Wilton Street in the heart of Bradford, the first place I ever parked in this city in the mid 1990s, in order to go searching for Curry.
Des N Pardes (Wilton St, Bradford BD5 0AX) opened ten months ago in a building which was once the most basic of Curry Houses, but had lain derelict for some time. Earlier this year, Dr. Stan and The Rickmeister, aka The Man from Bradford, visited Des N Pardes, good things were reported.
The Rickmeister is associated with those who have arranged for proper Münchener Oktoberfestbier to be served in Bradford this weekend. The Hector was not missing out.
At 15.45, Hector Naypals arrived at Des N Pardes, nobody there. I would dine alone. The place is unrecognisable compared to, lets face it, what was a dump of a venue when last here.
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Greeted as – Boss – throughout my visit, the young chap serving brought the menu, water, then a generous complimentary Salad and Raita. It was a lady who was in the kitchen.
The minimal menu had only four main courses the Hector could consider. Without a dining partner, the kilo of Butt Lamb Karahi (£34.95) will have to wait for another day. The half kilo (£19.95) seemed disproportionately expensive. I asked about Chef’s Daily Special (£11.95) – Keema with Daal Makhani, topped with Egg – enough already. Actually, this almost tempted, I assured the waiter that if my wife was here, she would be having this. Had it not been visit #1, I might have succumbed, but let’s see what their actual Curry is about before going exotic.
From the House Special Handi section of the menu – Lamb Masala (£12.95) accompanied by a Plain Naan (£1.95) became the choice for Curry-Heute.
Whilst I waited, time to consider the ongoing events on the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Two years and two days since the October 7 massacre, finally a ceasefire is in sight. Maybe the beginning of the end of this needless slaughter. Having been to what may become – Palestine – and having traversed the West Bank oft, empirically I have come to know that the majority just want to get on with their lives. Only the proscribed want eternal chaos/destruction – taking the lives of others.
Tomatoes, big slices, fresh and tasty. With the sharp Raita added, quite a treat. The Onions and Cucumber were incidental, and let’s not mention the green.
The main event arrived within fifteen minutes of ordering.
The Naan was quartered, now we know to ask for – whole Bread. Perforated, to prevent it rising, I don’t know why they do this either. Still, Bread too hot to touch, blisters forming, light and fluffy, excellent. Having had nothing to eat since yesterday, I managed three quarters.
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Handi – Lamb Masala
Topped with Ginger Strips, a threat of Coriander and two large pieces of cooked-in Tomato, well presented, and hot food! The Meat appeared to be significantly larger than the customary – Bradford-small. Super-soft at times, tougher at others, one wonders if there are two pots, or maybe just The Big Pot being topped up with fresher Meat. Whatever, the Meat was not giving any Flavour other than its own. Spices had not been absorbed.
The Seasoning was decidedly low, consequently, the Flavours were subdued. No Whole Spices, no Spice a standout other than that which was steadily building the Spice Level. A standard Masala found anywhere across the nation, the Herb-rich Bradford Taste was not present. For a Curry in Bradford, this tasted – unfinished, else, the Chef at Des N Pardes had no intention of creating what makes this city famous. Lahori Cuisine I conclude, not Bradford. I didn’t ask for – Desi style, would this have made a difference?
Did I enjoy the food? Of course, it was Curry, but not why I came to Bradford. There is more on the menu to explore, so a return is likely, especially if I can find a willing partner to share the kilo.
Open daily at 10.00 for Desi Nashta, Des N Pardes becomes an attractive venue when an early start demands an early Curry.
The Bill
£14.90 Paid by bank transfer, cumbersome.
The Aftermath
The Calling Card was presented and Curry-Heute outlined.
Des N Pardes becomes the twenty-seventh Bradford Curry House to be reviewed in Curry-Heute.
Two new venues have appeared nearby. Miwan Restaurant next door to Des N Pardes has a Middle Eastern – Afghan menu. Lawi Restaurant now occupies the building where I had my first ever Bradford Curry, a Grill House, no need to go there.
2025 Menu
Having taken our places, so Marg began to describe our recent Curry outings in both 
Daal
Daal is a Dish which the Hector usually only has in a Buffet scenario, unless someone is keen to share a Side of Daal Makhani. There’s a Dish which is overdue another appearance in 
T
Is there Coconut? – I did ask.
The Aftermath
It was in 
Between us and them, the counter with Curry on display a la typical Curry Cafe, and a line of others having a Bier, or two. 
The menu gave options for Spice Level, I decided to take the chance – Vindaloo. Surely this scale is way out of date, who orders – Madras? Principiante – translates as – Beginner. Try using that in a Glasgow Curry House. 
Ten good sized pieces of Pakora, plus a tiddler, these definitely did not come from the Cumbernauld (Scotland) 
We walked into a very noisy eating establishment, sat in the quieter area, although surrounded by women with fizzy wine. My plate had a generous amount of Vegetable Pakora on a bed of shredded lettuce, it was hot. I enjoyed the crispy pieces of onion, potato and batter. I needed the sweet chilli sauce to dip the larger pieces into It was too dry without it.
In time, Hector’s Curry arrived. 
Lamb on-the-bone, always the preferred way. Ten pieces of Meat sat in a Soupy Masala. A thinly textured Masala displaying no sign of either Onion or Tomato, 
This Curry proved to be all about the Meat. Super-soft, the Lamb was certainly packing Flavour, the Seasoning was to the fore here also. Meat which gives, always a plus. How this Curry had been cooked, I can only imagine, the Meat and Masal
Later, as we crossed the road to Hotel Igea, I decided to give 
Sunday, 12.30, we walked into 
Do you sell Indian food?
The wonderful Lamb Curry which brought me back to 
For Marg, Desi Nashta! Anda Bhurji (€5.00) makes its first appearance in Curry-Heute. Marg was swithering between this and an omelette. 
For drinks, Fanta for Hector, a bottle of water for Marg.
The only diner present on our arrival soon departed. He was soon replaced by two mature ladies who I thought were just here for the wine They did order Fish, which of course, came with chips. I was amused to hear the discussion about how chilled they wanted their red wine, not – if. Red Wine at room temperature, there’s another myth that needs debunked. 
Scrambled Eggs in Onion and Tomato, something different. No complaints from Marg, she soon devoured this:
Seven small-ish pieces of Chicken, served on-the-bone, sat in an Oily Shorva. After yesterday’s dubious Masala at Punjabi Dhaba, the Hector was back on more familiar ground. This was a proper Shorva, but sadly, having ordered the Rice, it soon disappeared. 
The alternative, dipping Bread would have overcome this, too late. The positive outcome: the Tasty Rice became even tastier. 
Zam Zam Restaurant (Via Casilina, 493, 00177 Roma RM, Italia) 
There is a cluster of Curry Cafes around Zam Zam, the motherlode of Desi Curry in 
We did stand out somewhat, 
When the food was brought on a large tray, we were taken aback by the array. Two ample portions of Curry, two plates of what we assumed were – Dips, and four Naan. 
Round, ample, and served whole, these were heading towards the perfect Naan. A bit pale perhaps, but they had risen, displayed the start of blisters, light and fluffy, a given. Still, we would abandon two. 
I didn’t count the Meat, this seemed incidental, it was the initial appearance that had me won already. A Thick, Minimal Masala, Tomato Seeds visible, this was a Desi Karahi. 
Five days without Curry, five days of trying to survive on traditional Greek Cuisine and Italian Pasta, the taste-buds have been well looked after, but here, now, this Karahi, was a shock to the system.
Yet, it was time to experiment. I too added a couple of spoons of the Dahi Bhalla to the side of my Curry plate. This added further Creaminess, a varied Texture. 
The Hector was in the zone, fun in the extreme. And unlike an American sitcom, I have not telegraphed the joke. The bib had to be wiped. Today’s shirt may be blue, The Famous play later, but Marg has had enough of removing Turmeric stains from my light coloured t-shirts. The illusion of collar & tie may well become a constant feature in
Mince so dark, it was surely not Chicken. The quantity of Chickpeas was sufficient to have their presence known: this was not a Vegetable Curry. The Mince was moist, not to excess, an Oily residue was collecting around the periphery of the platter. 
A small cafe that was busy. We both squeezed in a table next to the door to join a single customer already eating. (
My own dish had plenty flavour with a good spice level. I noticed very small pieces of red chillies, coriander and peppercorns within the sauce. A rich, oily base, also present.
Hector then poured the Lassi into two glasses, and I enjoyed this after I had eaten all of the Keema. An interesting meal, very enjoyable.
Whether 
The Calling Card issued, I trawled through all the photos in the 
Shoabib was very compliant, he stood back such that I could secure an even better photo of the Fayre. I went out back and managed not to disturb the other diners as I captured the setting of the outside seating area.
And so The Famous lost again 
It has been two years since the Hector last ate at 
Marg and Hector arrived at 13.45 this afternoon, a good time to find the place empty. It soon filled up as people returned from Friday Prayers. Prices for main courses have increased by €1.00 since my last visit. On asking for one Naan, our waiter, who spoke excellent English, reminded me that each main comes with two Naan. Apparently I was having two, regardless.
On the five minute walk up from Iroon Square (Psyri), Marg said she would not be having Curry, or anything at all. On taking her seat, this changed to – I’ll have a Samosa (€1.00). This quickly became two, and then there’s the matter of the Raita and Salad which always appears along with bottles of chilled water. 
The pair of Naan looked so inviting. Served whole, pale but risen with big blisters, this hot Bread is a delight. Soft, fluffy, I wish I could accommodate more, that just ain’t going to happen. 
Two things immediately stood out: the Meat was boneless, and there was a lot of it. Eighteen pieces of meat, no tiddlers, this was probably more Meat than I would tackle when sharing a kilo of Karahi Gosht, on-the-bone. 
Tomato Seeds shrouded the Meat. 
There were no pronounced Spices that I could detect, though Marg’s Soupçon had her announce – Cinnamon. The Beef was giving of
Marg has been known to have one only, not today. Hot – was an early declaration, satisfying after her disappointment of two days back at
I decided on two Vegetable Samosas. The Salad had already arrived with the Raita. I added the Salad to my plate. The Samosa was hot 
When in 
Shinwari Grill (Voulgari 3, Athina 104 37, Hellas), 
Marg and Hector arrived at Shinwari Grill just on 14.00. With the body clock two hours behind, this was ambitious, but if we are going to enjoy Greek Cuisine also, it has to be. We walked through the outside seating area to investigate what was on offer. With an extensive array of Dishes on display, the Hector was right at home, especially when the Karahi Gosht, on-the-bone of course, sat proudly in the centre. We took seats outside, a chap brought the menu and two chilled bottles of water. 
A waitress brought the plates etc. and took the Order. By now Marg had decla
Marg studied the Marilyn Monroe clippings which formed the table top décor whilst I tried to sort out Shinawari v Efcharis. The latter means – the one who has a lot of fun – in Greek, whilst Shinwari refers to the nomadic tribe occupying the land on the Afghan-Pakistan border, the Khyber Pass. 
The waitress brought a substantial Salad and a bowl of Raita to the table. The Raita had quite a wee kick. Having ordered the Pakora Salad, how much could we eat? The main event was presented moments later, Rice too.
The Naan was served halved. Lightly fired, but well risen and puffy, the Bread served in this area is always outstanding. Sadly, with Rice now part of the equation, I would not do the Naan justice
Six large pieces of Meat on-the-bone plus various tiddlers, formed the bulk of what sat in the karahi. The photo appears to accentuate the presence of Oil, with the Mutton decanted and the Masala stirred, this was a classic Desi Masala. The Rice quickly absorbed some of the Masala, I retained some in the karahi for dipping. What is this with the dipping, Hector? 
There was a b
The Hector was eating, and so were the latest arrivals who had a mountain of Naan between them. 
Eight large pieces of Pakora, not Bhaji because we known –
Arriving at a new curry place, we sat outside at tables with newspaper clippings of Marilyn Monroe’s death. The waitress came and took the order for Pakora Salad then went indoors with Hector.
The Calling Card was given, in turn, Ahmed gave me his. Ahmed was clearly impressed by the number of Curry Houses visited as I scrolled down. At the suggestion of a photo together, Ahmed appeared to be keen but then disappeared into the kitchen. He returned momentarily, with his – plus one.
Our waiter today, Ali, was front of house. He suggested Poppadoms (£1.00) as we took our seats. As ever, the Hector was not playing this game. As we studied the menu, Ali asked if we needed help with Pakistani food.
The availability of Fish Karahi (£14.99) had already drawn my attention. Fish Karahi is a rarity in these lands, potentially the ultimate Curry, but there have been a number of disappointments over the years. The description on the menu mentioned the dreaded 
Our choice of m
Ali brought the food, all pots were covered, sustaining the suspense for a few moments longer. As we began arranging our food on the metal plates, so Mein Host entered. He greeted us and established that we were being looked after. 
White Fish, later confirmed by Ali as – Tilapia, sat in a Thick Masala. My close up of the Masala would suggest Tomato Seeds, but these were so large they were Daal-like.
India
Light pieces of something solid, Marg took these to be Potato: to her great surprise, Prawns! The menu 
A new pl
I took some of the aniseed sweets to finish the whole experience. I am sure we will return. 
And so the Calling Card was issued. This was in turn passed to Mein Host, whose name I did not catch – he is the father of young Mustafa after whom these premises are named.
With business to attend to this afternoon in the West End, what better opperchancity to pop into 
Taking my usual spot, all the tables were set out with cutlery. 
I watched people pass by the door, plus those who stopped to read the menu posted in the window. 
As is written oft, and as recent as last Friday when I served up 
Thick, dark, moist, mysterious, the powerful Spinach-rich Mash was well Seasoned and the Spice built rapidly on the palate. Despite – dairy – being mentioned on the 
Almost a year since 
The Tandoori Naan was served in four pieces. As I was sharing, this time I was not so bothered with it not being served – whole. A 
This makes its first appearance in 
A smaller dish than the Lamb Karahi, but full of hot vegetables in a dry sauce with coriander sprinkled on top. A medium spice was asked for and it ticked all the right boxes. A good flavour from the vegetables and I enjoyed the bread which had sesame seeds and a pattern throughout the top. The dish was filling and very enjoyable. 
Ginger Strips and a threat of Coriander, plus more Seeds, topped the Meat and Masala. The Meat count reached double figures, on-the-bone, of course. One Sucky Bone. The Tomato-red Masala was taking me towards Charsi Karahi, not my favourite currently, this Curry, however, very much had its own personality. 
A sliver of Bullet Chilli was the only clue as to the source of the heat. An ideal Spice Level, Chef should be congratulated for this and the level of Seasoning. The latter related directly to the intensity of Flavour, the combination of Ginger and Tomato being the standout. 
The Tea had to be summoned, time was against us, Hector’s 15.00 rendezvous was looming. Marg:
Marg dropped me along the road at 
Late morning, Marg and Hector headed to KRK 
Mutton means either slow cooking, or the pressure cooker. Two kilos of Mutton on-the-bone were ther
As a final touch, the table was adorned with – 
Dry, thick, loads of Meat, a veritable plateful. Having served four portions there was not much left in the pot, so two kilos and all that Spinach/Methi was required. The slight Sweetness I had noted prior to serving had been wiped out by the late addition of that important ingredient – Salt. This is how the Hector likes his Palak Gosht, and this is why it was cooked this way. In my book, a success. However, three critics sat nearby.
The Aftermath