Marg has long proclaimed that the Butter Chicken (£8.75) at Mother India’s Cafe (1355 Argyle St, Glasgow, G3 8AD) sets the standard. Somehow it’s almost four years since this was last verified. For Hector, the Machi Masala (£8.75) has always been the – must have. The suggestion that we return was therefore met with strong approval, despite the knowledge that we could eat for half the price in the oft-frequented Southside Curry Cafes.
Arriving at 13.40 on this Bank Holiday Monday, around half of the tables were occupied. The waitress led us to a table we had never sat at before, at the wall opposite the window. The menu was brought along with the hand-written list of Daily Specials.
Also, a third menu, a mid-afternoon Tapas menu with no price quoted. It was established that this choice of four Tapas and two Sundries was £25.00. Much better value if one likes Chicken and/or Capsicum, the latter always a needless feature of their Lamb Karahi (£9.25).
Being not quite 14.00, and also a holiday, the waitress was about to remove the mid-afternoon menu but then checked that the offer was valid. As I know how this all ends, we would have been better choosing from this list, regardless.
A 0.75l bottle of Sparkling Water (£4.75) was ordered at once. We then spent quite a few minutes before declaring our second Dish. For Marg: Aloo Gobi & Green Peas (£7.50). For Hector, it was a case of which Lamb option. Alan’s South Indian Ginger Lamb (£9.25) today trumped Roadside Lamb (£9.25) and Lamb on the bone Curry (£9.95).
At Mother India’s Cafe, Marg always has Lemon & Cashew Nut Rice (£4.50), so in a reverse of our norm, it was left to Hector to order the Chapati (£1.75).
It was Mein Host who took the Order. I had to ask – who is Alan?
Reportedly, a regular who loves his South Indian Ginger Lamb. At the time of ordering, I had no idea that my choices today were per my last visit here at the start of 2024. My last review was such that I considered removing Mother India’s Cafe from Glasgow’s Top Rated and therefore Hector’s Recommended Curry Houses.
During the wait, an alarm sounded, for a full ten minutes. This did drown out the local Curry expert at the adjacent table who was educating his family, and all within hearing distance, i.e. everyone, about the merits and demerits of every conceivable Curry. Cue their Korma.
There’s no Desi Korma at Mother India’s Cafe.
Marg had forgotten that the Rice portion is disproportionate to the volume of an individual Tapas. The consequence was a plate which looked like a dog’s breakfast. The Chapatti was close to Hector’s preferred style, little sign of Wholemeal Flour. A second Chapatti was considered, but £3.50 for the pair, no way, Pedro.
Again I refer the reader to the mid-afternoon menu.
Butter Chicken
As yellow-orange and Soupy as ever, this Tapas portion featured two larger pieces of Chicken and one smaller. As curiosity may have seen the Hector have a Soupçon in the past, not today. Marg’s verdict (below) would suffice.
Aloo Gobi & Green Peas
This has been had as – & Green Beans – previously. Today’s also featured Green Beans. The Dry, Thick, Minimal Masala was topped with slivers of Orange Capsicum. The latter easily avoided. Notionally, Marg’s selection, more than anticipated came my way due to the volume of the Rice. The Potato was doing the heavy lifting in terms of Flavour and what little Spice-kick hit the palate. There was seemingly less of the aromatic Cauliflower present. Lacking in Seasoning, the whole Dish was therefore lacking in Flavour. This was second division Aloo Gobi compared to Yadgar, who may set the standard in Glasgow.
Marg’s words: A lovely change for Curry was a visit to Mother India’s Cafe. I ordered one of my favourite dishes, Butter Chicken. It arrived with three pieces of Chicken, two were large. The sauce was redder than I expected, but had the creaminess and a slight kick to it. The sauce went well with the abundance of Lemon & Cashew Nut Rice. I enjoyed the crunchy nuts throughout the dish.
The Aloo Gobi was full of Cauliflower, Green Beans, Peas & Potatoes. A different texture to the dish.
Maybe it was Marg who purloined the Cauliflower?
Machi Masala
At the dawn of Curry-Heute, this was oft described as the best Fish Curry found in Glasgow. It may well still be, such is the lack of competition. Here, a Thick Masala topped with Syboes, not the Soupy Masala which prevails across the city when Fish is served in a sauce. The – orange – is testimony to how this Curry has changed in the last twenty years or so.
The white Fish I took to be Haddock, but something darker lay below. The Spice Level was not challenging, but noticeable. The now accepted Tanginess was present, long gone is the Citrus. The derogatory term – Mainstream – was once more coming to mind, when something happened. At the base of the plate, the darker Fish, only two small pieces, but here was the Seasoning the Flavour, the Fishiness, one seeks. A plateful of this would have had the Hector in raptures.
Alan’s South Indian Ginger Lamb
Again Syboes topped the blended Masala. Five pieces of Meat, the majority were a decent size. Tender Lamb, but the Meat was not giving back any sense of having absorbed Spice, and therefore – Flavour – other than its own meatiness.
What I took to be strips of cooked Onion were examined more closely, Capsicum. Why? This explained the random Sweetness, totally out of place in a South Indian Curry. I awaited the blast of toasted Coconut, Smokiness, it was not coming. Ginger Strips were outnumbered by Capsicum. Moderately Spiced, under-Seasoned, the only distinctive Flavour was when I bit into a whole Green Cardamom. Whole Spice, at least one tick in the Desi list.
I can accept that the Masala in the Fish Curry was more potent and therefore gave the Lamb Curry more work to register on the palate. However, I have to ask – in what way was this Curry associated with South India?
The Bill
£45.45 An expensive lunch. We would have been better accepting the mid-afternoon menu and maybe ordering the Machi Masala too.
The Aftermath
The original waitress asked the customary question, a bit late. Where was Mein Host?
My thoughts on the so-called South Indian Ginger Lamb were expressed.
As I conclude this Blog entry I am left to wonder to what extent Mother India’s Cafe is living off its name? Once upon a time, this was a standout venue. Having visited all but a deliberately avoided handful of Curry Houses in Glasgow, the realisation is: Mother India’s Cafe ain’t that special at this time.