Everyone, except Dr. John, knows that Yadgar Kebab House (148 Calder St, Govanhill, Glasgow, G42 7QP) serves the best Curry in Glasgow – as was mentioned in a speech downstairs at State Bar. Hector’s opinion is empirical, study the list down the right hand side of this page.
Food will arrive at 20.30, but it will not be Curry. Catering for some sixty people’s individual preferences is not practical.
Those of you who have never had Chapli before are in for a treat. Those of you who have, please leave some for everyone else.
It was also suggested that my guests should not be reticent about going up for food, as Chapatti John has introduced to our book of words:
– if you snooze, you lose.
It is Hector’s latest Big Birthday, present this evening, many of the same faces who appeared for the last one at Staggs (Musselburgh). A repeat show, a decade from now, could be too hard to face, assuming yours truly is still around.
Ten days ago, the following order was placed with Shkoor, Mein Host at Yadgar:
60 Chapli Kebab, halved, 10 assorted Pizza, largest size … Black Olives do not appear on your menu, their addition would be appreciated. Finally, I envisage a large tray of Vegetable Pakora.
To this, Shkoor replied – you might get a few birthday Samosas for yourself.
Marg and Hector had lunch at Yadgar earlier this week, the account was settled.
The sixty eight present this evening:
Firstly, those having travelled up from England: Lord Clive & Lady Maggie of Crawley. Richard & Jules from somewhere else outside that London, cousin Brian and let’s not forget The Rickmeister. From Aberdoom: James & Donna, Gordon, Kath & Graeme, Aileen & Podge.
From the East of Scotland: my sister – Elaine, Neil, Colin & Mags, Susan, Andrew T, and eventually Paul. The remainder from Glasgow and the West of Scotland: Howard, Yvonne, Mags, Johnny, Jim & Aileen, Alan, Derek & Margaret, Andy, Kenny H., Stewart, Martin, Mark, Prof. Graeme, Dr. Stan, Dr. John, Dr. Bernard, Chapatti John, Curry Bill, Alan & Tracy, Ian & Elaine, Tracey, Euan, Malcolm, Colin D., Wendy & Peter, Will, cousin David, Alan Mac, Grant & Janet, Jamie, Steve & Louise, Eleanor, Craig & Lesley, Donald, Ian Mac, Al, Winnie, Andrew G., and of course, Marg & Hector.
As Howard was finishing his epic speech, the driver arrived promptly, armed with Hector’s photo for verification. It took four people, including the Birthday Boy, to transport – The Big Job – a mountain of food downstairs. It must have taken the entire team in the kitchen at Yadgar to master the logistics of not only preparing the food, but ensuring that it would be simultaneously hot and fresh whilst it was driven across the river.
And – hot & fresh – it remained. The number of people who complemented these features confirmed that this was related not just an act of politeness. As for the Chapli, their moniker was mentioned continuously for the rest of the evening. The quantity and quality of the Chicken on the Pizza was also a highlight. I was glad to see so many Olives – a Pizza without Black Olives is not a Pizza.
I do not know how many Samosas were delivered, being familiar, they were quickly snapped up, only one fleeting photo. The Samosas were described by quite a few as being the largest ever encountered.
Throughout all this, the Hector, ably assisted by Obadiah Poundage, ensured that the next box of Pizza was readied as the one above was emptied.
Having eaten this afternoon at De’ Buddha (Johnstone), not one morsel was had by the Hector, who can still claim never to have had Pizza from Yadgar.
There was cake, courtesy of Wendy, and a cushion, created by her daughter Margery.
At 23.00, there was the matter of dealing with the leftovers. Three untouched Pizzas remained. One would end up in Edinburgh, or be devoured en route, by Paul who was last to arrive. The Chapli were down to the last two halves, they disappeared. The Pakora was dealt with by the staff, featuring Sam, who also rescued a Pizza. The last Pizza went home with Curry Bill who had recognised the majority of the people in the room this evening, but had not actually met them. Such is the meticulous recording through photography in Curry-Heute, yet Bill’s photo has yet to appear.
My thanks to those who prepared the food, Nancy for hosting, and once again to all those who attended. Given the temperature downstairs, it is just as well that a further twenty nine couldn’t make it.
Nancy, Mein Host, said afterwards – I have never seen so many people swarm for food.
Yadgar do Curry, they also do outside catering. The Big Job – was conducted rather magnificently.