Manchester – Lahori Badsha – Open Sesame

A two day trip to Manchester, there should be at least four Curry Opperchancities, five if The Man from Bradford gets his act together. Normally on arriving in Manchester it’s straight to Kabana, however, having investigated the cluster of Curry Houses on Cheetham Hill Road, in January, today’s #1 choice was Lahori Badsha (140 Cheetham Hill Rd, Manchester, England M8 8PZ).

Today’s Curry had to be markedly different from the Hector norm, nothing was going to particularly impress after the magnificence which was the Karahi Gosht served on Visit #100 to Karahi Palace (Glasgow). Arriving at Lahori Badsha at 11.50 the door was locked, yet Sources have this Curry House opening at 11.00. The staff were inside, a chap came to unlock the door, maybe they had forgotten to do so earlier? There was no sign of Zak, Mein Host, the Chap I failed to communicate with on Visit #1 was there to serve once again.

What can I have in Lamb? – I asked.

Lamb Curry, Chicken Curry – he replied, I interrupted:

Lamb!

He pointed to some Lamb Dishes on the Menu, this was already a more extensive array than that offered on Visit #1.

Daal Gosht (£4.99) would suit my purposes today, some Meat and a swathe of Lentils is substantially remote from Karahi Gosht. A Rogni Kulcha Naan (£1.00) would accompany, I appear to only order these when in Manchester.

The Order was taken, a Modest Salad and some Raita were brought to the table with a jug of Tap Water. The Water was very much welcomed, the Salad and Raita remained untouched. The TV was on behind me, there was a constant high pitched drone, it was prepubescent boy reading from the Quran. In some fifty five years of visiting the Middle East and North Africa, I have very much become used to – the call to prayer – and find myself warming to the chants from the minaret. Nobody was paying attention to the TV, and on it went, for whose benefit was this?.

Daal Gosht

Slices of large Green Chillies and a threat of Fresh Coriander topped a mass of Lentils, or yellow Split Peas. This was unlike any Daal I have ever seen and nothing like the Dhansak I may have been anticipating. Where was the Meat? I found three large pieces of Lamb on-the-bone plus a bone alone, the Meat would have to be eked out.

Tearing a strip off the thankfully whole Naan, I scooped up some of the Daal, the Spice hit the palate immediately, this was not as tame a Curry as it appeared. The Naan impressed, Kulcha can be too biscuit-like, this was suitably Soft except around the edges. I always wonder what the perforations are for, and why the Sesame Seeds?

There was no sense of Spice from the Meat, though the distinctive Flavour of Lamb did come across. That there was so little Meat in comparison to my usual binges did not bother. This was the – something different – I sought and means that I have covered more of the Lahori Badsha Menu. Next time it will be back to their excellent Lamb Curry.

The Bill

£5.00 The Lunch Deal means that the price of the Bread was inclusive.

The Aftermath

I asked the Chap about Zak, we were now communicating better than ever before. I wish Zak a speedy recovery.

And so to the usual Manchester ritual, delhi2go will be calling Hector later tonight.