Hector does not rush to visit Nepalese restaurants, too many disappointments. The last encounter at Divine Dosa and Biryani (Las Vegas NV), being a classic example – cabbage, yeuch! Today, Hector has a Big Birthday. The celebrations for the last Big Birthday were held in Musselburgh. On that day, Nepalese food was had at Gurkha Bar & Restaurant prior to the evening celebrations. A Mixed Vegetable Curry! Having just returned from India, the Hector was Lambed-out. Plus ca change.
It was the opperchancity of having Goat Curry which had Marg drive us to Johnstone to investigate the highly recommended De’ Buddha – Authentic Nepalese Restaurant & Bar (12 Collier St, Johnstone PA5). Free parking in the car park opposite, a bonus.
Lord Clive and Lady Maggie of Crawley are resident at Hector’s House for two nights. They have just returned from a trip to the Orient. The menu at De’ Buddha offers a diverse range of Asian Cuisine, would they stick to Ramen, or were they desperate for Curry? I had sent Maggie advance notice of today’s venue:
I want a tour of the herb garden and ice cream chicken on chocolate cake.
Curry did not appear to be high on her agenda.
Arriving just after 15.00, two staff sat in the dining area at the front. Already, the décor was full on. The bar and a further seating area leads to another room to the rear. There, a group of ladies were enjoying their Thursday afternoon.
A waitress brought the menu, this proved to be the Lunch Menu (below), no Goat Curry. My fellow diners were happy to select two courses (£14.95) from this, the Hector secured the a la carte, also below.
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A 750ml bottle of Sparkling Water (£6.50) would be shared by Marg and Hector, pricy. Tap Water pour les autres. Maggie, starting early, added a Green Thumb Shake (£8.95).
A welcome drink was presented, a simple touch, gets everyone onside. I had to ask – sweet pea flower – we were informed by the chap I took to be Mein Host. The staff were proving to be a delight.
From the Lunch Menu, Marg chose – Haggis Bon-Bons and Himalayan Lamb (£2.00 extra). For Clive – Himalayan Chicken Noodle Soup followed by Chicken Chilli. Further strangeness would feature in Curry-Heute – Chicken Tempura plus Chicken Katsu for Maggie.
Restoring order, Hector established the efficacy of the Goat Curry.
Will I see any Peppers/Capsicum – I asked the waitress.
We don’t use peppers – she replied.
This is my favourite Curry House already .- I assured her.
Gurkhas Goat Meat Curry (£19.95) – served with pilaf rice, baby naan and popadoms – was duly ordered.
In the Lunch Menu, Pilaf Rice was described thus – Gurka’s Pilau Rice is flavoured rice cooked with clarified butter, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, star-anise, almonds, cashews, raisins and sultanas. This accompaniment should make any meal more special. Baby Naan and Poppadoms – would also feature in Marg’s Curry.
Whoever printed the menus here, is in to random Capitalisations, the Hector tries to rein them in.
The three Starters arrived leaving Hector as very much a spectator.
Haggis Bon Bons
Befitting a Birthday dinner, the presentation was a far cry from Hector’s favourite Glasgow-Southside Curry Cafes. Four Haggis balls sat on a platter with a complex garnish – Arran Mustard, Whiskey Mayonnaise (not Scotch then) and a side of Peppercorn Sauce. Marg offered me one, but with only four, I felt there was little to spare. Anyway, Haggis tastes like – Haggis, a Dish not served often enough at home. Marg:
4 very small haggis bon bons sitting on a mustard & whiskey mayonnaise with peppercorn sauce in a wee jar. Poured the sauce and enjoyed the combination of the flavours.
Himalayan Chicken Noodle Soup
When I see a bowl as empty as this, I wonder what might have been. Would a la carte have commanded more? Still, there was enough here to keep Clive amused for some time. Clive:
Excellent, a very small kick, enough to make it interesting.
Chicken Tempura
Yes, Maggie is just back from Japan. A small portion of Chicken in Batter, not dissimilar to Pakora one might argue.
The table cleared, there was but a short wait for the main courses.
Gurkha’s Goat Meat Curry
I shall always prefer Curry and Rice to be served separately. A half plate of each, a manageable amount of Rice, but a slightly disappointing volume of Curry. Rice & Bread, the two small pieces of peely-wally Naan should suffice. The Poppadoms were sent across the table to Clive who felt he required a shovel for his meal.
Dark, and decidedly Thick for a Nepalese Masala, this Curry looked superior to what was feared. The first dip of Naan into the Masala took me by surprise. A South Indian, Peppery, slightly Smoky, Flavour came across. This I simply had not considered as a possibility at the point of ordering. On mixing the Masala with the Rice, I found the Basmati to be firm, a couple more minutes of cooking required here. Plain Basmati, so what happened to the wonderfully described – Pilaf – the menu had promised?
The Meat, cut into what I can describe as – medium-sized – pieces, did reach double figures. Enough, and importantly, it wasn’t – Lamb. There was not a huge amount of flavour coming from the Goat, on-the-bone would have been so much better. Soft, not giving back any sense of Spice, typical of any Mainstream Curry House. Brown Meat without personality, it could have been anything.
The Masala had a medium level of Spice, the Seasoning below the Hector idyll. However, in a South Indian Curry, the Peppery Flavour can override the need for more Salt. Back to the Naan, a Buttery Flavour was noted.
Having mixed in the Coriander Leaves and the Ginger Strips, these came into play late on in the eating. Curry Leaves were set aside.
Taking my time, all was eaten. Enjoyed, yes, but maybe the Curry did leave me feeling a bit underwhelmed.
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Himalayan Lamb
Very similar in appearance to the Goat Curry, slices of Garlic mixed through the Masala was the clear difference. The same accompaniments, and again, where was the – Pilaf? Having sampled a Soupçon of the Masala, this did taste markedly different to the Goat Curry, definitely Sweeter. Marg:
The Himalayan Lamb arrived with rice, a small naan & poppadom. The lamb was very tender and the sauce was full of flavour with a slight sweet taste. The rice only had a few raisins, but I was expecting bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, almond, cashew, saffron. Overall, a very pleasant dish.
Marg had raisins.
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I still don’t know what the following two Dishes are doing in Curry-Heute, but it was their choice, so here we go.
Chicken Chilli
Pan-fried Chicken served in a sauce with Onions, Tomatoes and Mixed Peppers, who let them in the house? The half plate of noodles was commensurate with how the Curry was served. It appears that Clive has returned from the Orient, his appetite for Ramen maintained. Clive:
My only criticism, the chicken to noodle ratio. Not a lot of chicken, four five lumps, not a lot, but what there was, exceedingly good.
Chicken Katsu
As with the previous creation, the sort of thing the Hector could knock out in ten minutes. Chicken and Rice, preparing a Curry takes much more time and skill. Maggie: Presentation was thoughtful, good portion size. Chicken was moist.
Rice was starchy and the katsu sauce was bland and soupy.
The Bill
£82.25
The Aftermath
The Calling Card was presented to the waitress.
Would you like to meet the Chef?
Moments later, Chef Rabi came from the kitchen, after ten minutes talking – Curry, there was the mandatory photo.
De’ Buddha has been here for some two and a half years, not the former Ashoka as someone mooted later this evening.
Rabi told me that he sources all their Spices from Nepal, and of course, grinds his own Garam Masala. De’ Buddha also grow their own Herbs, Maggie was duly summoned.
In two weeks, there will be an extended Curry menu. Bronze plates will be introduced. This is how they eat in Nepal.
And so Maggie and Hector were led through the outdoor area to the Herb Garden. Being late spring, shoots were just emerging, on to the greenhouse. Home-grown Coriander, now we’re talking. No Methi?
Chef is a farmer – was Maggie’s observation.
With an 18.00 rendezvous back in the city, there was no time for the ice cream chicken on chocolate cake.
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2026 Menu
Lunch Menu
Everyone, except Dr. John, knows that 
As Howard was finishing his epic speech, the
And – hot & fresh – it remained. The number of people who complemented these features confirmed that this was related not just an act of politeness. As for the Chapli, their moniker was 
Throughout all this, the Hector, ably assisted by Obadiah Poundage, ensured that the next box of Pizza was readied as the one above was emptied. 
There was cake, courtesy of Wendy, and a cushion, created by her daughter Margery. 
The Man From Bradford is in Ayr. Residing here for a few days is better value than a hotel in Glasgow, he insists. 
This meant that Marg, Hector and Dr. Stan could once again visit 
Having sampled the Chef’s Authentic Dishes on 
With my back to the kitchen, I could not observe the activity through the large window which divides the room. Instead, I wondered who the solo chap was at the farthest away table, and what was he having? 
Whilst the Plain Naan was served whole, had risen and was decidedly puffy, the Coriander Naan had everything: the perfect teardrop, pointy tip, and a mass of foliage. I had suggested to Dr. Stan that we could share a Naan, this offer was eventually withdrawn. Marg had a strip, the Hector managed the rest. Eating almost a whole Naan? A combination of starving oneself all day and the Bread being a manageable size. That Marg came in search of more Bread was due to having finished her Roti. Again served whole, round and well-fired, not the smallest Roti ever seen. And Marg had breakfast already.
The large piece of 
A small karahi, footery, but still it was deemed there was little point decanting to the plate. The Meat count of six decent sized pieces may not be accurate. Achari is all about the Pickle, and this Curry had the required distinctive Flavour. Well Seasoned, with an above average Spice Level, in terms of Flavour, there was nothing here not to like. However, the offending piece of 
The Lamb gone, the proportion of Onion to Masala was unfavourable. In 
The Curry-Heute Campaign
I chose Vegetable Patiya for the first time. Very red in colour and could see cauliflower, peas, carrots & potatoes in the sauce. Very sweet in flavour and although I enjoyed the vegetables I found it thin and not very filling. Finished my Tandoori Roti and ended up having some of the Coriander Naan and the plain naan on the table.
This is the third review of Rara Gosht in these pages, fourth technically. A Thick Masala in appearance due to the Keema, little attention was paid as to what the protruding green bits may have been. Ricky was first to comment.
The Bill
Hector has a 
The shutters were still down as Marg drove past Yadgar just before 14.00, in search of a parking place. Chef too was arriving and greeted us accordingly. Shafiq informed us that he had been here since 13.00. 
The ready-cooked food on display had surely something for everyone. 
Marg, afraid of filling herself up to soon, received four of the ten pieces of Pakora. 
No sooner had I started than I had to stop. The curse of over enthusiasm. The Fish Pakora could have been hotter on its arrival, my enforced hiatus did not help matters.
Beneath the Ginger Strips and Coriander, the Cauliflower seemed to be on one side of the plate, the Potatoes on the other. New Potatoes was the conclusion, small, skins on. Usually, I celebrate the extent to which the Potatoes have absorbed the Flavours of all that surrounds, today, a different revelation. I started with the Cauliflower.
Gosh! Wow! The full – 
Chicken Mince, Potato and Peas, topped with Coriander and Ginger Strips, note the absence of peripheral Oil, actually, unnecessary liquid of any sort. This was the very definition of a – Dry Curry. I watched Marg isolate the sliced Green Chillies, no chances being taken. 
Arrived at the opening time of 2pm and chose our table. The Chicken Keema Aloo Mutter looked very appetising and we were served a fresh salad as a starter.
One may think the end of the meal was approaching, this, however, is
Caramelised Carrot in Rice Pudding plus home-made Yoghurt, it was suggested that we combine them. A mixture of – sweet & sour. This suited the Hector palate, Marg stuck to the – sweet.
This evening, Howard and Hector went to see Alabama Shoegaze band – Sister Ray Davies – at Glasgow’s Classic Grand, a venue more infamous for the movies shown there back in the day. Of course there was 
Last year, on 
Mariusz Dud
With essentially the same addess, I had assumed that 
Three ladies were the only other customers during my visit. They departed permitting a better range of photos of the interior. An informal setting has been retained. Even with the 
After last weeks Soupy Chettinad at nearby 
The young waitress took the Order, no sign of Sijin, Mein Host, whom I have now not seen for many a year. 
Flaky layered flatbread made from Indian white flour – was the description given on a previous 
One whole Green Chilli, just in case, and a mass of possibly the Thickest Masala served in this city. Don’t let the Coconut Topping be off-putting, this is no Kiddies Korma. Curry Leaves protruded from the Masala, whole Black Peppercorns would reveal themselves. 
The replacement Parotta was decidedly softer, but still not the correct Flour, and this one was far too greasy. Buttery is expected, this was beyond that, comparable to my own feeble efforts in making Parotta from scratch.
The Aftermath
The lack of footfall in Union Street could finish them. W
On the next block south of Union Street lies the Classic Grand. Only eight in the queue at 18.45 for the 19.00 door opening. So few queuing, but who ever wanted to be seen queueing outside the Classic Grand?
Hector took a spot at the front, Howard was on his way. As for Chapterhouse, I have listened to some of their material, not as – Spacy – as Sister Ray Davies. 
A five piece, so three guitars plus bass. Howard had advised that Chapterhouse would play all of 
As the number of Afghan restaurants in Glasgow grows,
Khyber Sheenwari (61 Bridge Street Glasgow G5 9JB) opened towards the end of 2025, in the premises previously occupied by 
Being a Monday, Marg was accompanying once more, Keema Aloo (£7.99) surely had her name on it. Alas, whilst the Hector recorded the menu, Marg declared it to be a Salad Day: Greek Salad (£4.99) plus Lamb Samosa (£3.99) – 4pcs.
Ta
The waitress brought a Salad and two Dips. Marg asked if this was her Greek Salad. With no Feta, clearly not, this was the inclusive accompaniment, for the Samosa, one assumes. 
When the Greek Salad arrived, the presence of Lime wedges puzzled. Somehow, the greenery in the complimentary Salad ended up being mixed in with the Greek. Marg cannot have too much Salad.
Four, as promised, tiny. Great for sharing I suppose, not going to spoil the appetite here. The shot of the interior did not reveal much Meat, however, Marg was satisfied:
Indeed, we had amassed quite a feast on the table. And as Monday lunch is always on me, the prices were making the Hector feel good.
The Plain Naan was served whole. Despite the central perforations, the Bread had suitably risen, particularly towards the perimeter. A bit peely-wally in appearance there was the beginning of burnt blisters. The darker hue brought Wholemeal Flour to mind, fortunately if present, not intrusive. A decent Naan, I managed about half.
The size of the bone had me gobsmacked. At this price I expected the small Lamb Shank one sees in Farmfoods, this was the real deal. 
The Spice Level would never grow above moderate, except when the Bullet Chillies were introduced. The Seasoning had me won, Earthy Flavours as opposed to the Cinnamon dominant versions I have come to expect, I could have just stayed here with – ma broth. 
A wander to the rear of the premises revealed 
At 14.30, the 
I took my usual spot, the largest of the three tables in this essentially, – Takeaway – venue. A chap came in soon after and ordered Chips & Cheese. He sat at the small table nearest the counter. No interaction, the Hector was watching extra time being played at Hampden. Not a favourable result as it happens. Falkirk will now not be holding back on the final league match of the season against The Famous. 
Biryani – advertised on the wall, but not in the menu, had been a consideration before the Fish Curry was spotted. It remains to be established just how much more Flavoursome the Biryani could be here. The Mushroom Rice, always impresses. 
I have not seen this Masala at
Tangy, the Masala almost took me to Europe, approaching Sweet & Sour. Slivers of Caramelised Onion were encountered. What I took to be a flattened Black Cardamom was set aside along with a whole Clove. Whole Spice, in 
The Southside, the home of Desi Curry in Glasgow. 
Howard was in situ at my favourite table. 
We studied the Fayre on offer, only three prepared Dishes at the that time. On another day the Vegetable Curry would have been a must, maybe with a Chapli Kebab to add further protein. 
thicker Masala, Shorva is evidently not destroyed by this method of reheating. 
Four Meatballs, one hard-boiled Egg. As Howard is always keen to remind us:
The first dip of Naan in the Shorva took me back half a century, authentic, traditional fayre. The sharpness caught 
By coincidence, 
It’s about time Howard tried
Our Caf
Dishoom 
I accepted a table between a mature couple, who were almost finished their meal, 
Bombay comfort food, street food – call it what you like, the Hector was here for Curry, and the choice was actually minimal. 
With no small bottles of Sparkling Water on offer, Tap Water sufficed. My goblet was filled with pleasantly chilled water from a jug. The jug was duly withdrawn. 
Given the number of people in the restaurant, the wait was appropriate. Some seemed to linger after their meal. With the second side of the A3 menu devoted to – Drinks – plenty to choose from. Do people use Dishoom as a bar?
The metal tray, the Banana Leaf, 
The whole, Dry Red Chilli on top was a welcome sight. This usually means business. Curry Leaves, a threat of Coriander and but a single Ginger Strip enhanced the garnish. 
Malabar Parotta, not to be missed, and usually charged at an outrageous rate, beware. The standard size for this King of Breads, today’s was decidedly 
The Spice built steadily, the Seasoning pleased, the taste of South Indian Curry was well represented here. 
The Bill
Marg joining Hector for a Saturday afternoon, ritual Curry? The Hockey season must be over, which ironically means even more Hockey. And so Hector was driven to The Southside, passing the home of The Famous. Somehow, they only have two more home matches out of six left this season. 
Arriving at 
A wedding party was imminent, still, the Hector was invited to record the set-up. 
In the main dining room, not a soul, though two tables would be filled by the ti
Dr. Hanane may be no more, instead, another familiar, young waitress greeted. A Saturday afternoon, no lunch menu, 
For Hector, it could only be Lamb Desi Qorma (€14.95), well it has been ten days since my wonderful Kalb Qorma at 
Mr. Baig, Mein Host, came over to chat. I still cannot bring myself to call him – Archie. Our recent travels were outlined. Once again, he related how much of a struggle it is to honour the prices on the 
House Salad
Presumably once coated in Masala, this has dried in whilst cooking. Marg:
A different choice for me me, when it arrived I knew it was the right option. A large piece of grilled salmon with crispy skin and juices to give it flavour. I added my large salad of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, gherkins and the red cabbage which accompanied the fish dish.
The heated stand was new. As one who always retains Masala for the second half, a welcome addition to the infrastructure. The photo on the 
The Masala looked divine. Thick, with an oily sheen, the aroma of Citrus confirmed this was what the Hector sought. Green Cardamom would be extracted and set aside as and when encountered. Whole Spice, Desi Curry.
On taking the remaining Masala, the Oil had separated, a quick stir required. 
