The first Glasgow Curry of 2015 is the Tapas-style Dishes served at Mother India’s Café (1355 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8AD), Marg’s choice. It must be (nearly) her birthday.
Busy as ever on a Sunday afternoon, and with no booking system, we were happy to be given the only available table in the Inner Room. ‘Twas a bit too draughty to consider the tables at the entrance.
Marg chooses this venue due to the quality of their Butter Chicken, it has a Kick as well as being Creamy. A full portion she would consider excessive. The Lemon and Cashew Nut Rice is always her chosen accompaniment. Normally Marg orders a Starter but today was determined to try something different. South Indian Ginger Lamb? And an Aloo Gobi with Green Beans too?
The Hector order at Mother India’s Café is standard: Machi Masala, Lamb Massalum with Lady Fingers (from The Specials, when available), and of late a Plain Paratha. Of late, Marg and Hector have only been here once a year in the last few years. What does this tell us about the choice of Curry Venues in Glasgow?
Being only days since our Liverpool Curry-Tapas at Mowgli, comparison was very much in mind. All of Marg’s selections came first. The Butter Chicken in its classic Soup-like Masala. Of course Marg enjoyed this. The South Indian Ginger Lamb was described as featuring Coconut and 
Ginger, however there was another Dominant Flavour which I recognised but cannot be sure of its identity. When in doubt, nominate Fennel.
The Aloo Gobi was short of Potato unless Marg had scoffed the lot before it came my way. For Marg this proved to be surplus to her requirements. Marg was defeated, and now pondered why she had ordered The Third Dish.
The Lamb Massalum had Five Large Pieces of Lamb, more Meat than I have been given in some full-sized portions, especially in the South of England. Cloves were the dominant Flavour, a pleasant change from the usual Methi overdose. The Lady Fingers were very much the accompaniment rather than Ballast. This had to be eaten before the Fish whose strength of Flavour would surely have taken over the taste-buds. The Paratha was perfection, Piping Hot and Flaky, if only all Parathas served this year could be as good.
The Machi Masala is always a treat. The Fish was cooked in batter then shrouded in Masala. The Citrus took moments to come through, normally this is instantaneous. The anticipated intensity of Flavour simply was not there. Perhaps the Hector Palate had been numbed by the Fennel and Cloves?
Back to finish Marg’s surplus Lamb, a struggle.
The Bill
£30.40. Five Tapas: One Rice, One Paratha and a Large Bottle of Sparkling Water. £2.35 more than three of us paid in Mowgli, but a heck of a lot more Food.
The Aftermath
The Sunday stroll up Byres Rd, it’s a Glasgow West-End thing.