Having closed in 2020, The Wee Curry Shop (7 Buccleuch Street, Glasgow G3 6SJ) opened again towards the end of last year. As Hector understands it, the people who ran it, as part of the Mother India chain, have their own Curry Cottage around the corner on Cambridge Street. Competition.
Due to a lesser sporting event, Curry-Heute was early today. Dr. Stan, yes he who avoided all Curry in Manchester last week, arranged to meet Hector at Bombaywalla at 13.00. Surprisingly, Bombaywalla was closed, though later, Mags did find a note online stating this is temporary, until February 12. I led Dr. Stan towards Curry Cottage, but then 
sprinted ahead, sort of, to see if The Wee Curry Shop was open. It was. Clearly, opening times have changed since the relaunch, Hector’s preferred mid-afternoon Curry is now an option. Visit #3 to Curry Cottage will have to wait, it was time for Visit #3 to The Wee Curry Shop, some ten years after the last one.
Entering at 13.10, four tables were occupied already. A 13.00 opening time, impressive. The waiter showed us to a small table far left, adjacent to a corner table for four. All diners were crammed on to the tables for two, leaving space towards the centre of the room, and the windows. Today, Hector was not window dressing. For the record, the tables for two at the always excellent Mother India’s Cafe are appreciably larger.
Evidently, we were sat in what was formerly the legal premises next door, The Wee Curry Shop has doubled in size. When we departed, eighty seven minutes later, the same tables remained occupied, the chap clearing and wiping as more diners arrived. Why did he keep people standing when so many tables were free? Why so crammed?
The menu was brought, the Lunch Menu: £8.00 or £10.00 for one or two courses, respectively. Having dismissed the Vegetarian and Chicken options, this left – Simple Lamb Curry – and – Lamb Mince and New Potato, hardly riveting. I asked for the Main Menu (below), it was pretty much the same with the added option – Garlic Lamb and Mushrooms (£12.50). OK, one presumes larger portions, but with Rice, why pay more when a Starter was in the offing?
Vegetable Pakora, Simple Lamb Curry, Rice, was the obvious choice from the Lunch Menu. I suggested we share an Aloo Gobi with Peas (£8.50) from the Main Menu. Dr. Stan was on board with this, he added a Fresh Orange (£2.80).
No Drinks Menu was actually provided, so no Sparkling Water for Hector, tap would suffice. Other diners were tucking into Lager, one couple ordered what could have been Champagne. Why peak so early?
There was a slight taste of bleach from the tap water, but nothing like as strong as south of the river. Is nobody else noticing this? In West Dunbartonshire, our water is tasteless, and I drink loads of it, albeit with added bubbles.
Service is not something that Curry-Heute generally concentrates on, this Blog is about the food. However, today, everything seemed to take an eternity. Were they a man short? The waiter was rarely visible, hence people having to wait for tables to be cleared. There were two staff in the open kitchen, the Menu is limited, options few, so what was taking them so long to turn out the fayre?
Vegetable Pakora
I recall in the years before Curry-Heute, BC-H, yes there was such a time, being served an insulting potion of Pakora at The Wee Curry Shop (Ashton Lane). To receive six decent sized pieces today was therefore a relief. The Chilli Sauce seemed better than the usual. If the Pakora had been double fried, then this was not apparent, well cooked not overcooked. Dr. Stan remarked on the crispiness of the Vegetables, more than once. That the food was hot, and the Pakora Spicy, had the Hector won.
I haven’t had Pakora for a while – Dr. Stan informed me – I enjoyed that.
Six pieces, tasty and much appreciated.
From my corner, I could see much of the goings on. The smokers were out as often as they were in. Champagne at lunchtime, OK for some. The adjacent father and daughter were minutes ahead of us, two other tables ahead of them. Why so long? At 14.00 we still didn’t have our mains. Hector is prepared to wait, is used to doing so, for Karahi Gosht but Simple Lamb Curry? Surely, this is just out of The Big Pot. Of course this is a Mother India outlet, so where is the food actually cooked?
Our Curry and Rice arrived eventually, The waiter had an air of completion as he presented the Rice. I reminded him about the Aloo Gobi.
Simple Lamb Curry
We’re at a Mother India, the company that transformed Curry in Glasgow, educating the masses …including those of us who had yet to try the Curry Cafes across the river. Why – Simple?
Five decent sized pieces of Lamb sat in a Soupy Masala, not Shorva by the strict definition (cf. Sheerin Palace). That it was served in a soup plate was therefore appropriate. The Basmati was a sensible, manageable portion. Was one meant to ask for a dinner plate? There was no more room on the table. Tipping Rice on top of Curry just feels – wrong. It looks stupid. My neighbour had a Roti, I bet he regretted that.
Aloo Gobi with Peas
This looked the part, suitably Dry, with a Thick Masala, such as there was. Dunking this in the Soupy Masala would have been sacrilege. I arranged the Potatoes, Cauliflower and Peas around the edge of the soup plate. I can’t say I was aware of the Peas thereafter. I still had a significant amount of Rice to add.
More space, a dinner plate, why so crammed? Time to eat.
Simple Lamb Curry – there was no big blast of – anything. Had this been The Village, their unique telltale Flavours would have hit the palate, even in their Lunchtime Menu. Not here. In time I would unearth a Green Cardamom and one whole Peppercorn, but these could have been in the Aloo Gobi. The Lamb was delightfully Soft, but was not giving back any more Flavour other than of the Meat itself. Again, surely, this had been sat in The Big Pot and should have had time to absorb?
For a Mother India Curry, one has to question why this was on the menu.
The Aloo Gobi saved the day. Hector always tries to have Diversity, not just Meat and Masala. The Potatoes and Cauliflower did just that. The Texture of both was spot on, the Potatoes had visibly absorbed the Masala in which they had been sat.
There was a powerful Earthy Flavour from the Minimal Masala, even the Coriander Leaves hit the palate. The Potatoes did exactly what the Meat did not. We Had Seasoning, still moderate Spice, but this was simply streets ahead of the Lamb Curry.
Then there was the spare Rice, I dumped it on top.With the Meat almost gone, I was left with Masala soaked Rice, I put on my Biryani hat. A more potent Masala would have enhanced the experience, still, this wasn’t too shabby. Dr. Stan’s verdict:
A Simple Curry, quite liked the spice, a pleasant heat to it. It lived up to its name, good enough for all that.
Given the pedigree of the chain, Hector expected so much more. There used to be – Specials – to complement the menu, why such a limited range?
The Bill
£31.30 We had been well fed, eventually.
The Aftermath
A Calling Card had to be issued. Who knows where it well end up? The waiter did confirm that this was still – Mother India. I did go out of my way to praise Mother India’s Cafe, but as far as the mother shop is concerned, maybe it’s time to give them another chance, it has been thirteen years.
On Sauchiehall Street, there were balloons outside Taste of Chennai, the rebranded Kama Sutra. I feel a Fish Chettinad coming on. Dr. Stan said I missed another Curry House nearby, has Southern Spice gone? Hector Holmes is on the case. It’s good to see so many Curry Houses in the vicinity of Sauchiehall Street, who wants to pay Merchant City prices? Still, as those who follow these pages already know: the most authentic Curry is served south of the River Clyde.
The Wee Curry Shop Menu 2023
