Another Curry House behind the Mitchell Library
As part of the ongoing theme of this Curry-Woch, the Curry-Heute was originally intended to be at the Tiffin Rooms on Sauchiehall St, but was not open for business at 16.40, The Shenaz (17 Granville St, Glasgow, G3 7EE) was; this certainly facilitates the procurement of food. The Shenaz offer a pre-theatre menu which is decidedly sensible since this is about the only place one can actually park when going to the King’s Theatre on Bath St. A pre-theatre menu was not for Hector, he required the full Bhuna.
Given that I was the only customer it was quite amusing when I was offered a seat at a table for two in the corner. The possible bus load did not materialise.
Spoilt for choice
The menu was interesting: there were three dishes that met the required spec.
A Lamb Desi was a possibility: ‘These dishes have a spicy and more wholesome flavour. Though not Vindaloo strength, they are cooked with more ground onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and other spices.’
Hector’s normal order the Lamb Karahi also looked a possibility: ‘A Punjabi Bhoona dish cooked with the choicest ingredients, blended with freshly ground Punjabi spices with peeled and grated fresh ginger and garlic in a cumin butter. A great tasty dish prepared and served in Karahi to required strength’
Under the on-the-bone heading was an attractive sounding dish, the Lahori Gosht: ‘Only chicken or lamb on the bone cooked in a bhoona sauce with tomatoes and ground chillies’
Hector would take advice
The waiter approached pen in hand – I pointed to the three options and asked which would ‘blow me away with taste.’. The waiter asked if ‘on-the-bone’ was an option, it was and so this became the Curry-Heute. A Mushroom Rice was also ordered, alas this was not a clear enough order as the menu shows two options: ‘Mushrooms, green peppers & onions, Mushroom & Jeera Rice’. The latter was what I had in mind, inevitably the Chef had other ideas.
No Starters or other Sundries were required; I stated that I was here for the Curry. There was enough scraping and clattering coming from the kitchen to make it clear somebody was at work. The, by now, three waiters stood by. I remained the only customer throughout the visit, nothing at the King’s worth seeing tonight then.
The meal arrived. There was a healthy looking plate of Rice with minimal Mushroom and strips of Capsicum. Is there a Chef’s Union which has shares in this out of place Vegetable? Two steel platters containing fresh Tomato, Onion Chutney, desiccated Coconut and tinned Pineapple were presented. The Curry looked splendid: the Masala was certainly of the thicker variety but not what Hector considers to be Bhuna.
And so Hector ate…
Two Lamb Chops and other pieces of Lamb off-the-bone made a generous helping. I dealt with one Lamb Chop and realised that a familiar and welcoming taste was becoming evident on the palate – The Taste! The more I ate the more satisfying this dish became. Is it because the Lamb is on-the-bone that reveals this most comforting taste? If I had been blindfolded and been told I was eating something cooked in Café Salma I would have believed it. A bit more salt and perhaps more heavily spiced and I would have suspected that the Chefs at Café Salma had relocated. This is the type of Curry that Hector raves about. A bit of fine tuning and this matches anything served in my favourite outlets.
Verdict
Now given that The Shenaz has been in business for nearly fifty years, they have certainly witnessed the evolution of styles and tastes in the city. This Curry proves they have not been left behind. A stunning dish and at £14.50 more appealing than a close neighbour.