Marg and Hector are in Crawley en route to ….. well you’ll find out in a day or two, Curry awaits there too. I dropped hints earlier today on a Social Medium that perhaps we could visit the Downsman Curry Club (Wakehurst Drive, Southgate, Crawley, RH10 6DH) this evening. Lord Clive of Crawley failed to pick up on this, he still asked where I would like to dine this evening. Clive has not been to The Downsman since last August when I was last – Dan Saath – there is a simple explanation. The walk from his house to The Downsman is in the opposite direction to his favoured watering holes. The Downsman may serve Excellent Curry, their Ale defines – Bog Standard.
We arrived @19.00 and took a window seat. We were then invited to move, wet paint. Should they not have hung a sign? I didn’t recognise a single member of staff, so no chance of – The Hector – being recognised today.
Once established in our booth, Menus were fetched, what to have, as if I didn’t know already. The Downsman essentially serves Mainstream Curry, however, some of their Dishes have earned notoriety, there be Flavour. The Lamb Methi (£8.95) is why I was here, and let’s not overlook the Lamb Chops (£8.95), same price as a Main Course.
Marg took a leaf out of Clive’s book and chose Lamb Parsi Dhansak (£8.95) with her usual single Tandoori Roti (£1.95). That is a lot for humble Bread. Perhaps I should start a campaign to restore the straightforward – Chapatti – a much better beast.
Clive opted for Gosht e Laziz (£8.95), whatever that is. A reliable Curry Website relates that this is: Marinated Lamb cooked with fresh chillies and spring onions in a hot sweet & sour sauce. A Patia/Chasni then? There is a Recipe on this Website for Patia, and for once Hector admits it is done best with Chicken. Clive’s favoured Keema Paratha is not on the Menu, sometimes the server has taken this Order, usually not. I would ask, Keema Naan (£2.95) was his fallback. My current Bread preference is Chilli and Coriander Naan, again not on the Menu here.
I went up to the Bar to order and pay, that’s how it’s done at The Downsman. Two portions of Lamb Chops, no Keema Paratha then, Chilli and Coriander Naan was accepted. After the blandness of the Curry we recently had together in Barcelona, I asked for the Lamb Methi and the Gosht e Laziz to be served – Spicy.
The Bill
£52.60. This was calculated on the Server’s phone, no receipt, no itemisation. Working backwards I can confirm the Chilli and Coriander Naan was also £2.95. No tip, that’s how it’s done at The Downsman.
The food is brought on trays, we watched three other tables being presented with their Orders, then it was time for the Lamb Chops. Five Chops per portion, but check the Girth. These are not the standard served at the majority of venues, these are in effect double thick. Sizzling on the platter, presented on a bed of Onions, this is one of life’s greatest pleasures. To think some Curry Houses serve Lamb Chops on a plate.
The Chops had Blackened Exteriors, Carbon, with the Meat beneath cooked through – to the bone. Drool. Marg remarked on how wonderful they were, she acquired one Chop from each platter, that left Hector and Clive with four each. Is that enough? One could sit and gnaw on these all day long. Marg:
Wonderful! I love the fact they’re burnt on the outside, tender, the largest Chops I’ve seen for a while.
You get Curry here as well – added Clive – one day they’ll sell (decent) Bier, then we’ll never be away.
Marg was searching for scraps, Clive:
Help yourself to as much Onion as you wish.
Five Chops would have been better than four. Last August we managed this then had a suitable gap before ordering the Mains. Thankfully today we were granted a suitable – digestion gap – before the next tray was brought.
Lamb Parsi Dhansak
The Masala was suitably Thick with Lentils. Marg remarked on the Spice Level immediately, had Chef made all three Dishes – Spicy? For once I did not take a sample. Marg:
Very tender Lamb, thick lentil sauce, a little too Spicy for my taste, a change.
One Lamb Chop too many? Marg left about a third, a Takeaway container was brought to the table on request. Do your own.
Gosht e Laziz
Sybees and Fresh Coriander topped the relatively thin Masala. The piece of protruding Lamb had the appearance of Tikka Lamb. Clive doesn’t say much when he’s eating, so no confirmation.
They certainly did the business with that. Excellent, did what it said on the tin, but I think you added to that (Spice).
Clive tends to ignore the majority of his Bread until the Curry is finished then has it as almost an afterthought.
Thinner. Less doughy than other Naans I’ve had. I can taste the Keema in there.
If the above descriptions are not up to my usual standard then it’s all down to the Lamb Methi.
Lamb Methi
The Masala looked creamy, I suppose Cream was in there. It’s the Black Flecks strewn through the Masala that intrigue, Black Methi? How?
The Chilli and Coriander Naan was served in Quarters which always annoys. It was not particularly thick. Apart from that I didn’t pay much more attention to it until I dipped a piece in the Masala. Wtf?
What was this Flavour? I was taken back in time instantly. This was not the usual Methi Masala, the depth of Flavour was way more than the norm. It was the Naan! Dark Red (smoked?) Chillies were there along with the anticipated Coriander Leaves, but there was more. Fine shavings of another Chilli species covered the Naan. This was something new, something to celebrate, The Downsman have a – Killer Naan – here. I have stopped ordering Garlic Naan as the Garlic tends to dominate the Overall Flavour of the Curry. This Naan was the – Perfect Complement.
The Meat was beyond Tender, Soft, but far from turning to Pulp. This Quality Lamb was giving off Spice, so often the Meat is an afterthought in the preparation of Curry, just chuck it in the Masala at the end. Whole Green Chillies were in the Thick Masala, just how – Spicy – was this Curry? Chillies were everywhere, the Methi gave the distinctive Bitterness which balanced any Sweetness which may have been present in the base Creamy Masala.
Did I describe The Downsman as – Mainstream – above? This was as good as Lamb Methi gets.
The Aftermath
Normally a taxi takes us back to town. With Clive now retired, it was the Bus.