Tag: Spicy food

Tenerife’s Best Curry Part Two (hurrah)

On By Daniel FordIn 3. Reviews (International)Leave a comment

Bombay Babu, Tenerife

Part One of the search for Tenerife’s Best Curry was a tad disappointing to say the least. So hip, hip, hurrah for Bombay Babu (part two) which was the original choice for part one if only we could have found it through the car park, along the alleyway, down the steps etc. But after a couple of days in Tenerife it ain’t so tough to find. And thank goodness for that.

Chirpy chap waiter from Gillingham will keep you amused even if you don’t like the earthy decor with whicker-style chairs and sharp white linen against brown tables with a backdrop of pics of famous Indian sites such as the Mumbai’s Gateway of India.

But forget Gillingham waiters and decor discussion because the Punjabi chef knows his stuff. Herein, through the car park, along the alleyway and down the steps etc lies the greatest Bombay Aloo (€5 plus tax) you are likely to taste. How’s he do it I know not; after all, how can a bit of pepper, tomato and spice added to a few chunks of potato be that different to thousands of other? But, it can. Taste this Bombay Potato please.

The Chicken Dhansak (€8.50 plus tax), Lamb Madras (€8 plus tax) and Mushroom rice (€4 plus tax) were top draw as was the Dhal Mukhni (€5.90 plus tax) the current favourite of lentils with garlic, ginger and coriander and butter, with which the chef shared some ‘how to do it properly’ secrets.

Stupidly I never asked how he did that potato.

Bombay Babu, CC La Niña, Planta 3 Local 62, Torviscas Playa Costa Adeje, Tenerife. Tel: +34 922 719 463. Open: Tues–Sun 2pm-midnight.

Bombay Babu snapshot

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Goan breakfast curry

On By Daniel FordIn 3. Reviews (International)Leave a comment

Whispering Palms Beach Resort, Goa
(Review by Laughing M) 

Well, it’s only the second day of this Goan adventure and acclimatising to the heat is still the watch word of the day. Yesterday proved that the 30 degrees of searing heat, a dozen Kingfishers plus a brace of G&Ts (purely for their medicinal power of keeping the mosquitoes at bay you’ll understand) make for a heady mix.

I’m convinced that the bartender can’t count, but at the end of the night neither could I. The only recollection I have is that his uncle runs a taxi firm and his mate has the best and cheapest restaurant in town (which I’ll have to find). All travellers will recognise this situation and take it with a pinch of salt. I would suggest that the above estimation be taken the same way, or consider the question coming from your doctor, “How much do you drink?”  So I’m claiming the fifth and the above estimation is merely for the record.

The point of my story? Well, the result of this exuberance was a sore head and a missed breakfast at the Whispering Palms Beach Resort. It would turn out that apart from the sore head, this was more than a mistake on my part, as when, I did make it to breakfast the next day, it was superb.

For the curry lovers among us there was a revelation of Goan curry dishes and condiments. I started with plain rice, to this was added a fish curry using a Goan favourite Kingfish, a plain white fish. This was in a sauce that was not hot but very tasty; I suppose I’d say it was a type of korma.

Okra (lady’s fingers) has never been a dish I’ve enjoyed. However, this breakfast was to force me to reconsider this vegetable again. It was presented as Bhindi Bhaji, with the okra cut into small pieces, (10cm) along with green pepper and red onion, again both cut into small pieces, then fried with garlic and fennel seeds. There seemed to be little oil in this dish so I’d try this more as a dry fry, adding just a little oil at a time.

The most revealing vegetable has been the cauliflower. If I was looking for a national vegetable of India, then apart from the red onion, this would have to be it. It seems to appear in so many dishes; one was deep-fried with a batter of mustard seeds with a taste of cardamom and chopped coriander in there. The Aloo Gobi (cauliflower and potato) seems to be available at every meal.

Another vegetable to come to the fore is the humble pea. Vatanyachi Bhaji (Green Peas Curry) has quickly become a favourite dish; the textures and taste of the bhaji of peas, potato, green chillis and coriander are truly amazing. I would recommend looking this one up one the internet and having a bash at this if you like those surprising little peas.

The aim is now to taste as many dishes as possible and where possible to learn how to recreate the menu and add to the repertoire of my curry cooking. So look out Greenwich Curry Club, you might all become guinea pigs in the next few months…

The Whispering Palms Beach Resort, Sinquerim Beach, Candolim Bardez, 403505, Goa. Tel: +91 832 6651515

The Whispering Palms Beach Resort snapshot

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A curry with Widow Twankie

On By Daniel FordIn 3. Reviews (International)1 Comment

Garden of India, Tenerife

When on holiday I’m all for trying the local food (in the case of Tenerife this appears to be English breakfasts and bangers and mash). But after a couple of days it’s time for some proper food. And so begins the search for a decent Tenerife curry (Part One).

Sadly, it’s not a good start. The Garden of India overlooks a sandy beach at Puerto Colon in the south but inside it seems we’ve stumbled on laundry day, with tablecloths drying on chairs against the psychedelic coloured walls. It’s a scene from Widow Twankie’s living room.

“Behind you!” we shout to the waiter, who, to be fair, is very friendly and helpful. We feel we should get into the panto spirit as we are the only customers. Given the pretty decent music, not quite Bhangra but better than the usual lift variety, we could have quite a party if there was anyone else here.

But the party must wait as the food arrives. Despite the decent value of food on the island, not only the Brit’s abroad variety but also tapas, Italian and Chinese, spice lovers must pay over the odds. The Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi (€11 plus 5% tax) has tasty meat but the sauce is way too watery so needs mopping up with Mutter Pillau (€5 plus tax). Considering the normal Pillau rice is €2.75 the cost of peas must be soaring in the Canaries.

Moghali Chicken (€8 plus tax) offers something different for explorers. With the consistency of tuna, the dish is shredded chicken cooked with egg and cream to bind it together. Add a very decent and fresh naan bread (€2.50 plus tax).

Then return to the Tenerife curry quest.

Garden of India, Puerto Colon Las Americas, Tenerife. Tel +34 922 719 684. Open: daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Garden of India snapshot

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Is it a curry house or a pub?

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

The Blue Eyed Maid and Spice Lounge, SE1

Ok curry lovers of Britain, brace yourselves for a new wave of curry houses like the Blue Eyed Maid Pub and Spice Lounge near London Bridge. Welcome to the traditional British pub with linked Indian restaurant. We are not talking a pub with restaurant next door, we are talking two fully integrated businesses working together.

It’s a great idea and although not the first time I’ve come across it, it’s perhaps surprising there are not more of these curry houses cum pubs. All the pleasures of a good old British pub with the greatest food on earth at the same time.

In this case the Blue Eyed Maid is the pub downstairs (with sports on TV, DJs and late bar) while the Spice Lounge is a smallish area upstairs serving Indian food (the same food can also be ordered in the pub).

There is an à la carte menu with all the old school favourites (Chicken Dupiaza £6.50, Lamb Biriani £7.95, Pilau rice £2.25) but the venue has a particularly good following for its lunchtime buffet, which is not surprising as the selection of dishes (which changes daily) costs just £5. The venue is also popular for private parties (buffet was just £10 for a recent visit).

It’s good. Keep your eyes open for a new wave of more of these curry house pubs.

Spice Lounge, 173 Borough High Street, London, SE1 1HR. Tel: 020 7378 8585. Open: Sat–Thurs 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-midnight, Fri noon-1am.

Spice Lounge snapshot

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Spice Lounge on Urbanspoon

In search of a gem

On By Daniel FordIn 1. Reviews (London)2 Comments

Shampan 3, Welling
(review by @Benb111)

Get your Sat Nav primed and ready if you want to visit Welling’s award-winning Shampan 3 Indian restaurant.This hard-to-find success was rated Best in London Suburbs in the prestigious British Curry Awards this year, and will have curryholics flocking there to see what the fuss is about.

The restaurant – which opened in 2006 and is part of a small group – is situated in a dense residential backwater somewhere between the A207 into Welling and the A2. Believe me, it’s a pig of a place to find!My expedition party from Greenwich consisted of my wife and I, plus our two teenage children.

The restaurant itself is situated in a small parade of shop and the welcome we received on a cold December Wednesday wasn’t the greatest, even though we had booked. It was hurried rather than warm. With a bar by the entrance, the decor is smart, understated and relaxing, with pretty murals.

The menu is extensive with all the usual staples, but also with plenty of ‘recommendations’ as well. Starters range from £3.90 to £5.90 and for the main course you can have your traditional chicken favourites for £6.90. The priciest items on the menu are sea bass and ginger king prawns, both at £13.90.

I chose Chicken Vindaloo (£6.90), She Who Must be Obeyed (SWMBO) the Barbecued Lamb Achari (£8.50), with the lamb cutlets cooked in the tandoor. My son went for the Chicken Tikka Masala (£7.90), and my daughter Chicken Tikka (£7.50).

SWMBO loved her lamb, my son rated the CTM up there with the his favourite at Charlton’s Viceroy and my daughter enjoyed her tikka. We also had Bindi Bhajee (£3.90), plain rice (£2.50), coconut rice (£3.90), nan (£2.50), and peshwari nan (£2.90).

I was disappointed with my vindaloo. Maybe I was expecting too much because of the recent award, but I have had better at two Greenwich favourites: Chutney and Gurkha’s Inn. The bindi wasn’t the tastiest either, although the coconut rice was fragrant and delicious.

The friendliness of the place did warm up when the restaurant manager came to take our order and realised straight away that we weren’t regulars. He was happy to chat (even he uses a Sat Nav).But enough about food; loos tell a lot about a restaurant and the ones at Shampan are outstanding with five-star luxury. Curiously though, I had to ask for a soap dispenser because there wasn’t one – maybe it had been nicked?

One or two minor quibbles (they’re award-winners – they can take it). Shampan uses oversized plates and bowls so our table felt very cramped, so much so that a salad – part of the lamb dish – had to be put on an adjoining table. I also felt the waiters were a little too quick to pounce to sell more drinks. I had to stop my daughter, 13, ordering a third pineapple juice from a waiter who had asked her directly as soon as her empty glass hit the table.

So, would I go back? Yes, I would, although I do think you are hard pressed to beat the food and friendliness of our Greenwich favourites. Still, don’t take my word for it. Go for yourself… just don’t forget the Sat Nav.

The meal for four came to £66.80 (including non-alcoholic drinks but excluding service).

Shampan 3 Restaurant & Bar, 8 Falconwood Parade, The Green, Welling, Kent, DA16 2PL. Tel: 020 8304 9569. E-mail: info@shampangroup.com. Open: Mon–Sat noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm (11pm Fri and Sat), Sun noon–10pm.

Shampan 3 snapshot

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Swimmingly good

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

Kashmiri Aroma, Sheffield

Fish lovers prepare yourself. Sheffield you say? Fish lovers? Indeed, not the obvious place for a fish curry feast but apart from Goa in India I’ve never come across a curry house that serves up so many fish options as Kashmiri Aroma.

So much so that this decidedly nowhere-near-the-sea city (in British terms) has a special fish menu. Ever known that in a curry house? No, me neither. From there came the tasty looking scallops starter. “Huge they are,” said the diners (it sounds better in a Yorkshire accent).

From the sea also came the Dhuan Machli  starter (£4.50), a nice piece of lightly spiced smoked haddock as well as the main Balti Machli Chilli (£9.95), a sort of spicy haddock Jalfriezi that was spiced beautifully and cooked to tender perfection with crunchy green peppers.  If more curry houses could cook fish like this chicken sales would dwindle. Elsewhere on the menu is Halibut Steak (£14.55) a recipe from the Neelam River in Kashmir, Cod Lion (£12.55), Sea Bass (£11.95) from the villages of the Ravi River in the Punjab, and Goan King Prawns (£11.95) for coconut milk lovers. And this is not to even mention a string of other fish/prawn specialities and the old favourites like Prawn Korma (£7.50).

But the menu is extensive so the non-fish lovers around the table had no problem. A mention in dispatches for Chicken Liver Tikka (£3.70) a starter that sounds like it should be as dry as tongue after a heavy night but somehow pulled it off, and Shahi Garana (£8.50) a keema curry mixed in with chunks of chicken and a decent amount of sauce (is it me or does that dry keema thing get a bit too much sometimes?).

The venue (superb and large bar area by the way) has apparently been a pizza place, a Chinese, a whatever whatever eat eat in previous incarnations, but despite being a bit on the high end of the price range for a Sheffield curry house, unless something changes to these exceptional food standards it’s going to be Kashmiri Aroma for a long time.

Kashmiri Aroma, 798 Chesterfield Road, Sheffield, S8 0SF . Tel: 01142 587780. Open: Mon–Thurs 5.30pm-11pm, Fri–Sat 5.30pm-11.30pm, Sun 5.30pm-10.30pm.

Kashmiri Aroma snapshot

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Kashmiri Aroma on Urbanspoon

All change for the drunks

On By Daniel FordIn 4. TakeawaysLeave a comment

Simply Indian, Aldershot (Takeaway) UPDATE

Since my last visit Simply Indian has become a takeaway because “we can’t continue to deal with the hassle and the drunks.” Very sad because when it was a BYO and I was told enthusiastically, “we just want to concentrate on good food,” this was a great little restaurant.

The guys in charge are still friendly but there is a sense they’ve lost heart. Seeing a shell of what was a nice friendly restaurant is a bit sad and although the space means the waiting area is large, as it would if you convert a restaurant into a takeaway, it feels a bit ramshackle. Shame on you hassle people and drunks.

The basic Chicken Rogan (£5.95) and Pilao Rice (£2.30) was decent enough but this is no longer a place you’d go out of your way to visit.

• Simply Indian, 14-16 Station Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1HT. Tel: 01252 330 070 or 01252 336 667. Open: Daily 5.30pm-11pm.

Simply Indian snapshot

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Went to Coventry

On By Daniel FordIn 2. Reviews (Other UK)Leave a comment
Akbars, Coventry
(Review by IF of GCC Coventry branch) 

This was not the first visit by to Akbars by 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.

Akbars snapshot

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Akbars on Urbanspoon

Hurray! Back to the ’90s

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

Darjeeling, London, SE13

You could be forgiven for thinking you’d been transported back to the 1990s when you visit Darjeeling in Lewisham. Not because the decor is tired, because once past the garish pink sign that announces the place it’s pretty smart and contemporary.

But, joy oh joy, you’ll be transported back by the prices. Eyes were popping out and gasps were heard from around the table as the menus were opened.  “This is the place to order king prawn,” was a good shout. And when the usual, “we’ve ordered too much,” was heard it was decided that this was the place to pile high the table and taste new dishes, even if we had over-ordered (does anyone ever under-order in an Indian?)

And so the dishes came… Malai Lamb Chops (£2.85) marinated in cream cheese and spices, so tasty you’ll be sucking on the bone long after the meat has gone, the favourites Chicken Chat (£2.05), Sheek Kebab and Shami Kebab (both £1.95) and a more unusual Spicy Calamari (£2.85) that was stir-fried with onions, peppers and chilli.

It’s becoming popular for restaurant to have an Old Favourites section in a grid and Darjeeling’s, which starts at just £3.15 for a Chicken Curry, was raided for a Chicken Madras (£3.45). But most in the party opted for something a bit different, including Lamb Randaam (£6.85) a very hot and very red dish cooked with tart tamarind, Chicken Morisa (£6.85) another hot dish with fresh green chillies, Lemon Chana Chicken (£5.35) with chick peas, an ideal order for people who find Achari dishes a bit too tart. Meat lovers should look no further than the main version of the Malai Lamb Chops (£5.60).

But come on, let’s over-order. Add Tarka Dall, Mushroom Bhaji and Bombay Aloo (all £2.05 as side dishes or £2.95 as mains), a good selection of rice (Plain at £1.65, Sabzi and Special at £2.25), nans (Plain at £1.55 and garlic at £1.65) and wrap up with a couple of Chapatis (£1.15).

Is it any wonder the place was buzzing midweek?

Darjeeling, 134 Lee High Road, Lewisham, SE13 5PR. Tel: 020 8473 8222 or 020 8852 5566. Open: daily 5.30pm–11.30pm, Sat and Sun noon–2.30pm.

Darjeeling snapshot

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Darjeeling Indian on Urbanspoon

A place to watch

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

Am Kitchen and Bar, Leeds

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 

Am Kitchen and Bar snapshot

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