It is Ramadan, and for this commentator, that means there must be a visit to The Village “Curry House” (119 West St., Tradeston, Glasgow G5 8BA). The same price as last year, the Ramadan – Iftar Buffet (£21.95) has been both enjoyed and described in these pages over many years. In previous years, this event kicked off much later, Ramadan 2026 sees the sunset at 17.45. Instead of late dining, today’s challenge was negotiating traffic and roadworks at the rush hour. So many roadworks in Glasgow, such little activity.
Parking outside Kabul Restaurant, another Afghan venue which has popped up in the past year, and so on the radar, we walked around the corner to Nelson Street and The Village. The sun had set, Glasgow has twilight. I note the awful Sholeh Persian Restaurant is finally being redeveloped, soon to become yet another Burger-Grill House. Glasgow has as many Grill Houses as student flats, can nobody cook?
We had a booking, highly recommended. A familiar young waitress greeted, we were shown to Table 5, the corner table at the window, same as last year. From here, the Hector could survey all, however, seats were eventually swapped with Marg, who felt she was missing out. Apparently a bare wall and Hector’s coupon were not that enthralling.
The Drinks’ waitress brought the welcome glasses of Rosewater. A large bottle of Sparkling Water (£3.95) was secured. The welcome drink was too sweet for the Hector, at least it evoked the Souq. One can taste an aroma stored in the memory banks.
Busy, but not stowed, is how I would describe this evening. Every table in the main room was full, and some did spill over into the function room where there was distinctly less atmosphere. I had wondered, given the current seating layout, where the Buffet would be set up. The tables under the balcony had been cleared to make way for the Main Courses and Desserts, the Starters were as before, along the counter at the edge of the kitchen area.
The just-in-time Starters were about to be presented, Adam, the manager, acknowledged my presence and was able to confirm the whereabouts of my last Curry in Govanhill. People evidently read Curry-Heute, and it’s always a pleasure when this is confirmed.
There was an opperchancity for Hector to get in some photos before our fellow diners tore in. Initially, it was a matter of registering the array of Main Courses by name only, however, the photographer, whom I have seen here before, seemingly had Mr. Baig, Mein Host, open the lids to reveal all. And so, every Main Course was captured, before the aesthetic magnificence of each creation was disturbed.
Lamb Kirahi (Bone) Lamb Nihari
What an array of Desi Dishes! The Lamb Kirahi served on-the-bone looked magnificent. To cook this en masse surely reduces its efficacy, and by the time peeps have cherry-picked, one can be left with an unappealing mass of Masala and Bones.
Lamb Haleem Kaleji Gurda (Kidney, Liver)
Haleem, aye right, as if the Hector would be going near that.
Chicken Kirahi Keema Aloo
Kofta Anda Daal Mash
Kofta Anda, bring it on, I put out on a social medium that I could happily have just emptied the tureen on to my plate and eaten this delight, ad nauseam. But that is the issue of this Buffet, too many great Dishes to choose from, and they are rotated. This was established years back when Marg and Hector came twice: one night for Starters, the other for Mains.
Chicken Tikka Masala Butter Chicken
For those who eat Chicken Curry, there was both Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala. With only Daal Mash, not so much this evening for Vegetarians, as if they get much sympathy in Curry-Heute. And before any new readers reaches for their warrior keyboards, check my last outing.
Lamb Bhoona Chicken Bhoona
Lamb Pilau Rice Boiled Rice
The Starters had still not been unveiled, however, with the counter shelf behind, I was subsequently able to capture each open tureen as Marg and I made our way along the line.
On previous nights here, this would have caused consternation, people chomping at the bit. Tonight, an amenable calm, perhaps the difference between breaking one’s fast at 18.00, not 22.00.
Aloo Tikki / Potato Fritters Mince Samosa / Veg Spring Roll
Fish Pakora / Chapli Kebab Lamb Ribs
Tandoori Chicken Chat Grilled Chicken Wings
Malai Tikka
The Chips and Chicken Nuggets were – for the children.
Beyond that, Vegetable Pakora, Chapli, as I know them, mini-Burgers and Pizza! 
How often has the Hector seen Asian kids out in favourite Desi Cafes, eating Pizza?
Overdosing on Starters, everyone who has done Buffet in a Curry House has surely fallen into this trap. When one sees the prices of Starters in Restaurants, in particular, and here they all are, resistance is futile.
The Dates, Sauces and Salads were at the beginning of the line, I have seen some fill their plates with these, to their sorrow. And so Hector and Marg assembled two contrasting plates of Starters.
Some Salad, heavy on the Spice, did make its way on to Hector’s plate, both as amuse bouche and mouth rinse. The plate of something decidedly evil looking (extreme left of photo with Adam) required investigation. A shrivelled fruit possibly, something new.
Starting at nine o’clock on the dinner plate, I found myself eating anti-clockwise.
Aloo Tikki, the small, soft patty, lacked seasoning, but was decidedly moreish. See, already one could consider going back for another round of Starters.
Chapli, said the label. But this bore no resemblance to the known Chapli on my plate at five o’clock. With a well fired exterior, this had a big Meaty Flavour. The Spice and Seasoning were perfectly pitched. Again, I could have gone back for six of these.
Next, Fish Pakora, and I had taken two pieces, not a plateful. This remains one of my all time favourite nibbles. Sadly, I’ve had better. The Batter was greasy and not particularly Spiced, also, I was not sure the Fish was good old Scottish Haddock. Here, Yadgar wins.
Tandoori Chicken Chat, well there had to be some. A drumstick, again it could have been better Spiced. As for the Meat, it was Chicken, no more, and not Nando’s.
Malai Tikka, this definitely had so much more than the Tandoori Chicken Chat. Boneless, there was an aromatic, Spicy exterior. The interior was an interesting pink, but not as in undercooked. This was melt in mouth. There’s hope for Chicken yet.
A solitary piece of Vegetable Pakora, I could have taken four pieces and pretended it was fine dining at eight quid a portion. Big Potato pieces, the Seasoning was significantly below that in the Malai Tikka, consequently, this impressed less. Having taken no Sauce there was nothing to moisten it with either. A token addition to Hector’s plate of Starters. The penultimate nibble was the micro Chapli. Having had Yadgar’s excellent Chapli earlier in the week, this was along more familiar ground. Again, Chicken-based, well Spiced and Seasoned, a plateful of these would have done no harm at all. In effect, these are the best Chicken Burgers one can find. Perhaps the Curry Cafes of Glasgow’s Southside should market them as such?
Two markedly different Chapli, Hector Holmes was on the case.
Finally, the evil looking Fruit. The strength of Flavour was overpowering. I recognised it right away, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I could identify either Flavour or Fruit.
Achari!
This was pickle, but of what? By size and shape, I deduced Lime. Still, small for a Lime, but could be a baby one. Either way, a great discovery, and next time I’ll know. However, I immediately stopped eating it once I felt I had solved the mystery. So potent was this, the palate would have been overwhelmed, Main Courses would all taste of – Achari.
The Village serves possibly the finest Achari Gosht (£13.95) in Glasgow. After Ramadan – I’ll be back.
Meanwhile, across the table, Marg was enjoying her chosen components. Knowing what comes after, Marg too was taking notes throughout. Actually, the note-taking was doing me a big favour, no eating too quickly. More time to savour the multitude of Textures and Flavours encountered this evening.
Marg – Queuing for my favourite starters allowed me to pick a variety of fish, veg Pakora, both crispy and tasty. Enjoyed the vegetable salad with fruit salad, dates, red cabbage & onion. The highlight was the small mince Samosa and Aloo Tikki.
The table was cleared by one of the young waitresses brought in for this period. They were always at hand in case more drinks were required, new cutlery etc. The Village Iftar Buffet is way more than snouts in the trough.
There was a suitable gap, well maybe five or six minutes. Small portions, no Rice or Bread, the tactic learned over many years here. Don’t fill the plate with Carbs, maximise the Curry intake. Don’t overfill the plate with anything, one can go back, and so it was time for Main Course Plate #1.
The tureen of Kofta Anda was almost empty, with the hard-boiled Eggs having been halved, no yolks were left. Two Meatballs and two pieces of Egg white were secured, minimal Shorva, it would have run all over my plate. Keema Aloo, a notoriously Dry Curry, that should absorb any runaway Shorva. Kirahi Gosht was a given, way too expensive to have at The Village on any other day. As expected, aesthetically it was past its best. Four pieces of Lamb and some Masala, after-all, is the Hector not trying to avoid this Meat currently? Then, a moment of madness.
It is all down to the array of Desi creations served here over the years that Hector knows to avoid Paya and Haleem, they are for the hard core. No Paya (Trotters) on offer tonight, but a ladle of Haleem found its way on to my plate.
Haleem, as I consider Irish Stew to be: a waste of fine ingredients. Take honourable Lamb, cook it until it disintegrates beyond Stew, towards Porridge. To these eyes, it looks awful, needless to say, taste-wise, it has never impressed when I have sampled it previously. So, there is empirical knowledge, I knew what to expect…
Dry tasting with a moderate kick, the intriguing complexity of Flavours sat well on the palate. Acceptable Flavours, pleasant even, this was easily the best version of Haleem had yet, but still it looked awful. Last week I watched three people dipping Naan into Haleem at New Cafe Reeshah. That was their meal. I can now accept it as a Soupçon, never as a main course. The joy of Buffet at The Village, it’s an education.
Kofta Anda is as much about soaking the halved Meatballs in the Shorva as appreciating them in their own right. My Shorva had gone, there was still Haleem, and so the unexpected happened. Further appreciation of the Haleem, and it made the Kofta even more interesting. The Meatballs themselves were moderately Spiced and Seasoned, probably better than my last Kofta Anda at The Village. The Egg White was the finale. Like Potato, maybe Egg should feature more often in Curry?
Keema Aloo, fine grained Lamb Mince with sliced Green Chillies, Coriander and hardly a threat of Masala. The Shorva had found its way here, and so my intake was more moist than had this been served separately. With Spice building on the palate, and added Earthy Flavour from the Potato, enjoyable. I cannot recall ever having had Keema at The Village previously, this is Marg’s go-to Curry. For Hector, not having Lamb Desi Qorma (£14.95) here, is always an achievement.
Despite deliberately having taken two Bones, shrouded in Meat, from the tureen of Lamb Kirahi, I was left wondering how this differed from a standard Curry. Any sense of the Meat having been fried in a Tomato-based Masala, was lost. Yet, at the point of original presentation, the Masala looked so inviting.
The Meat was delightfully Tender, but was not giving back any Flavour other than its own. Maybe the palate was already saturated. If this had been my first ever Karahi Gosht, I wouldn’t have seen why this is the signature Dish on so many Southside menus. It is not a meal to be cooked in a large batch, leave that for Desi Qorma…
Marg – After a required break, we stood up for the main dishes. I chose the Lamb Rice with pieces of Lamb Bhoona and sauce. This meat was so tender and I enjoyed the rich tomato sweet & sour flavoured sauce. The Keema did not disappoint me and the Kofta Handi was fairly dry but worked well with the Haleem sauce. I took one piece of Karahi Gosht and enjoyed the meat and bone marrow from the sucky bone. The Daal kept everything moist and allowed me to have a small piece of Nan bread. The Butter Chicken was creamy and the meat fairly dry in comparison to the lamb.
Again, there was a suitable gap between plates. Marg had had enough Savoury and was already heading for the Sweets. However, having assured me the Lamb Bhoona was outstanding, this had to be investigated. Nihari, the other Lamb on-the-bone offering, and never had as a Main Course at The Village, had to be investigated. Finally, in another moment of – why not – some Daal Mash went on to Main Course Plate #2.
Nihari, Lamb Shank typically served in a Masala approaching Shorva. Tonight, a light brown Masala with Shreds of Meat visible. The big Seasoning in the Masala impressed, but thereafter there was a lack of Flavour, well initially. One Spice stood out, Cinnamon, followed quickly by a second, Cumin. Then things took a dramatic turn. The Meat, on the shank, was the softest Meat ever. There was a huge blast of Flavour, even more complex. The Seasoning too was right up there, the – wow! – moment tonight. This is what the Hector looks for in every Lamb Curry, Meat which gives back all the Flavour it has been cooked in. Nihari (£15.95) as a main course, will have to sampled here, soonest. That’s after this year’s first Village Desi Qorma and Achari.
The Daal Mash was used as a palate cleanser after Nihari. It was back to Dry, Earthy Flavours with Clove emerging. This was my first sense of this favourite Spice tonight. There was a surprising – kick – here. Definitely worth the Soupçon but as a main course, no way, Pedro.
And finally, the Masala in the Lamb Bhoona appeared to be a similar colour and Texture to that in the Kirahi. However, Tomatoes in the Masala were more evident, a Tanginess too. Tender Lamb, but nothing would compete with the Nihari.
The other manager, whose name I have yet to identify, had been at the table to check all was well, Mid floor, he asked what had stood out. I took the opperchancity to ask about the differing Chapli. The familiar, yellow, had been grilled, the well-fired patty had been fried. It was good to discover the new, latter, version.
Kheer, Gajar ka Halwa and Gulab Jamun were but a part of another huge spread of Dessert options. Marg got there first.
Marg – After another break, I had kept room for Dessert.
A strawberry Macron, piece of Baklava and a bowl with Gajrela and very sweet Rice Pudding with sultanas and very moreish.
Took a cup of Green Tea and it was very refreshing with cardamom and not the Chinese version. Went back for a second cup.
A wonderful meal with so many options.
Hector having Dessert? The philosophy has always been – if there’s room for Dessert, there’s room for more Curry. Having photographed the array, the Hector knew where he was heading. A single ball of Gulab Jamun with accompanying Syrup would precede a sliver of Cheesecake then Millionaire Shortbread. Shocking behaviour, Hector!
The Bill
£47.85 Great value Desi Curry remember, everything here is a cut above any local, or even World Buffet.
*
*
The Aftermath
20.30 officially marks the end of the Buffet. The Village was emptying as we departed around 19.30, no more takers? March 20 should be the final day of this magnificent Buffet.