for a lively and pleasant atmosphere. We were seated at a table for eight with ample room for manoeuvre and were surrounded by groups of various numbers all dressed up for a good time early on a Saturday evening.
The menu contained all the old favourites and was supported with more adventurous recipes. The Tandoori Pollack cooked in 12 spices and Royal Cumin was… delicious. Starters were a decent size and deliciously spiced to set the taste buds up for the main event. Prices ranged from £3.95 to £5.50 with main courses from £9.95 to £14.95 and the general opinion around the table was of good quality food at a reasonable price.Akbars is highly recommended to visitors to this industrial wasteland and emerging university campus.Akbars, 7-9 The Butts (Queen Street), Earlsdon, Coventry, CV1 3GJ. Tel: 024 7622 2213 or 024 7622 8899. Open: daily 5.30pm–midnight.
There can few better surroundings in which to eat a curry than Am Kitchen and Bar. There’s the pay-through-the-teeth grandeur of legendary place like London’s Veeraswamy, of course, or the feet-in-the-sand style of Karma Café in Goa, but right here in the centre of Leeds there is a gem of a curry house.
Based in a former watchmakers, the property is a Listed Building boasting two levels with a large open well in the middle where you can look down on diners below, beautiful chandeliers, and a mind-boggling amount of intricate glass work panels and display cabinets. The necessary contemporary elements needed to operate a restaurant are incorporated into the space well, in particular the way the light grey high-backed chairs offset the dark wood of the tables. But best of all for the Greenwich Curry Club is a superb Greenwich Mean Time clock that takes centre stage over the bar that faces the entrance.
Greenwich Mean Time Clock. It's one of those that's only correct twice a day…
It’d be easy to get distracted from the main reason for being here, yet the Chicken Balti (with extra garlic as requested) delivered that beautiful fresh taste that baltis should and is well priced at £8.55, while there was also no problem adapting a hearty Keema Madras (£8.55) by adding some fresh green chillies. If you’re a starter fan you’ll struggle to find tastier Lamb Chops (£4.25); for a large table of people who can think of a better way to start the communal evening than with a large of pile of these?
By the end of the first bite I’d forgiven the staff for (what appeared to be) a deliberate policy of keeping people waiting at the entrance to ensure the front of house table are always occupied rather than filling up the empty places upstairs. In fact I was rather pleased because Briggate on a Saturday night is ideal for people watching. Coats are a complete no-no even as temperatures plummet. Instead boys seem particularly keen on tops so tight it looks like they’ve just got out the gym and girls on skirts so short that Am Kitchen’s very large Rotis (£1.10 each) would offer more cover.
Am Kitchen and Bar, 24-26 Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6EP. Tel: 0113 242 2626. E-mail: info@amkitchenandbar.com
I’m a sucker for the sizzle of tandoori on a hot serving plate so it was no surprise that as soon I saw a Chicken Tikka starter (£3.70) coming out of the serving hatch, I’d be ordering the same myself. But for all the sizzle and smoke in New Jomuna (and there is a lot of smoke in the upper section where the food comes out) there wasn’t much taste. The chicken was tender, the marinade was red, but alas that famous tandoori taste had left the building.
Oh dear, I thought. It really takes an effort to persuade my friend who is sitting opposite me to come out for a curry – not because he doesn’t like it, it’s just that his Indian wife of many years cooks a mean curry so it’s a case of coals to Newcastle. And now, on a rare curry together we are sitting near Victoria Station surrounded by smoke and decidedly average chicken tikka. But wait, his Chicken Tikka Puri (£4.95) comes quietly to the rescue. No sizzle, no smoke, just tasty meat and fluffy bread to soak the up the sauce.
And so it was all night. For every disappointing dish there was a good one. A Chicken Korai (£6.95) with a less than ‘special sauce’ but a great sweet and spicy King Prawn Dansak (£9.95) with decent enough sized prawns. An Aloo Chana (£3.70) that seemed to forget the aloo bit but a Keema Rice (£3.10) that was piled high with keema and was almost as good as a biryani I comment.
But, oh no, I’ve mentioned the wrong thing. Don’t get my friend started on biryanis. “All that effort and nonsense about the King of Dishes. Not worth it,” he concludes. Just as well I didn’t see a biryani coming out the serving hatch when I arrived really.
New Jomuna, 74 Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1DE. Tel: 020 7828 1401 or 020 7630 0238. E-mail: info@newjomuna.com.
You can’t fault the Spice of India’s location, just a short walk from Waterloo Station. So on a Saturday night on the way home it (sort of) hits the spot. Only sort of, though, sadly; the depth of spices in the dishes seems lacking. Don’t get me wrong it was okay. But I don’t want okay, I want ‘bloody hell that was tasty’.
It’s lively that’s for sure, thanks to the chirpiness of the passing trade that’s had a good night, out but the Tandoori Butter Chicken (£8.95) wasn’t quite rich and indulgent enough, which is a shame as it’s an occasional treat dish away from the usual ‘must try something new’ feeling. I don’t mind being disappointed with an untried dish but surely a classic should hit the spot everytime?
The Lamb Madras (£6.95) was decent enough as was the cauliflower and spinach side dish, and thumbs up to the chef for making it even though it wasn’t on the menu. But best of all was the mixed pickle. Ideal for popadoms obviously, but great to spice up (slightly) disappointing dishes too.
66 The Cut, South Bank London, SE1 8LL . Tel: 020 7928 1286/5280. Open: daily noon–2.30pm and 5.30pm–11.30pm.
Thank goodness for Joanna Lumley, that’s all I says. If it wasn’t for her our wicked government (or was it the last government?) would have packed off the Gurkhas to their home in the hills and this restaurant might not be here.
Truth is, there have been a large number of Gurkhas living in Aldershot (as you’d expect from the Home of the British Army) long before all the publicity. And this restaurant is testament to that.
While all the usual Indian dishes are on offer at very reasonable prices (Chicken Kurma £5.95, Lamb Madras £5.45, Prawn Vindalu* £5.95) there’s also a chance to try some Nepalese dishes (which for the geographically challenged is where our fighting force is recruited from). Gurkhali Chicken Chilli (£5.95) has the usual tomato-based hot sauce but unusually comes with green olives. Or there’s the hot pork dish, Gurkha Pork Buhtuwa (£5.95) not a million miles from a vindaloo.
This very casual place (all tables are downstairs from a large, empty entrance upstairs) and seems to be a bit of an institution in the town. The canteen-style appearance of the place attracts people looking for a quick bite as well as those out for the night. And while it may be officially called Gurkha Raj Doot, if you’re looking for the place just ask for Johny Gurkha’s, which is what all the locals call it.
* Please see notes about spelling in About us.
Gurkha Raj Doot, 186 Victoria Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1JZ. Tel: 01252 328773. Open: daily noon–2.30pm and 6pm–11.30pm.
A curry lover knows he’s found heaven when even the cocktails are spiced. At Cinnamon Kitchen & Anise skip the usual Cobra (£3.50) and delve into the mixer menu. Try the spiced martini with vodka that’s been beautfully infused with cardamon and cinnamon and topped off with a star anise or a spiced kir royal with cassis, champagne and green chillies. This is a place that takes its ingredients seriously.
The menu’s not overcrowded with options but it’ll take you a long time to decide what to settle for. Korma of root vegetables, green peas paratha (£12) with masala mashed potatoes (£2.50)? Maybe Rajasthani roast red deer, stir-fried mushrooms (£32) with black lentils (£3.50)? Or why not keep it simple with steak and chips (officially Scottish Angus fillet with masala potato chips, £25)?
Kick off with Lahore style ‘chapli’ kebab, minced venison cooked with crushed garlic and chilli (£7.50) and flattened. You’ll find garlic and chilli play a big part in the menu but then you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t a fan now, would you? Fat chilli with Hyderabadi lamb mince (£5.50) for more top-quality meat and for those who are really into chilli.
Creamy kulfi
Pollack’s strong taste may be to everyone’s taste but it’s ideal with green spices (mint and coriander) and a creamy yoghurt rice (£12) while the vegetables were crunchy and tasty to perfection in the side dish of Stir-fried greens with cumin & garlic (£3.50). You’ll find more meat and [you’ve guessed it], garlic by ordering Char-grilled rump of lamb with garlic and spinach (£20).
Ideally located just an alleyway’s walk up from Liverpool Street Station the restaurant is tucked away in a covered square where business people and other diners can take advantage of the dry, warm weather (all day long on weekdays). Inside it’s smart and contemporary styled.
The only thing that leaves a bad taste in Cinnamon is the existence of a camera in the toilets. Call me old fashioned but I do prefer a pee in peace.
There are certainly no airs and graces about Raka, this Indian come kebab and burger joint.
But while its 1970s English caff decor won’t will any prizes its food certainly could.
Served up in patterned bowls, which makes a change from the usual shiny standard issue curry house serving dishes, the Chicken Acharie (£5.95) had a great balance of tanginess from the pickle and kick from the chillies.
The meat (which had been in the tikka oven) was top notch and perfectly cooked. Plain rice (£1.75) is the ideal accompaniment with Acharie I reckon so nothing competes with its tastes.
The menu includes all the old school favourites at excellent prices (Lamb Vindaloo £4.95, Prawn Dhansak £5.50, Chicken Rogon £4.95) and a few interesting dishes which have to go on the ‘to be tried’ list. How about Exotic Papri Massala (£6.95) cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger, roasted peppers and tamarind or the medium spiced Kalia (£6.95) cooked with herbs and mint?
On the surface the Bombay Duck has not got a lot going for it. Situated in what was once named the worst city to live in the UK by Channel 4. Situated in the semi-industrial outskirts of the said city. Serving a buffet. And, horror of horror, offering Indian and Chinese food (surely none can be any good then?)
Can a restaurant offer more than one type of food and do any of them decently? Ordinarily you’d have to say no. You want a steak you head to a steakhouse. You want pasta it’s an Italian. If it’s good at Indian it can’t be any good at Chinese and vice versa. Yet this place is. Being a curry man I never tried the Chinese but the recommendations were high and judging by the queues these were accurate.
Chosen your curry, now for the sauce…
On the curry front, a tasty Dhansak, super tender Chicken Tikka and excellent vegetable dishes such as Chilli Vegetables and favourite Bombay Aloo get the thumbs up. There are a great choice of sauces and pickles so mix and max accordingly. You have to order nans separately so they come fresh, with Peshwari seeming to be the speciality from the word around the serving trays.
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It was there I met the designer (not of this one but the others owned by the same people – there’s a restaurant called Curry just up the road and a new one serving exclusively Chinese dishes coming soon) and he says the key has been the large windows to the kitchens, giving diners full confidence in the restaurants’ cleanliness. Add in a large, open waiting area and modern, clean-cut, wood-dominated decor and they seem to have hit a winner.
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The only downside was the desserts, which seemed a bit of an afterthought (chocolate cake, fruit salad and jelly!), when a simple sorbet or kulfi would have gone down a treat.
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The buffet comes in at £12.95 a head (£6.95 at lunchtime) with a pint of Cobra at just £2.80.
Despite its grand, red Mughal-esque shop front, the Akash is real-no-mucking-about-great-value curry house. As it should be when you’re in need of some spice at the end of the night.
The excellent, and extensive menu, has all the classics in the various guises (chicken, lamb, prawn, king prawn and tikka variations) as well as tandoori, balti, Ceylon and Malayan dishes as well as a few Englsih dishes (remember when all curry houses had Fried Chicken and Chips, £5.95, and Prawn Omlette, £5.95, on the menu for the friend in the group who ‘didn’t like hot food’?).
And while the house specialities (Chicken Tikka Green Masalla, Lamb Chat Masalla) are all around the £7.95 mark, there is value galore in among the classics (perfect amount of fresh tomato in the Rougan Josh, £4.65). Now, let’s be honest, at £3.95 for a Lamb Curry and £1.50 for rice, what’s the point of cooking yourself?
Prices are kept down by the cuts of meat so breast lovers should note the little footnote (65p extra for breast of chicken). But who says no to a bit of thigh every so often?
Akash, 26 Preston Street, Brighton. Tel: 01273 324 494 or 01273 820 213. Open: Mon–Sat noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight, Sun noon-midnight.
Empty restaurants tend to turn people off, yet in this busy street of smart bars and eating places (a fair few curry houses), River Spice was buzzing so it must have something going for it.
I’m always a sucker for a fresh-smelling sizzling dish. It’s the theatre. So when a very tasty tandoori (no false colour added) arrived at the next table, I was hooked.
‘That’s the Mixed Grill’, (£10.95) the passing waiter told me when pressed, although he looked a little uncertain. But when the Mixed Grill (Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Tikka and Seekh Kebab) arrived the sizzle had mysteriously disapeared (in all senses).
It wasn’t the same dish the neighbouring table was enjoying (more likely it was Chicken Shashlik, £7.50) and it wasn’t sizzling. Look, if it’s theatre you’re after at the table then it’s theatre you should get.
Still, the replacement Punch and Judy show looked okay. Er… sadly not. A Mixed Grill of (really) tough lamb and over-cooked chicken; just why was this place busy? Had the chef who won the 2010 Curry Chef of the Year Award from Brighton & Hove City Council moved on? The saving grace of the dish was the beautifully spiced Seekh Kebab. Very tasty.
The Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala (£7.50) redeemd things to some degree with its eye-watering chilli kick, although if you skirted the fresh chillis, the sauce was surprisingly tomato-based bland.
Maybe I just had the hump at this stage. Which was not helped by the Papadum Tax either. A whopping £3.60 for four paps indeed, thanks to 60p per papadum and £1.20 for the chutneys. I kid you not.
River Spice, 17 Preston Street, Brighton, BN1 2HN. Tel: 01273 739 183. Open: lunch daily except Friday, and daily 6pm-11pm.
The Royal Curry Club 