Afghani Korma – it said on the display board outside the Food Center (108c Boulevard de Rochechouart, 75018 Paris) as we passed yesterday afternoon on our walk to Montmarte. This was enough for Hector to postpone a return to the almost guaranteed delights of Passage Brady for another day.
Marg and Hector took the Metro to Pigalle. Marg stopped off for her Breakfast at La Marmite, her sort of place. Hector, in full explorer mode was determined to give another Paris Curry Cafe a go. Curry Cafe? The sign above the door said – Fast Food. Hopefully this would not be – Chicken Ding.
Inside the signage confirmed: Afghani Korma, with a Drink (€10.00).
Afghani Korma Agneau?
The Chap serving nodded.
Sit in?
I nodded.
Take a seat – he said pointing to the long and narrow room.
Food Center is a shiny cafe, very bright. The customers were mostly teenagers having Wraps. I took my seat at 12.20, the food arrived fifteen minutes later.
A Mint Raita accompanied a Large plate of Rice with a lesser quantity of Curry. The Lamb was into double figures, and so one cannot complain about the Price/Quantity Ratio. Kidney Beans stood out in the Soup-like Blended Masala. Kidney Beans? Peruvian sourced?
I had no drink and so stopped my Chap as he passed by; a Coke was secured, no glass, no straw, no frills.
The Seasoning may have been acceptable, there endeth the positive. There was virtually no Spice and next to no Flavour. I accidentally bit into the solitary Green Cardamom, that changed things, then I found a piece of a stem, from what?. I hoped for other Flavours, the Masala had something, but not a lot. I spooned on the remaining Shorva, nothing happening here.
Afghani? OK, the Masala appeared to be Tomato-based, there was little sign of Onions present. Korma? In what way was this a – Korma? Afghani Korma? Aye right. Even calling this – Curry – is quite generous.
Hector is not – a cheese eating surrender minky (sic) – every so often one finds a gem of a venue. I would never have found the unbelievably wonderful Pak Taka Tak in Athena (Hellas) had I not been willing to take risks. Still, I would rather endure this than face Euro Food.
The Bill
€10.00. (£8.85) At least I was fed for a sensible price.
The Aftermath
No Calling Card was left, this was not a Curry House.
I walked back to fetch Marg who had just paid €22.00 for her Tuna Salad etc.
And so to Le Louvre on a rainy Paris Monday. La Joconde – Mona Lisa – may attract all the attention. On the opposite wall is a much grander canvas which I have renamed:
The Anticipation of Yadgar #250.
