After The Eclipse … a wonderful instrumental track by Prog legends – Twelfth Night. Today, The Glorious Twelfth, but not so wonderful for the grouse.
Having watched today’s near total eclipse via a pinhole in a Calling Card projected on to a concrete pillar, Dr. Stan was well impressed, we made our way to Spice Spree (87-88 Northgate, Canterbury CT1 1BA England).
There is no truth in the rumour that the three amigos had partaken in ye olde English banquet earlier.
Spice Spree was first encountered 365 days ago, the first time our collective visited Canterbury. The somewhat rundown exterior gives way to a large dining area which may or may not be palatial. An Indian and Pakistani restaurant, the menu posted in the window enticed. The Hector had resolved that if there was a return to this historic city, Spice Spree would be investigated.
After the eclipse, it was 20.15 when we entered the empty restaurant.
Have you booked? – asked the young waitress.
As I looked around the empty room, in disbelief I asked:
Did we have to?
Apparently there was a booking, we were not it. In time, two more tables, at least, would become occupied. We were allocated the window table, quelle surprise. In due course, the interior of the restaurant was surveyed. Maybe not so palatial.
After yesterday’s Lamb extravaganza at Tandoo’s (Crawley), tonight, a break. With no Fish Curry option, and Chicken Curry dismissed for obvious reasons, it was a case for – Hector-the-Vegetarian. Well not quite.
Aloo Gobi (£6.50) and Saag Paneer (£6.50) – Indian Style – would be accompanied by a Keema Naan (£3.95). Potato and Spinach, but separately. Maggie chose Saag Aloo (£6.50), Potato with Spinach. Having heard all the best parts of the menu, Clive went for his fallback: Chicken Dhansak (£12.95), plus a Keema Naan.
With Saag/Palak Gosht not on the menu, Dr. Stan did not order Palak! Wot, no Spinach? From – Desi Delights – Dr. Stan chose Gobi Gosht Lamb (£13.95), and a Keema Naan.
Note, Chicken Curry was being charged at the same price as Lamb Curry.
Maggie felt she needed more, a return to the days of ordering a Starter and not finishing her main course? Vegetable Samosa (£4.95) turned out to be a portion of three. Mini Samosas, Clive decided that two portions were required. Bring on the self-fulfilling prophecy.
Liquid seemed incidental. Once again, the Hector would expose himself to some English tap water, not that they have too much of it currently. Can nobody extend the aqueduct from Kielder Dam beyond the Tees?
Unlike the water in West Sussex, the water in Kent proved to be both clear and tasteless, almost like – water.
The wait was longer than expected, better than fast food.
Vegetable Samosa
Timed to arrive with everything else, the Samosas truly were as described. Maggie took a nibble, regular readers know what comes next – Too Spicy!
Samosas were now up for grabs, however, the rest of us had enough food. Clive wrapped three in a napkin, for later. Maggie:
Crunchy and small, I had to give Clive two. The Chilli was too much for it to be tasty, just becomes not enjoyable.
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Keema Naan
Served whole, risen, puffy, with big blisters and ample Coriander, this ticked many of the boxes for a quality Naan. It was then a matter of appraising the filling: discrete grains of Mince, or a Donner-like slab of Meat?
I tore mine apart, the pleasure of whole Bread, where was the Keema?
An empty Naan? In a manner of which Euripedes would have been proud, I pulled the Naan apart. At the far end, a blob of Mince, definitely in the Donner-like category, and tasted as such. What’s more, the other two Naan on the table were the same. Clive had given Maggie half a Naan, he had the Meaty end, Maggie the plain. A veritable tragedy.
When the waitress returned to ask the customary question, the situation was described. She offered to change the Naan. Impractical, how long would that take? The rest of the food on the table would have been stone cold. My two Dishes were not particularly hot to start with. In reality, everything on the table would have to have been withdrawn. The Bread itself was fine, so how had this happened?
Saag Paneer (Indian Style)
Indian Style – is a Spicier version compared to – Mild Creamy – the next item on the menu.
Five large cubes of Cheese sat in the Mash of Spinach I tend to avoid when ordering a Palak Gosht. Tonight, different standards. The slice of Tomato, a feature across the board, was the respite from the Spinach overdose. Previously, the Hector had to take a notion for Spinach, but currently cannot have enough of the stuff.
As for Cheese, the first time I experienced this was at Omar’s Balti House (Bradford). Tiny cubes topping a Lamb Curry. t took a bit of getting used to.
Apart from being solid, and a bit chewy, almost no Flavour was being given off here. Conclusion: like Chicken, Paneer does not absorb the Spices. An experience that shall never have to be repeated, bring on the Saag Aloo!
Saag Aloo
The same Mash of Spinach, a much more wholesome creation, Potato does absorb the Flavours of whatever it is sat in. Less protein than Paneer, but surely more enjoyable? Maggie:
Lots of potatoes, lots of spinach, adequate portion, generally a good dish.
Aloo Gobi
Hector’s turn to have Potatoes. The Oil collecting on the periphery, and the slice of Tomato were noted. The Potatoes had been well cooked, as is required, the Cauliflower was way too soft. Cauliflower needs a bit of firmness else it becomes too close to mush, and the Masala Mash in which it sits. Other than its innate Flavour, the Cauliflower was giving nothing else back.
In the excitement of analysing the Keema Naan, Hector was missed out in the round of ritual photos. Never fear, A-One (sic) to the rescue.
The level of Seasoning was decidedly low, the Spice around medium. The Masala Mash, which also contained Onion, was the source of most Flavour, with the Potato not far behind.
How long this Aloo Gobi had been in existence shall remain an unknown. The Hector is used to seeing trays of – pret a manger – in the Curry Cafes of Glasgow’s Southside. A return to Yadgar (Glasgow) is overdue, the variety of Vegetable Curry offerings, and intensity of Flavour there, never ceases to amaze.
Chicken Dhansak
No series of Curry outings with Clive would be complete without a Dhansak. A Curry I cannot recall ever having eaten, perhaps in this period in the avoidance of overdosing on Lamb, it might make another appearance soon.
What appeared to be a thick, blended, Daal Mash, looked quite appealing. But how much of a – kick – could one expect? I can see why, as with Korma and Patia, Chicken may work best here. A Fish Korma/Patia, anyone? Doubt it. Clive:
Unremarkable, pleasant as a Dhansak should be.
The Saag Aloo was the best part of the meal.
He’s not selling it to me.
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Gobi Gosht
Possibly the only – true Curry – on the table, one may deduce that the Cauliflower here was also cooked beyond its ideal level. An Aloo Gosht might have been a better option, but then one would be on the receiving end of a Mainstream Curry, not the Desi – Aloo Gosht complete with Shorva which pops up occasionally in Curry-Heute. 
Dr. Stan: The Gobi Gosht was a mild Curry, but with a good blend of spice giving a very pleasant flavour to the tender meat and cauliflower.
The Keema Naan was spoiled by only having the mince on one side.
All but scraps of Bread were eaten. Whilst the fayre was certainly remote from creating any – wow! – moments, the Keema Naan was the only disaster, yet the Bread itself was commendable.
Hotter food would have enhanced the overall enjoyment.
The Bill
£68.25
The Aftermath
The Calling Card was given to the young waitress who, by this time, had other customers to serve. Conversation was therefore brief.
Who was in the kitchen, why had nobody attempted to engage and hear the tales of why we were in Canterbury?
2026 Menu extracts
Whilst Marg’s – Masters World Cup – continues on the outskirts of 
Modern and bright, complete with a bar that does not appear to have much in the way of alcohol, though the Hector was not studying the cocktails that closely, Tandoo’s seats around thirty. On our arrival, two other diners were in situ, we soon had the place to ourselves.
Lamb on-the-bone was spotted, but maybe the Hector was somewhat relieved to find this only under the Biryani banner. Biryani rarely appears in these pages, that it did so three days ago at 
Last time here, Maggie had the half kilo of Lamb Charsi Karahi (£24.50) and was intent on repeating this. This is an outrageous premium for the half kilo, and so the Hector, in a moment of simple logic, had this changed to the full kilo at £38.50.
Maggie added Mushroom Rice (£4.95), not so competitively priced, to the Order. Rice with Karahi? The Hector will have to work on this. At least Maggie has overcome the impatient need to order a Starter, then to only nibble at her main course. A kilo between two? A challenge for us both, typically I only partake in this volume with three mouths.
A litre bottle of Still Water (£3.50) was already on the table, I would capture some photos elsewhere, quite an array. Nobody reached for the Still. A glass, with ice, saved the day.
Quazi said something along the lines of, the next one will follow as he placed a substantial karahi between Maggie and Hector. Ever the gentleman, the Hector let Maggie have Karahi #1, except she didn’t touch it. The Mushroom Rice was being enjoyed alone. Everyone was eating except Hector. Quazi was consulted, Karahi #2 would follow once we had dealt with Karahi #1. Maintaining hot food, a great idea, but not the visual impact of the full kilo.
Fear not, the actual karahi was comparatively small, the contents large; both Meat and Bones. The Masala did not resemble any Charsi Karahi previously reviewed in these pages, nothing Thin and Tomatoey here. The first dip revealed all:
The Masala was much Thicker, and the Flavour was decidedly Punjabi, not Afghani. Quazi would later confirm that Chef’s origin as Pakistan.
The Lamb was a joy. Tender, tasty, and giving of Spice in addition to its own Meatiness. Sucky Bones, yay!
With a red tint and a more Soupy edge, plus visible, thick Tomato pulp, hard to believe this was cooked by the same hand. Closer to the anticipated Charsi, but still way better.
The Flavour seemed to be less intense, but maybe the palate had adjusted, but Maggie and I both knew that Karahi #1 was the standout.
The distinctly dark smear of Masala was a departure from the norm. Large pieces of Potato stood out, the Cauliflower beneath. That the Good Doctor knew he had the appetite to deal with this and his main course was a function of the lack of food afore. Had the Hector not been fully comitted to the Karahi, no doubt a Soupçon could have been secured. 
Topped with a threat of Coriander, the Masala here was even thicker than Karahi #1. With Meat protruding, this had the appearance of a very fine Curry, no Soup here.
Dr. Stan – The Lamb Naga was rich and highly spiced, with a good blend of flavours and tender meat. The Aloo Gobi was spicy as well, though so not so much as the Naga, but the flavours came through providing an excellent complement to it. A fresh, crispy, Paratha finished off a really good meal.
Here, a topping of Coriander and Syboes with the Peas spread across the classic Keema. This was a proper Keema, minimal Masala, thick, and no surplus Oil 
collecting on the periphery. Added to this, whatever Chef was using to produce the Garlic Chilli element. Later, I would see – The Big Pot.
The Bill
We shall definitely be back. 
Complex cooking was not part of the plan for today, however, a bowlful of Tomatoes had other ideas.
For the protein, Lamb, of a sort. Spotted recently in my local butcher, what Mother used to purchase for Curry, a cut called – skirting. The apprentice butcher who sold it, had not heard of this term. 
Three Potatoes were cut into wedges. Adding raw Potato to a Masala, brave Hector. Instinct told me to add some water. 
Spinach, Methi and Coriander, the Herb content was prominent, yet I could take comfort from the knowledge that Onions and Tomatoes were in there too. This Masala had a consistency I could be proud of.
Duly plated, surplus Oil from frying the Mushrooms and Rice, was the only down side. Everything else was a plus. The appearance of the Masala was as good, nay better, than than I have seen for sometime in 
Biryani was foremost in Hector’s mind on
Chef Suriya greeted from the kitchen as I entered the otherwise empty premises at 15.00.
Biryani, I’ve not had it – pointing to the graphic on the wall. Biryani is not in 
I know my capacity for Rice, from the outset it was apparent that this was a step beyond. Two could comfortably have shared this as a complement to respective Curry choices.
The Sauce arrived moments later.
A small lake was created in the middle of the plate to accommodate the Sauce. Thin, Shorva-esque, this would add the required moisture and a tangy bitterness to the main event. The Seasoning was just enough, the Level of Spice would build.
As they must, the Texture of the Vegetables varied. The Cauliflower and Carrots had retained a slight firmness, we don’t want mush. The Potato had been further cooked and on cutting, exposed some infiltration of Spice. The Onion added a gum-like Texture.
The hoped for – wow – was not achieved. Maybe I just have to accept that the Mushroom Rice at 
It’s August Bank Holiday, the Scottish one. Our schools go back in a couple of weeks, there’s no no point having another holiday at the end of the month. A Bank Holiday, Civil Servants aside, nobody else seems to really know about it, unless one works in a bank.
Arriving at 
A mature chap we had never seen before, brought the customary Salad, Raita, and jug of water. The tap water this far south only had a slight taste of bleach. Seemingly the further one goes from Tradeston, the less of an issue this is.
Two substantial pieces of Chicken on-the-bone, and lots of Chickpeas, sat in a Desi Shorva. The presence of sliced Green Chillies and Bullet Chillies cut lengthways, did not put Marg off. The solids were polished off. Marg:
When we arrived I knew I was hungry and I thought I would have Rice for a change. I chose the Chickpea and Chicken dish on the top shelf and added rice. The Salad arrived first, and we both nibbled on the onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumber. I did not require any sauce. When the Rice arrived, it was huge and I knew we would not finish it. Both dishes arrived as well, Hector was having Quail, and I was looking forward to the Chickpeas and Chicken.
The overall taste was excellent, and full of different spices and flavours. There was an abundance of peppercorns in the oily sauce, as well as Green Chillies, and plenty of Chickpeas. The Chicken fell off the bone and added more texture and flavour. I had two large thighs, which was more than enough for me, when I placed a good topping of rice into my bowl. There was coriander leaves and coriander seeds throughout the Rice.
Hector was in the mood for a proper Desi Curry having had some unusual outings since the return from 
A brace, the torso and the legs were separate on the plate. The quantity of Shorva was clearly more that would have come out of a single container on display at the counter. So much Shorva in which to dip, fun. Ginger Strips and sliced Bullet Chillies were present here too. The first big blast of Flavour was Clove. Such joy, tasty, a good level of Spice and well Seasoned.
On seeing how much Rice was going to be left over, I decided to break a habit and add some to my Curry. As is shown, the last piece of Quail was eaten with Rice, thereafter, there was still plenty of Shorva in which to soak the Rice and keep it interesting. This turned out to be a bigger feast that envisaged at the start.
The three chaps with the Karahi were the only customers remaining as we made our exit. It was good to see so many at 
Today, Chicken Tikka Masala (£17.00) at Shish Mahal (60-68 Park Rd, Glasgow G4 9JF). Check the date: August 1st, not April 1st. Next, the Hector will be buying tickets for a musical, or even the ongoing Netball at the Commonwealth Games.
Lunch menu or a la carte? – asked the young waitress.
The waiter took the Order. 
A glass of Tap Water was provided. No bleach-taste north of the river. Nobody wants to tell me what’s going on in the Southside.
The Naan ticked every box in 
The handi-like bowl was brimming. Normally, with no Rice, I would eat directly from a karahi. And so that was how I had my first dip into the Masala.
Not the Tomato-pink I was expecting, but certainly – Creamy, 
Then I spotted it, the 
I began the process of isolating the 
The chap who I have described as – head waiter – could well have been a whole lot more. Having got the 
Meet Curryspondent Stuart, who expressed his appreciation of these humble pages. Humble? This does a lot for Hector’s ego. The rest of The Company were also gobsmacked, the first time they have witnessed this en masse.
The Village “Curry House”
Marg and Hector arrived at 
A jug of tap water completed the Order. Today, no taste of bleach. New glasses.
The Peri-Peri Chips covered a third of the plate. Suitably dusted with Paprika (?), one assumes frozen Chips, another reason why Hector avoids them. Can people not peel Potatoes any more?
Marg: We did not wait long. My Quarter Chicken was the leg, and I was able to pick up the joint and eat all the chicken off the bone. The lemon was sharp but the herb did not stand out.
I had to wait for the Salad and so was staring at the mass of Rice for quite some time.
The standard Pilau at 
When the Salad arrived, a proper plateful. The Mayo would work well with the elements of the Salad, but Rice and Mayo? Not for the Hector.
Blindfolded, I would have picked this out as 
As is always the case with Chicken, the skin had been impregnated, what lay below was just – white Meat. The limitations of this agenda were now exposed.
The Bill
Tharas Takeaway (55 Woodlands Rd., Glasgow G3 6ED) opened in 2025, it was Curryspondent Stewart who informed Hector that there are two tables. As with the comparable 
Fish Curry was confirmed, but what to have with it? Anticipating a Curry way more Soupy than Desi-Punjabi fayre, I enquired about the Masala. The serving chap seemed to suggest that there was a degree of flexibility, however, the Hector was keen to establish the Tharas norm. Boiled Rice (£3.00) was deemed to be the better option.
I was given a glass and returned to my seat. Water was on the table already, so unlike 
A full twenty minutes plus had passed before I was summoned to the counter. No table service.
Two bits of Fish were decanted from the dark, somewhat viscous, Masala. The interior of the Fish would be revealed as white. Rohu/Carp was my best guess. The bone content would prove to be significant, this would not be easy eating.
Both Onion strips and larger blobs of Onion had a major presence in the Masala. Whole Green Chillies, Onion Seeds and Curry Leaves were in there too. Quite a busy Masala.
With still no sign of the Chef-server, how to announce 
How time passes,
During the thirty minutes of chilling, the ingredients for the
For once, maybe, the Hector would stick to the precise measurements given in 
Whilst the 
This afternoon, I phoned 
Are you sitting in or Takeaway? – I was asked both by the serving chap and a customer in the queue. 
Wendy appeared with two large platefuls of Vegetable Pakora. These had been fetched from 
Peter had prepared Boiled Rice in the traditional way, i.e. a pot. For this I congratulate him, the Hector has never achieved this quality of outcome. A microwave Rice cooker is simpler, and always gives the desired outcome.
Sweet Potato, Chickpea, Tomato, a Vegetable Cury. Chana, I do not rush to, and this is certainly the first time Sweet Potato has appeared in these pages. Not a vegetable the Hector has ever purchased. There’s a simple reason for that.
There was but a threat of Spice, the Seasoning was low. Flavour, still waiting.
When cooking for company, one has to cater for the lowest common denominator, else, one isolates a Baby Curry portion. Kim cannot tolerate Spice, so it goes. 
The Oil took me by surprise. The Masala had separated, a bit of stirring required. The Lamb was on-the-bone in part, as ever Marg’s magic spoon would find the Boneless Lamb.
For Hector, let loose on a mass of Lamb Curry, and having deliberately limited the intake of this Meat in recent times, a challenge. Two pieces of Lamb and the Esophageal Dysphagia struck again. At least there was a Doctor to hand, a proper one for a change.
