The Curry-Heute coverage of Curry Cottage (91 Cambridge Street, Glasgow G3 6RU) began in 2022, today was visit #10, only Marg’s second visit. Four years ago, Marg declared the Keema Aloo (£13.95) at Curry Cottage to be the best ever had. No prizes for guessing her choice today, no pressure then.
For Hector, hopefully another tweak to the impressive Fish Karahi, if featured on the Specials Board. At the start of the summer, the Capsicum was withheld, but the Big Blobs of Onion maintained. Let’s see what today would bring.
With the cost of street parking in Glasgow well beyond a joke, we availed ourselves of the Cambridge Street car park. This afforded a different perspective of Curry Cottage, but not quite the ubiquitous drone shot. Entering the – restaurant & bar – at 15.00, I was taken aback by the throng: fourteen diners spread across five tables. My next reaction was the thought – is Pratap, Mein Host on the premises, or is Chef holding the fort? If the latter, the poor chap was being slaughtered.
After a few moments, Pratap did appear from the depths and let us choose the small table hard up against the counter. From there I could count the beans.
Furthermore, a lady assistant entered, freeing Pratap to work in the kitchen. Before he disappeared, I did remark on the number of people present. No football in Glasgow this weekend, lots of chaps at a loose end?
Keema Aloo and a Whole Mill Roti (£1.95) was a given. Whole Mill, aka Wholemeal, at least the menu is clear. Those, like Hector, who actively dislike this Flour, have been warned.
I had to ask permission to intrude mid-room, in order to capture today’s Specials. Goan Fish Curry (£21.95) is not what I wanted, and certainly not at that price. Lamb Kofta Palak (£14.95), yet to be sampled here, would be my fallback.
The waitress took the Order, Marg’s was a formality. I related that last time, I had Fish Karahi without Capsicum, today, could the Big Onion be avoided? If there had to be a Vegetable, why not Potato? This was duly noted.
To accompany, a Plain Naan (£4.50), and a 750ml bottle of Sparkling Water (£5.50). In one sentence, £10.00 added to – The Bill. The waitress suggested Poppadoms, no way, Pedro.
With my back to the action, I failed to see the fayre being presented elsewhere. When Pratap placed food on our table after just a few moments, I was taken by surprise.
While you wait – was his explanation.
Not only had the Hector just won this round of – The Poppadom Game – he had won a watch. Vegetable Pakora Chat, a meal in itself. £10.00 worth, at least, of complimentary Starters. Being Hector has its privileges, sometimes.
The lightly Spiced Onions and the Mango Chutney Sauce were standard, the Raita was something else. Extra – Bits – added complexity, interesting.
Vegetable Pakora Chat
The Garnish was a work of art, the drizzle of Chilli Sauce just sufficient to make its presence known, not intrusive. Too often I have seen this creation drowned in Raita and Chilli Sauce, the result: soggy Pakora. Not today.
The Pakora looked different, the Pakora tasted different. The prominent Seasoning and bigger – kick – set the mind thinking. This was not from the Cumbernauld Pakora Factory, this had to be made in-house.
Visibly larger pieces of Potato, the menu suggested Cauliflower too, but not realised. A Pea appeared on the plate, complexity, confirmed.
As the waitress cleared the table and the customary question was answered, there was a supplementary.
You make your own Pakora?
Confirmed.
A smart move by Pratap, who not for the first time, has thus expanded the range of Dishes covered in Curry-Heute. The array illustrated on the dedicated page for Curry Cottage therefore continues to expand, and Kofta Palak is now also on the radar. Few venues in Glasgow have this on their a la carte menu.
Presumably, fourteen other diners had received their main courses before ours arrived. As some left, so they were replaced. Curry Cottage was having a good day, and why not, the menu here is markedly different from the old school.
Both Breads were served in bits, needlessly so. That I would not have ordered the Wholemeal Roti is written. The Naan had risen, it had attained the desired level of puffiness, and with burnt blisters, ticked most of the Curry-Heute boxes.
Inevitably, the Starters restricted our Bread intake.
Keema Aloo
On the large soup plate, the portion size was not overwhelming, a sufficiency. Visible Potato, no peripheral Oil, a threat of a Masala, and as before, coarsely-cut Mince. If there was Methi in there too, Marg didn’t comment. She did offer this:
It has been a long time since my last visit. Curry Cottage was busy, and we found a table near the bar. We had refused Starters but the Pakora Chat was presented to us, and it looked very appetising. I do enjoy Vegetable Pakora and this was an excellent homemade dish. I added Mango Chutney, and homemade Raita, which complemented the Poppadoms.
When the main dish arrived, it did not disappoint. The minced lamb was full of flavour, and had a deep, rich taste to go with the new potatoes. The potatoes were soft and had absorbed the sauce.
Once again this dish remains to be my favourite, with the Curry Cottage top of my list for Keema Aloo.
Fish Curry – with Potato
It’s what I asked for, sort of. The Side of Potatoes I took to be a variant of Chips / Fried Potatoes. That the Masala sat on top of the abundant Fish, brought the ad hoc creation of Chicken Tikka Masala to mind. A veritable plateful of food, but was it – Curry?
The Potatoes were way more than first appeared. Prepared, rescued, from another Dish, the exterior was a coating of Spice, not down to frying. Yet, these were distinctly different from what was in the Keema Aloo. Without them, the rest of the Dish would have been just Fish & Masala, an Interesting Vegetable is always welcome, else it comes under the Curry-Heute category of – Ballast.
This must be Haddock! – was an early proclamation. The size of the Fish, the thick cut, its distinctive – fishiness. Five minutes later, I was doubting myself. The Texture, the integrity, the firmness, this was not like Haddock. Was it pink? Haddock is not pink. The ambient light could well have been creating this illusion.
The first thing I hope for in any Fish Curry is that it tastes of Fish, this most certainly did. The Masala still felt as if it had been poured on at the point of serving. A definite Creaminess, not dissimilar to the recipe for Machi Masala posted in these pages since the inception of Curry-Heute. The Masala felt light and well-Seasoned. With a moderate Spice Level initially, this would build towards satisfaction. There was a flash of Flavour, a – what was that moment. Star Anise was my best, a posteriori, deduction.
Plenty of Fish, the Potatoes provided complementary distraction. Naan proved to be the ideal accompaniment, nowhere near enough Masala to have Rice.
Pratap, you were put on the spot, you did very well. Next time, I hope you are set free to discuss this creation.
As the waitress cleared the table, the opperchancity to ask.
Haddock was confirmed!
The Bill
£43.85 Note: Fish & Potato Curry.
The Aftermath
Brief farewells in the still busy restaurant.
On a certain day at the end of April, the Hector celebrated a 
Apart from a lady waiting for a large Takeaway,
Abundant, 
Back in the corner, the booked table was now occupied, a high chair positioned as close to Hector’s seat as could only occur in a bad dream. 
Colin and Margaret shared the Rice. Mid meal, Colin called for another portion. Hector was amused. Who were these Euro-diners who sought more Rice? 
No Toppings, fresh Coriander and/or Ginger Strips would probably 
Lamb Pathia
Namak Mandi, not just
No surplus Oil, nothing – red – here, but not as – grey – as a Namkeen Karahi which is just Salt, Pepper, Chillies. The Tomato-based Masala, proportionally Minimal as it must be: thick, viscous, simple, and oh so tasty. The Seasoning was rich, the Spice Level, Chillies aside, hardly testing. Colin accepted that this was within his level of tolerance. Only a Caspar Milquetoast should fear a Karahi Gosht.
Marg – 
Three days after Hector’s 
I’m here for your Desi Qorma!
We settled, in gentlemanly, companionable silence, for the wait. However, a little brat had a different idea.
Lamb Shank, always served on-the-bone, everyone should try this. With a Ginger Strip garnish, the full portion, sat in a traditional Shorva-esque Gravy, a meal in itself. I once witnessed three chaps sitting with a pile of Naan to share one plate of Nihari. Today, Dr. Stan would have to manage with just the two Naan, which were part of the Special Breakfast.
The Naan was magnificent. Served whole, as risen as any Naan ever seen, study that central blister. Light, fluffy Bread, there was no complaint when the Hector helped out a bit. The Naan had its own distinctive Seasoning. Between us, we managed to leave only one half. This is not the end of the Bread saga.
A breakfast in its own right, behold two Puri accompanied by Aloo Sabzi, Chana Masala, and Halva. The Potato and Chickpeas were soon dealt with. Dr. Stan had not encountered Halva previously, I warned him it would likely be Sweet. He tackled the Halva carefully, then left it to the end, Dessert. Just the two Puri to accompany the Curry elements. Anda (sic) there’s more.
Was it the Omelette which had first caught Dr. Stan’s attention? Sat beyond the Naan, but not to be ignored. How many Eggs? A fine example of a freshly made, Spicy Omelette, a classic component of Desi Nashta. 
Dr. Stan – 
This was special, and Clive told me later that it is his go-to Curry at Balti BLVD. I can see why. Served on-the-bone, Sucky Bones too, thus the Masala was enhanced.
The first dip of purloined Naan produced the definitive – wow! – moment. The Seasoning, the Spice Level, spot on, glorious Flavours. Yet, in terms of Achari, there was but a light tanginess, I could neither see the customary Pickle elements, never mind taste them.
Eight pieces of Meat, a standard restaurant portion, with just the right amount of chewing. Importantly, the Lamb had been totally infused, and was therefore giving back the Flavours from the Masala, complementing its own meatiness.
Friday, a day out in – that London. 
A return to aforementioned venues could have caused people to be caught 
Our Bread order could not be accepted because the dedicated Chef was not on duty. The restaurant was busy, who was producing the Bread? Was this not an admission that all Bread being currently served would not be up to scratch? 
Normally, the Hector would eat straight from the karahi, determined to see what was actually in it, the decision was made to decant.
A coloured, watery residue drifted to one end of the plate. This looked less like Oil, more Spinach water. Assuming, this had Flavour, it was duly mopped up, watery indeed. This interpretation for this Saag/Palak was midway between the two classic Curry styles. With the Herb Mash prominent, there was still more than a hint of Masala, as proven by the presence of Tomato Seeds. A decent kick, the Seasoning was at a low level which can be typical of a Saag/Palak. The well-Seasoned Naan came to the rescue here. Otherwise, the hoped for Earthy Flavour was at a minimum.
Nine pieces of Meat, most of them large, a decent portion, not forgetting the mass of Spinach. The Lamb had a fibrous Texture, one day I shall identify this cut. Some Meat was decidedly chewy whilst others were super-soft, on the edge of turning to pulp. A working pot then, being replenished as necessary.
That was poor – I said to Dr. Stan – too watery, the Meat was incidental.
How many Seekh Kebab had been used to create this shall remain an unknown pro tem. The sheer volume presented must surely impress. Seekh Kebab smothered in Keema. Reviewing from the perspective as a Keema Karahi, this ticks the boxes: the Dryness, the absence of peripheral Oil, Minimal, if any, recognisable Masala. Add to this, the visible well-fired extremities and the presumed Herb content of a Lamb Seekh Kebab, then this creation has it all.
A very good level of spice – was an early remark by Clive. He later added:
Yet another waiter cleared the table, he raised a smile, the only sense of a welcoming acknowledgment throughout our visit. Even the chap who took payment was sullen.
After The Eclipse 
Having watched today’s near total eclipse via a pinhole in a 
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.
After yesterday’s Lamb extravaganza at 
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. 
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?
The wait was longer than expected, better than fast food.
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:
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?
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.
Indian Style – is a Spicier version compared to – Mild Creamy – the next item on the menu.
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:
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.
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. 
Unremarkable, pleasant as a Dhansak should be.
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
The Bill
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.