Punjabi Palace (135 Melbourne St, South Brisbane QLD 4101 Australia), an – Authentic Indian Restaurant – unlike back home in Glasgow (Scotland) where the majority of our – Punjabi Curry Houses – are from across the border in Pakistan.
Day 3 in Brisbane and the rain has finally stopped. The downpour which greeted us on our arrival was worse than being in Glasgow. Frontal rain passes, Tropical rain kinda lingers.
We arrived at Punjabi Palace at 19.20, around twenty or so diners were in situ, this number would increase, dramatically. A popular venue on Brisbane’s – South Side. A lady was dealing with Takeaway customers at her pillbox-like counter mid room. She indicated we could sit at a wall table.
Having had a substantial lunch, care would be taken not to over order. Definitely no Starters. The menu was standard, mostly the same Dishes as one finds in any British Indian Restaurant, but no Karahi. One Curry stood out: Goat Curry (A$24.95), Meat on-the-bone, it had to be. Beneath this on the menu was Mutton Keema Curry (A$24.95) with a choice of – Lamb, Goat or Beef. Marg could not resist her usual Keema, Lamb – seemed logical.
Wary of Soupy Curry, better to order Rice: Jeera Rice (A$6.00). The menu made it clear that a Rice portion would do two servings. For this I compliment them, but what happens to the solo diner? Still, Rice for two at a sensible price.
Marg mentioned Roti (S$4.95). The Hector was keen to see their Naan (A$4.95) which, at the same price, was surely better value?
A jug of chilled Tap Water had already been brought to the table, Hector would have his Sparkling Water (S$4.20).
The menu also makes it clear that – all meals are prepared mild, medium, or hot.
Marg asked for – medium – I asked for – medium plus. I don’t know if our waitress’ pad could cope with this. Time would tell.
Other information on the menu:
Punjabi Palace is open daily from 17.00 until late. Late in Brisbane appears to be around 22.00. Marg had spotted the section on – Flavour. Oh, dear, someone has confused/mixed – Flavour – and – Taste. As a food Blogger one 
has to be careful. And where was – Umami? Cinnamon, for example, is a Spice which has a recognisable – Flavour – but is not necessarily a – Taste – as such.
But it tastes of Cinnamon! – ah well, so it goes.
Facing the back wall, I could see a raised area where drinks were stored. Marg spotted people coming in with bottles of wine, I hadn’t paid much attention to that part of the menu but surely they serve wine here? Photographic coverage of the interior is sadly minimal, the place was too busy. Punjabi Palace is definitely a restaurant, unlike yesterday’s Punjabi Rasoi, a Curry Cafe.
The food arrived after a respectable wait. We each took enough Rice, some would remain. Yellow Basmati with Cumin and micro pieces of Onion, enough Diversity, hopefully.
The Naan, if indeed it was one, was served in quarters. Thin, unleavened, no blisters, no puffiness, no pleasure. This was a shocker.
*
Goat Curry
A dozen or so, quite large pieces of Meat sat in a viscous Masala. A Herb, Coriander presumably, had been mixed through the light brown Masala. Appearance wise, there was a hint of Yoghurt.
Once arranged on top of the Rice, I added a bit more Masala and as ever, retained some for later. The first dip of Bread in the Masala revealed – Seasoning! Salt – to confirm one of the defined – tastes. The Hector was impressed already.
Punjabi Rasoi was well short in this crucial element of a Curry yesterday.
*
Initially I felt no Spice sensation, after a few minutes this grew. Medium – is all that was attained, enough to know this was – Curry. The food could have been much warmer.
The Meat both impressed and disappointed. This was the tenderest of Goat, a superb Texture. However, there was a disassociation, no evidence that the Goat had been in the company of the Masala for long, it was not giving – Spice – back. The benefit of having Goat on-the-bone may therefore have been lost. It was still good fun gnawing at the required moments. I would have expected Goat to have a more powerful Flavour than Lamb, I was not aware of this.
There was a slight – Sweetness – coming from somewhere, the Onions, possibly. That I was aware of this and not any particular Spice was a matter of some concern. With no Whole Spices in the Masala, there was nothing specific to identify. The Cumin Seeds therefore in the Rice proved to be a worthy accompaniment.
This was an enjoyable but decidedly – Mainstream Curry – experience. In a restaurant, one can hope for more, but the Curry Cafe is where the Hector is more at home.
*
*
*
Mutton Keema Curry
This was a remarkably – wet – Keema. Minimal, if any Masala, defines this Dish. The consistency of the Masala proved to be contentious. On decanting, Marg produced big pieces of Boneless Lamb. What was happening?
The menu states: Traditional slow cooked dish with mince and your choice of meat (available with lamb, goat, or beef). I had not read this part of the menu, it was Marg’s choice. I suspect Marg had understood – and – as – in.
The Masala here was visibly darker than the Goat Curry. I asked Marg if there was – Keema – in her Masala, she was unsure.
At the time of writing she would concede – there was.
With more Meat on her plate than she could handle, a piece of Lamb crossed the table. This was superb, super-soft Meat, and here there was the pronounced sense of the Meat giving back. Marg’s verdict at the end of the meal:
Very tender pieces of lamb in a thick sauce, but no hint of minced lamb as expected. Plenty flavour, and a filling dish with the rice. The Naan was flat, not puffy, it was OK. I’m full.
There was still room for Tea (AS4.50).
A milky Tea was provided, it took a while so the next phase was sorted.
The Bill
A$69.55 (£35.85) Cheaper than our lunch, so good value.
The Aftermath
The Calling Card was received by the waitress who had directed us on arrival.
There was a discussion as to why the Keema had pieces of Meat, and was not as expected. This was going round in circles. The Keema at Punjabi Palace having added pieces of Meat is the now clear explanation, but at the time we were talking at cross purposes.
As we departed, I saw the Curry at the next table, it was clearly – Keema – as we know it. I give in.
2024 Menu extracts
Hector blogging about a Punjabi Curry Cafe, nothing unusual there, however, this is the first ever review from Australia. Hector posting a – selfie? The last act of a desperate man, or the first act of Henry V? 
Hector is dining alone, Marg has gone to an event at a Brisbane primary school involving seasonal bonnets, not Scotch Bonnets, else the Hector may have shown some interest. Having seen Marg off at Brisbane Central Station, who knows where she’ll end up, Punjabi Rasoi (401 Edward St, Spring Hill QLD 4000 Australia) just happened to be up the hill from there. This is the type of venue I failed to discover in 
Arriving at 13.50, they close for the afternoon at 14.30, a chap came out to take my order once I had studied the kettles. Goat Curry, Lamb Rogan Josh with Rice, plus the inclusive drink.
I was handed a buzzer and invited to take a seat, time to get my bearings. A Curry Cafe, but with a banqueting hall to the rear, so much more then.
Four large pieces of Goat Meat served on-the-bone sat in a standard Masala. Less Meat than on the other side of the plate, I wonder why.
Nine pieces of Meat, and with lots of Rice still to go the realisation that the plate would not be cleared. I could not put the fork in my mouth to clear the abundant Rice. 
The Aftermath
Day 3 of the trip
With sleep developing a split shift pattern, it was into the middle of the afternoon before we headed off on the MRT, two stops down from Rocher on the Downtown line to Promenade. Following the – blue dot – we found ourselves in Suntec City, a mall. Google don’t do three dimensions, after ten minutes of searching all upper floors we were told to go to the basement. There – Kebabchi – stands out.
Being located in a mall, it was no surprise to find ourselves seated near the doorway. The next family to arrive were nearly placed beside us, but somehow sense prevailed and they were given a table opposite. Window dressing. The – QR code – was brought to our attention, we had to order thus. So much for service. Staff were consequently hanging about doing sod all. 
B
ottled Water (S$2.50) and two cans of Fanta (S$3.00) were entered first. At 33
With the freedom to move around Kebabchi, an array of photos was secured. One wonders if it ever gets busy enough that the overflow seats on the mall passageway have to be brought into use. 
The background music, if indeed it was – background – was familiar. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s photo was on the wall. I went to capture the image thus paying homage to the Quali Maestro. The wait for the food was in excess of twenty minutes, less and I would have been concerned. 
A reddish-orange Masala, this Karahi appeared to have more in common with – Charsi. I didn’t see why this was presented as a Black Pepper Karahi, Tomato, or worse was giving the colour. Tomato was listed first in the description, Black Pepper last. Shurely shum mishtake (sic)? It was what it was. 
A large dish with plenty sauce and seven medium – to large pieces of lamb. A rich and sweet flavour with a kick, not too strong for my liking. I enjoyed dipping the Naan bread into the sauce and finished it all. A satisfying meal. 
Well it certainly wasn’t – green. And thank * for that. Full marks for presentation of this simple creation, the karahi sat in a basket such that one could adjust the angle to suit one’s eating position. 
The first dip of Naan in the Masala took me back to the 1960s. There can be few readers who ever had a British Indian Restaurant Curry (BIR) in those halcyon days. Was that distinctive – Earthy Flavour – down to an inability to source all the present day Spices, or was Curry just less tempered back then?
Given the quantity of Masala, Rice would have been the better option. Having this again I would wish to share the Vegetarian Biryani (S$12.00). 
Postponed from 2021, we all know why, Marg and Hector have embarked on – The Big Trip. The tour polo shirt reveals enough for the moment. First stop is 
Entering the street level restaurant at 13.30, we were shown upstairs, this evidently is where the tourists are sat, more pukka by far. A waiter showed us to a table right in front of the bar which had two taps, one a Weizen. 
Marg did comment on the length of time it took the food to arrive.
Dear reader, please have sympathy for the Hector. This was a Marg Curry, not the Desi Korma hoped for. What’s more, who has a Mutton Korma, if one is going for – bland – it may as well be Chicken. 
The Naan, served in two pieces did cheer up the Hector. This was a proper Tandoori Naan, thin-ish, risen with an array of puffy blisters. The size was well judged, I ate the lot, most unusual. 
The handi had a false bottom and so the quantity appeared to be much more than it was. Otherwise, there would have a gallon of Masala to get through. This Korma was very much a Marg Curry, she took some Masala to accompany her choices, that went down very well. 
Six good sized pieces were accompanied by a Tamarind Dip and Raita. The dark colour as ever suggested – double frying. One Pakora crossed the table. The Seasoning was excellent, the contents the customary mash of Potato and Spices, any Onion was less obvious. This was decent Pakora.
The two whole Green Chillies remained untouched. The slices of Radish were novel. Three rounds of Onion were also abandoned. Marg’s comment:
The Bill
Monday afternoon, it was time for something different, Starters at 
As it happened, Hector would not be the only sit-in customer, my first fellow diner took the opperchancity to have his Takeaway in situ. The second would tear in as though food had not been seen for yonks, a shift-worker possibly. Having enquired about today’s Vegetable Curry, I placed my Order at the counter: one Chapli (£1.75), Fish Pakora (£6.00) and a portion of Aloo Gajar Matar (£5.00).
No Bread, it’s a British thing – I proffered. The chap standing beside me gave me – the stare. As the other staff member put the chairs in the proper place, so Shkoor brought a can of the traditional Mango Rubicon (£1.00). 
In the past I have gone for the full portion of two Chapli Kebab then struggled with what followed, especially when Bread was involved. Hector has learned his lesson, one Chapli, no Bread. 
The Potato, Carrots and Peas Curry arrived before I had finished the Chapli. Better to have it before it cooled. Oh, the Carrots, the oh so distinctive – 
I was still ensconced when this arrived, cooling did have a negative effect. On the days I have timed Fish Pakora straight from the kitchen it is truly spectacular. As the second photo reveals, this was a reheat. The superb Haddock remained unaffected, the batter may have lost its punch. Still, with the remaining Hot Sauce, a pleasure of course. 
With the three plates cleared apart from some lettuce. Mr. Anwar Sr. came over to engage. He wished me well. Watch this space. 
Having read 
Salty Curry – Bulletproof Naan – Plastic Rice – Colourless Dal 
Drinks, it’s a Saturday night. One pint of Cobra (£5.50) would suffice for the Hector. The fellow diners had multiples of Cola (£2.95), Italian Birra (£3.80) and cans of domestic Cider (£3.80). The Cider was the best value. 
A thirteenth piece was on the plate. After the slivers of Tilapia served at 
The Fish, Haddock as Vini later confirmed, was spot on, proper Fish Pakora. The lightly spiced batter was beautifully fresh as it was on the Haggis. Why then does Vegetable Pakora always have to be double cooked? This assembled company all miss the 
Four, not – five or six – Dumplings sat in a Masala about which I can say no more. Nor can I identify the mystery fifth lump on the plate. 
Masala Fish Curry
Loads of Fish protruded through the orange, blended Masala which was already separating. The two whole Finger Chillies meant there would be no lack of a – kick. 
The Fish, again verified as Haddock, was into double figures, a meaningless term in this case. One may deduce a whole piece of Haddock was present, so no skimping. The white Fish was cooked to perfection, integrity maintained, then fell apart when a fork was applied. One is not looking for the Fish to absorb Flavour but give back its own – fishiness. This was not happening. That may have been my fault. 
With the Fish, Masala, Spiced Rice and Mushrooms in the melange, there was much more happening. As I approached the end game I concluded more Seasoning was still required, but the palate was definitely saturated. The Hector was in a happy place, every morsel was devoured.
This 
It was difficult to tell the two apart without decanting or digging in. Marg had the rest of the Mushroom Rice but would have most of the Naan. 
Marg had a splodge of Masala on top of her boneless Lamb. Neither participant made a special reference to the quality of the Lamb served at Chimes of India, this is a standout. Marg had a few more words to offer:
We don’t do OK – is the customary Hector answer to this question. The World is full of – OK Curry Houses – return visits are a sign of something special. Chimes of India has something more to offer than the Mainstream.
The Bill
I
A new 
Howard, Craig and Hector chose Fish Pakora (£7.95), a favourite of us all and never had at these premises. Yvonne opted for Lamb Seekh Kebab (£4.95) whilst Steve had a traditional Vegetable Pakora (£4.95). 
Five bits of Tilapia, not great value, eight quid for not a lot of Fish. Initially I wondered if these were small Fish or strips of a larger one. The latter was the conclusion. Freshly cooked in a spiced batter, there was a good kick, especially when the Chilli Dip was employed. Less shrubbery, more Fish please.
Two Seekh Kebab cut into four pieces. This did appear to be better value. 
This appeared to be the best deal among the Starters. A dozen or so pieces of Pakora, the dark colour showed they had been well cooked, and probably twice. 
The Breads were well received, Yvonne is a fan of Wholemeal Flour, so the Chapatti suited her taste. The Naan was good – Steve would tell me later.
The – portion – has had me asking myself why I hadn’t invested in the half kilo. £23.00 may be the answer. Sharing a kilo (£35.00) is a much better option. 
The Meat was decidedly more chewy than experienced here previously. However, it’s possible that having experienced the outstanding quality of Lamb served at 
This tastes of 
Chicken, Jalfrezi, we know what’s coming…
What sort of abomination was this? Craig and Yvonne wind up the Hector oft: a jar of Curry Sauce, poured over Chicken with big pieces of 
The saga continues. This was the first Chicken Karahi seen at 
How often have we had this at these premises? The yardstick. The same Toppings, similar Masala, but now there’s proper Meat. 
At the start, Steve was less than impressed, he wasn’t getting much from this creation. In time, he mellowed, the situation improved, he got it. Steve:
This may well be be Hector’s favourite – Curry. Stewart and Hector 
The revamped and renamed premises met expectations. Unusually for me I had a starter and a main with rice. The starter was fish pakora which is difficult to get wrong. This was good. My main was Lamb Korma Handi with brown rice. Most of the lamb was chewy but I’m fine with that. What stood out was that the lamb had flavour which is not always the case. For some reason I was reminded of a white (pepper) karahi. I will soon be told if I’m very wrong. The brown rice had flavour and was a satisfying accompaniment. Overall an enjoyable experience.
Moiz accepted the praise that was forthcoming, five happy diners. The hand wipes were accompanied by mint creams. Not ordinary mint creams as it happened: Elizabeth Shaw peppermint cream. Yvonne was well impressed:
The Bill
£24.60, however, it should have been – £20.50 ! 
Lamb Chukka (£5.50) (menu prices) and a Parotta (£2.00) were a given. The substantial Chukka is technically a Starter, no way was a full Curry going to follow this. 
Instead, another Starter was considered. Some were clearly the fayre of places east of 
Your favourite one – said the waiter as he noted the Order. With beards de rigueur, this may or may not have been Vasanth. I mentioned the young Indian chap who greeted me on Saturday afternoon. A former employee was mooted. 
The Malabar Parotta was as wonderful as ever, possibly larger than served here previously, so maybe worth the extra 40p! A few strands of the multi-layered, stretchy Bread would remain after the Hector had finished his share of the food, but not for long. 
This is the business, and how this is a Starter still puzzles. With Curry Leaves aplenty, and the much revered Dry Red Chillies peeking out, spot the lack of liquid on the plate. This is the definition of a – Dry Curry, so it’s ironic that the Curry section of the menu is all – Soup. 
Beneath the Coriander lay sliced Mushrooms, I would have preferred larger pieces. The Black Pepper was prominent, not so the quantity of finely chopped Onion mixed through the Mushrooms. Marg took the lettuce. 
The plan was to temper the anticipated intensity of the Chukka and provide the always welcomed – Diversity. A Hector needs more than just Meat and Masala, not that there was much of the latter on show in either plate. The Mushroom Pepper Fry was transferred to the Chukka plate, they were sampled alternately, towards the end, a bit of mixing. 
The Seasoning in the Lamb Chukka registered immediately, with the Spice not far behind. No prisoners, this was a Spicy Curry. The Meat was at the the limits of remaining solid, pulp was not far away. Consequently the required amount of chewing was minimal. 
The Peppery Mushrooms lived up to the description. Here the Seasoning was significantly below that of the partner Dish. The Peppery Flavour was somewhat one dimensional in comparison to the superb Chukka. 
The Mushrooms stretched the Chukka meaning that the pleasure there was prolonged. A decent combination, and one Parotta proved to be enough. A worthy meal. 
Across the table, Marg was coming to terms with the quantity of Basmati that sat before her. She knew from the off that there was more Rice than she could manage. Inclusive Rice/Bread, no holding back then. 
The creamy Masala was described as – thick – on the menu, compared to the other Masalas, possibly. It was still – Soup. This is how 
I sampled a Soupçon, interesting, more below. Marg cleared everything she had on her plate.
When I decanted the rice I felt there was too much. The bowl of creamy Butter Chicken soaked well into the rice. The sauce was spicy and left my lips tingling. A good portion overall, with some of Hector’s Mushroom Pepper and lettuce added texture to the dish. Enjoyable. 
The last strands of Parotta were put to good use. The Curry bowl was duly wiped clean. And so what must be the Spiciest Butter Chicken found yet, was duly noted. With pronounced Seasoning, this was far from the customary, relative blandness associated with Butter Chicken. 
First visited two weeks ago, – the return – to Chimes of India (914-916 Sauchiehall Street, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 7 TF) should have been sooner. There was just the matter of the – 
Vini, Mein Host, greeted from the kitchen as I stood mid room. Following a shake of hands, the Hector chose a corner table from which all could be surveyed. Window table declined. Menus were brought, a 500ml bottle of Sparkling Water (£1.60) ordered. The chaps arrived momentarily, in the interim, Vini thanked me for my 
The Curry-Heute Test : you impressed me significantly last time, can you do so again? 
Hector’s Poppadom intake was minimal, the chaps took care of the pile of three. Customers came and went, Takeaway too. Chimes of India opens at lunchtime at the weekends only. Fridays are under review, and likely to be withdrawn, I was told later when I tried to make a booking for Thursday afternoon. It looks like Hector will be limited to Saturdays in future. 
The three Chapattis disappeared in an instant. I don’t know how he does it. There was nearly a fourth, however, Hector offered a distraction. The Mushroom Rice was as good as anything served anywhere, better probably. The fresh Mushrooms complemented the lightly Spiced Rice, the perfect accompaniment? And there are those who cannot stand Mushrooms.
I note there is no equivalent Curry here in Lamb. Two Ginger Strips and a threat of Coriander topped a dish that was clearly dominated by the Meat content. The ratio of Chicken to Masala was favourable and befitting of the Bread accompaniment. The Masala appeared to have been blended and had a decent level of viscosity.
Desi Lamb (on-the-bone)
Last time
The Meat and Masala were arranged on top of the Mushroom Rice, spot the Sucky Bone. The overall quantity on the plate matched the Hector idyll, there would be no wastage. Whole Spices ware revealed: Green Cardamom, Peppercorn and the mysterious piece of Star Anise which 
The quality of the Lamb was apparent once more, as Tender as Lamb can be without being on the edge of pulp, glorious. The leftover Masala was added sooner than is the Hector norm. Having applied a bit of stirring, any sense of soupiness was gone. 
The Curry-Heute Test : Curry and Rice, such a simple concept, this was as good as it gets.
On 
There were no – Mmmms – as the good doctor ate, unusual. As with his fellow diners, every morsel was eaten. Dr. Stan’s verdict:
It was lightly spiced, a creamy, spinach flavour. Lovely, tender (meat), not a spicy Curry, but very good. Not the usual Lamb Saag served, it’s different. 
The Bill
It’s approaching two months since Hector last had his staple 
Moiz greeted as I entered at 12.50.
I took my usual spot in the ground-floor seating area. I have resolved that when dining alone, I shall maintain this favoured seat, upstairs beckons otherwise. With the room to myself, I managed more photos of the ground-floor vista. 
The 
The stripes of Tamarind across the Yoghurt/Raita topping had me puzzled for a moment. The appearance was such that this could have been a Dessert. Once I stirred the contents of the plate so I revealed Chickpeas, lots of them, Tomato and Coriander. 
The abundant Ginger Strips and loops of a Chilli brought Manchester’s – 
Stirring up the remainder at the halfway point brought out my first awareness of Cloves. My final piece of Meat featured a Sucky Bone, the marrow was suitably acquired. Flavour, such an intensity of Flavour. Whilst 
The Aftermath