Glasgow – The Chicken Corner – formerly Chilli Cottage

The Chicken Corner (404-406 Paisley Rd. West, Glasgow, G51 1BE) in Cessnock, on Glasgow’s Southside, is actually the re-branded Chilli Cottage. Someone may have told me this, however the penny didn’t drop.

Arriving at 13.00, the Hector was prepared for what was coming. There is no Lamb on the menu, so it was Chicken and/or Vegetables. What was known, this essentially Takeaway venue with three tables, would still have Desi Curry on offer. Once again I draw the reader’s attention to the price of Pizza, just how do the Pizza chains get away with charging what they do?

I asked the chap out front to talk me through the Dishes on display. All were available in – small – or – large – sizes.  I had Mince & Tatties for dinner last night, so Chicken Mince and Potato (£5.00 / £7.00) wasn’t on. Spinach With Potato’s (sic) (£4.00 / £6.00) might have tempted, however, Hector cooked his own Saag Aloo a few days ago. Chana Curry (£4.00 / £6.00) was had last time on these premises, anyway, the Hector is not a huge fan of Chickpeas. There was nothing for it, take a deep breath:

Chicken Curry (£5.00 / £7.00), and Vegetable Rice (£4.00) please.

I made it clear I was sitting in despite the three sets of twin tables being occupied. I asked a chap who was waiting, for a Takeaway as it happened, if I could join him. Hygiene is something I rarely have to mention. There was congealed food in the gap between the pair of tables, most unappetising. Throughout my stay, the spillage of my fellow diners was never cleaned up. This is not good practice.

Reheats complete, I was called to the counter to collect my food.

Vegetable Rice

The menu clearly states – Mixed Vegetable Rice. Here was a massive plate of Rice with maybe half a tin of Chickpeas.

Way more Rice than I could ever eat, I would manage just over half.

*

Chicken Curry

Four small pieces of Chicken, served on-the-bone sat in a Shorva. There were no leg or thigh bones here, this Chicken may well have been off the arse end of the carcass. Having arranged the Chicken on top of the Rice, I smothered the solids with a sufficiency of Shorva. Half of the Shorva was retained for later.

The Shorva was immense. The Seasoning was well pitched, the Spice would build, the Flavours were classic Desi Curry. With the plastic fork, I was able to separate Meat from Bone with ease. Decent Chicken, and regular readers will not be surprised when I report nothing else. Chicken does not – Curry.

The abundant Chickpeas had the anticipated Dry Texture. If anything, these were guilty of absorbing some of the moisture from the Rice and the Shorva.

This was lunch, this was Curry, the Shorva was doing the heavy lifting. Once the minimal Meat had been consumed, the remaining Shorva was poured across the Vegetable Rice. The expected Mixed Vegetables would have been a game changer here, instead, the Chana was not –interesting – at all.

In time, I ate all I could. A simple meal, great value.

The two chaps who sat at the adjacent table captured what The Chicken Corner is about. They shared a single portion of Chana Curry, and with a Naan (£1.50) each, had a filling snack they were evidently enjoying. With the line of Schwarma/Grill Houses to the east of Cessnock Subway station, this venue is catering for different tastes and perhaps income brackets. What they do here, they are clearly doing well, but give the tables a wipe, please.

The Bill

£9.00   I should have gone – Large.

The Aftermath

On taking the remnants back to the counter, Mein Host acknowledged this:

Big portion!

Too much Rice!

… was the exchange.

2024 Menu extracts