King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Howard’s favourite band, is the reason why – the six – are in Lisboa this week.
Today, only two for Curry and three tickets for this evening’s gig at Coliseu dos Recreios.
Royal Spicy Restaurant (Rua do Benformoso 71, 1100-084, Lisboa, Portugal) lies across the street from Taste of Lahore, revisited yesterday. Royal Spicy had caught the eye due to the serving of White Mutton Handi (€11.00 – half).
With a busy day ahead, Hector’s Curry had to be early. We reached Rua do Benformoso at 12.30. Marg led the way down the couple of steps into Royal Spicy, this was clearly quite a pukka Cafe compared to the others visited on this street of Curry. Due to the constant turnover of customers, photographic opperchancities were few. Whilst the facilities, not visited, were downstairs, there was a sink at the counter for people to wash their hands, many did.
The menu, featuring photos of everything, was lengthy. The three photos of Fish Curry almost had me change my mind. However, with the possibility of a – Namkeen – variant on offer, the White Mutton Handi had to be investigated. I soon found what I was looking for then was advised that Paratha is only available for breakfast.
One Plain Naan (€1.20) would suffice as accompaniment. With Coffee & Cake promised to Marg after Hector’s indulgence, she limited her order here to Chaa (€0.99) and a bottle of Still Water (€0.70). Hector, for rehydration purposes, had a litre bottle of Cola (€3.00).
Technically, the Chaa/Chai was only served until noon. No problem.
Food was being dispatched to fellow diners with great efficiency. The wait was not long. The Naan, served in two pieces, was white, light, fluffy and suitably blistered. Beautiful Bread, and why so little would be eaten becomes clear.
*
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White Mutton Handi – Handi De Carneiro Branco
The sheer-white creaminess was instantly off-putting. Fortunately, there were signs of Pepper in the Masala, and no sign of anything – red. That this was a Namkeen Curry remained a possibility. The published photo featured Green Chillies, the Toppings today were the standard Ginger Strips and Coriander. Should I have asked for – Spicy?
The first dip of Naan into the Masala confirmed that the Hector had got it right. The Salt/Seasoning was apparent, and the Pepperiness defined the Dish. Somehow, despite appearing to be bland and creamy, this Curry was not. On replicating my manoeuvres, Marg concurred.
The Meat was partly on-the-bone. A bone count of three, one Sucky, in a mass of Mutton which reached double figures. This was a lot of eating at a time of day when Hector’s appetite had yet to awaken.
I noted – chewy – for the initial pieces of Meat that were tackled. This was far from the Scottish Spring Lamb currently being enjoyed back home. Well cooked Mutton does not have to be this chewy.
To say I struggled, would be an understatement. Each piece of Meat seemed to take twice as long to chew as its predecessor. The real pleasure in this Curry was the dipping of the Naan into the impressive Masala. Diminishing returns were becoming apparent. The more I ate, the less impact I was having on what lay before me. With three pieces of Mutton, and still half the Naan left, the white flag was waived. An hour later, Cheesecake was easily managed at one of Marg’s favourite outlets.
At this point Marg weighed in with the remaining Naan and scooped up a decent amount of the abandoned Masala. Between us, we made an acceptable impact on what, technically, was a portion for two.
To be fair to Royal Spice, despite the Meat being of a lesser standard, had I ordered this, in say Chicken, the mouth would have coped. Knackered – was recorded. Never have I chewed so much.
The various Fish Curry Dishes on offer will guarantee a return to Royal Spice. Surely, less chewing required?
The Bill
€17.29 (£15.56)
The Aftermath
The Calling Card was presented to the chap at the till. When one is asked if one has a shop, then what Curry-Heute is about has not been communicated.
We walked the length of Rua do Benformoso. Tasty Hut Halal food, visited three times, was being renovated. The premises are soon to become Nawaab G.
Next year I shall need time for three Curry outings in Lisboa. Maybe we stay for longer?
Soon it was approaching 20.30, Howard wanted Marg and I to be at Coliseu dos Recreios, a few metres up the street from Inhaca, one of our favourite Portuguese restaurants, where we had dined on Sunday evening. Having attended the shows on the previous two nights, Howard was well in with the promoters and had managed to secure a box for the three of us.
If you don’t ask…
Coliseu dos Recreios resembles the Albert Hall. We were happy not to be in the central standing area, the mosh pit proved to be an unsafe place for people of a certain age. Standing for four hours, no thanks. The twin rows of boxes, may be a hundred plus, above these, another seating area, with another seated gallery above. For the support, we were the only people occupying a box.
Etran de L’Air
Etran de L’Air, from Agadez (Niger), played in Glasgow a bit since. Dressed in their desert garb, no facial recognition possible. Their music, hypnotic, repetitive, took me back to the albums of Manuel Gottsching (Ash Ra Tempel) but with an African twist.
The four compositions performed this evening – Tahawerte ine idinette, Agadez, Agrim Agadez, Imouha – each developed a groove before letting it rip for the final moments. Interesting, entertaining, glad to have seen them live.
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard were formed in Australia in 2010. Howard has seen them countless times since then. Sporting a different t-shirt each day this week, Howard discovered that other people had heard of – his band. He needs a new one.
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard release new music every other week it seems. Their style varies, this evening they avoided any Country references, thankfully. No Country, no Regae, no (c)Rap. Not in these pages. This evening they concentrated on a sound somewhere between Hawkwind on steroids and Shoegaze.
Marg had never witnessed such prolific crowd surfing. From our safe vantage point, amusing. On whatever cue, the central hundred in the mosh pit engaged in uniform antics. Just how good was the box, and by this time, five others were occupied. How dare they?
Musically, a performance which was much appreciated, despite two of us not knowing a single note. Let the – songs – develop, no need to come up for air every few minutes, this is what the Hector seeks in a band. Would I buy their CDs? Where would one start? Tonight, no more than two tracks were played from each of the nine albums represented.
Howard’s assured us that the synth-board does not always make an appearance, we were treated to more – Techno-style Musik – towards the end of the set. As this, one argues, has its roots in 1970s Krautrock, of which this author was on top of the game at the time, nought wrong with that.
When I get home, I’ll put on The Cosmic Jokers, original, quadraphonic vinyl.
Royal Spicy Restaurant – 2025 Menu
Curry in 
With Lord Clive and Lady Maggie staying at the same accommodation as Marg and Hector, close to Largo do Chiado, the four set off in the direction of Martim Moniz. The plan was to use Tram 12, however, today it had been cancelled and some of the tourist Tram 28 rolling stock was running the key part of the route from Praca de Luis de Camoes to Martim Moniz. As ever, the queue for Tram 28 was silly, Plan B, the escalators through the hill at Baixa-Chiado enabled our progress towards the famed 
Howard, a 
The menu was different, no longer a printed list, but an iconic layout, a style seen previously up the street at 
Today, Clive was playing silly buggers, and had Maggie describe every option on the menu rather than tell us what he fancied. Come on Clive, it’s either Karahi or Dhansak. As the latter was not available, he went for Chicken Boneless Handi – Handi Frago Desossado (€9.00 – half). Marg for her non-Curry-snack chose Kebab Roll (€5.00) with – two sticks. Seekh Kebab.
Hector. I advised Clive that his favourite Keema Naan was not available, however, a Qeema Parata + Chai (€4.50) was. Sadi informed us that this was only served before noon as Breakfast (Nashta) and suggested a Roghni Naan (€2.50).
Various staff members were involved in the delivery of the food. We got there. 
The Plain Naan was served whole. The thickness suggested half Naan – half Roti, but as always in 
Two Lamb Seek Kebab with elements of Salad wrapped in a Roti. This looked to be a delight, way more interesting than just having the Seekh alone. It proved to be satisfying, Marg:
I decided to have a kebab roll instead of a Curry. Rolled up in a pitta bread or roti. Full of two Lamb Seekh Kebabs, as well as chopped cucumber, onion & coriander. There was a sauce added to the salad. The food was easily eaten with silver foil wrapping up the bread. I enjoyed the burst of coriander and the spicy meat. Plenty of flavour and very filling.
Ginger strips and a sprinkling of Coriander topped the abundant portion of Karahi. The Masala was not in the classic Punjabi style, Soupy in comparison. As much as eating this Karahi was enjoyable, and we stuck to the code, Rice could well have been the better accompaniment.
With a definite kick, the Spice level was as asked for. The Seasoning impressed, this was going to be a pleasing session of Curry eating. Yoghurt flecks were visible in the Masala, adding a moderate level of Creaminess, noticeable but not detrimental.
The Meat was served on-the-bone, a Lamb Chop was in Hector’s karahi, not Howard’s. A Sucky Bone was duly encountered, the occasional pieces of sinew had to be cut off. Chewy in parts, mostly soft, the Mutton was supersaturated. It’s moistness was outstanding, particularly after the 
The Sauce Was The Star.
The presentation of the Chicken Karahi was similar to the Mutton. The Masala appeared ot have a similar Texture, still Soupy, maybe a bit more yellow. Steve:
Chicken pieces on the bone were n*cely cooked. The sauce was very tasty and spiced as I had requested. Small chunks of fresh ginger were a n*ce addition. The consistency of the sauce was just right. Would order again.
Although Maggie had made lots of positive comments as she ate, there was no formal declaration thereafter. Hector shall admit to being impressed by the appearance of this Chicken Curry. Maggie’s smaller portion looked tempting, the Masala, darker than that served to Steve, intrigued.
Handi, as is consistently reported, can be anything Chef wants to dish up. Not served in a handi, but a simple plate, this looked to be nothing special at all, a straightforward Chicken Curry. 
Having taken the group photo, Sadi was well onside. The Calling Card was well received and attracted the attention of the senior staff member. They were issued one 
It is approaching seven years since our last visit to 
Maggie had a table booked for 14.30. They were disappearing later for a comedy show. Adam would also join us pro tem. Marg and Hector would subsequently watch the FA Cup Final, where the result proved to be as ridiculous as The Famous having a perfectly good goal chopped off, again, earlier in the day. 
Four, as predicted, a decent size, else there would have been a stooshie. Suitably cremated, yet retaining their juicy succulence, one simply wants to keep eating these meaty delights. Marg:
Some may already be noting how magnanimous Marg had been during these moments. She had a different agenda. Marg:
The Bill #2
Topped with Ginger Strips, the Peas were visible confirming the – Mutter. This was an appropriately Dry Curry, maybe better eaten with Bread, their choice.
Adam departed after his meal, Takeaway sorted. The football was duly watched. How a referee, linesman, and VAR could all miss a last man hand ball at Wembley was commensurate with the equivalent triumvirate not seeing a ball in the net earlier in Scotland. So it goes.
The Naan was served whole as I had asked for, having seen Adam’s earlier in quarters. Just look at those blisters, how risen was this Bread? Light, puffy, 
The – Soupy – Blended Masala was abundant, hence the above generosity. There was a rim of peripheral Oil, should this be considered as a – Desi – criterion? Once again, Ginger Strips topped the Curry. I wonder how many people set these aside? Their presence always offers an extra burst of Flavour and Crunchiness.
The Spice Level and the Seasoning instantly impressed. Hot, hot food, care had to be taken. The blend of Flavours which burst on to the palate was a new experience at 
With Marg back from her curtailed and over-complicated trip, there was the first opperchancity to drive across the recently opened crossing of the River Clyde from Clydebank to Renfrew. How many years since conception?
Objective #1 today was to prove Google Maps wrong. The hypothesis was: it must be faster to use the new bridge to get to Glasgow Airport than by driving twice the distance via Erskine and the M8. With only three sets of traffic lights on the latter route, it soon became apparent that the ten on our our side of the river were slowing us down considerably. Then there was the unexpected. The bridge was closed for one and three quarter hours to let a ship past. Really? Research discovered this was one of five lengthy closures during daylight hours this very day. Another white elephant? 
Renfrew has three Curry Houses, now virtually on our doorstep. Two venues have been reviewed previously. The Punjab Times (63 Hairst Street, Renfrew, PA4 8QU) remains rated albeit a re-imagination of 
Marg spotted that a pint of Mango Lassi was a mere £3.95. Not to be missed. Tap water accompanied. The Hector, unable to order a large bottle of Sparkling Water on this fine day, settled for 330ml at £2.95. 
Seat coverings aside, there is little difference in layout at The Times of Punjab. The 
Tureens for Buffet were also along one wall. For this, I have no more information. 
Marg’s Vegetable Pakora duly arrived. Three, well-fired pieces, I was offered one, but seriously, how could I accept? If the Hector is going to eat Pakora, it’s by the dozens, plural. Marg:
Large, served whole, teardrop-shaped, risen, blisters, the buttery sheen, no Garlic: meeting all the criteria for a proper Tandoori Naan. Why is this so difficult to source?
I include a second photo of the Naan, this time with the Rice for scale. Marg had already tore off the pointed tip, her Naan, and she knows this is the best bit. I would eat way more Bread than I had envisaged when ordering the Rice, which now felt slightly surplus to requirements. 
The small karahi, but these can still be deceptive. A decent portion in a lunchtime menu. The Thick Masala was topped with a sprinkling of Coriander. Visible strips turned out to be Onion, not the 
The dish had a rich tomato flavour and was fairly sweet with a slight kick to it. There were pieces of tender lamb in this onion based sauce. I left some strips of onion as I had eaten enough. The Naan was very large and freshly made. I enjoyed using the bread to pick up up my meat and sauce. A great combination. 
Ginger Strips and a trace of Coriander topped the Dry, Thick Masala. Tin foil?
Nine pieces of – The King of Curry Meat – were duly arranged on the Masala and Rice. Dipping the wonderful Naan into the retained Masala, the mental cache of Curry Flavours was quickly accessed. 
The top end of menu, but still, Mainstream Masala Flavour, served across the land, There was a greater intensity of Flavour here than a standard restaurant Masala. Well Seasoned, and with a Spice level that continued to build, there was something happening. Tomato-rich in Flavour, I regret not having sampled the Rogan Josh for comparison purposes. 
By this time I had identified Mein actual Host. The Calling Card was duly issued, conversation was limited. As I took photos of the now almost empty restaurant, he made sure he got in on the act. 
Does the Karahi have 
And yes, the Renfrew Bridge was open, until 18.00, on our return. For years I have envisaged nipping across to Renfrew for a Curry, if only there was a bus. 
Goat Meat (on the bone) (£14.95), the reason why I keep returning to 
The Curry was duly ordered along with the customary Cumin Rice (£4.50). a glass of Tap Water was secured, no ice.
Pratap came in, acknowledged his other customers, but stopped to address the Hector.
The Fish Karahi (£18.00) I have mentioned previously. Pratap has assured me that he can withhold the dreaded 
The Topping of fresh Spinach was novel. Cooked, but not cooked-in, there was no sense of a Saag/Palak invasion. I did not count the pieces of Goat as I decanted, however, the Bone count would only reach three, so plenty of Meat. No Sucky Bones, Goat is empirically different.
Hot food, always noted and appreciated. A Bay Leaf was the only solid encountered in the blended Masala. The Meat was – Super-soft – which is to be commended, Goat needs more cooking. Initially, I was not sensing Spice coming back from the Meat, the notes were revised towards the end. This Curry was working.
Good as this Curry was, next time I should try something else. There are always interesting options at
Marg has long proclaimed that the Butter Chicken (£8.75) at 
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 
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). 
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. 
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. 
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. 
This has been had as – & Green Beans – previously. Today’s also featured Green Beans. The Dry, Thick, Minimal Masala was topped with slivers of 
At the dawn of 
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, 
Having enjoyed a run of excellent Curry outings in Glasgow in the last few weeks, why let the level of expectation drop? Another visit to 
I glanced at the Curry on display, the reason for my being here was the Lamb Karahi (£11.00), served on-the-bone. The container was full, all was well. Beside it was what I took to be an interesting looking Aloo Gobi, more on that below. 
A small Naan (£2.50) – I put to Arshad. This was repeated to Amjad. I cannot get anywhere near finishing the Naan served here, last time we agreed that that – a half – could be served. Having helped myself to the tap water on the counter, I settled down for the short wait. Salad and Sauce were declined, no mention of a Coriander Topping today. 
The – small – Naan was surprisingly close to, if not the same size as their standard. Wastage guaranteed. 
Yes, technically I had 
And the Aloo Gobi (bottom right)? I saw a hefty bone then a Chicken bone and remained puzzled. I then concluded that the lumps had to be Chicken. Well, my focus was on the adjacent container. The Masala, however was something else. If/when I see this again, temptation may prevail. 
April 30, the Hector knows what he would like for his birthday. The choice of venue for the Birthday Curry has varied over the years. Today a long overdue return to 
Today was different, with breakfast at The Green Hotel, Kinross, where Prog Rock Band – Arena – were also to be found after last night’s gig at the same locus. Curry first.
Aqeel asked for a few minutes to set up, his assistant arrived moments behind us. 
The 
During our wait for the food to be prepared, I took the opperchancity to photograph the new layout. 
Coriander, Ginger Strips and Green Chillies halved lengthways, topped a somewhat – wet – looking Karahi. Brown, with an Oily hue, the Masala was decidedly Shorva-esque, not what was expected. As would become apparent, the Oil content was distinctly minimal. Wot, no Oil? A healthy Karahi. 
On taking our starting portions from the flat karahi, I was confident that we would finish all before us. There was clearly a lot of Bones here, every piece I took was on-the-bone. Marg’s deft ladling had secured pieces which were Meat only. 
Sucky Bones and Ribs, confirmation that the increase in price was justified. Better cuts of Meat, and today, no sign of Offal attachments which had been a feature of 
The Bill
There was discussion with Aqeel about opening times. He did point out that on Saturday and Sunday he opens in the morning for Nashta. 
And so to the previous twenty four hours…
We arrived at The Green Hotel, Kinross, just after 16.00. This would allow time to investigate the Leven Brewery which was directly across from our allocated room window. Not so great.
Catching up once more, and a continuation of our last conversation, having to learn all the Arena material again in such a short time had been a challenge. The band had played last night to a half empty room in these very premises. A show added late to the tour, and with Marg returning from 
The hotel staff advised that the bar in venue, Backstage at The Green, would open at 19.00. Coming down from our room at 18.45, to queue to get in, felt very much like being back on the 
That I saw him at The Marquee was down to The Science of Coincidence, sorry. Pendragon were playing The Marquee, Landmarq supported. It was the same story when I returned a few weeks later to see the recently reformed IQ on the – Ever – tour. Marg knows the music of Landmarq, it is played oft in the car. I also assured her that Damian is one of the finest singers she will ever see/hear live. 
With the setlist to hand, it was very much a case of which songs I would know better than others. The first two albums less so, even allowing for their inclusion on the first live album. There would have been an even greater level of familiarity had Covid not happened. Tickets for the postponed London show in 2020 were valid for the rearranged show in 2021. Sadly, the date didn’t suit. 
Marg and Hector saw Arena perform all of 
Four songs would feature from their 2022, and latest studio album – The Theory of Molecular Inheritance. Marg has played this oft on drives to/from Aberdoom. She knows it well. There is a live album from 2023 – Lifian – which features Damian on vocals. This might appear in someone’s xmas stocking as Live & Life did back in 2004. 
Having played the part of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Damian is stage experienced and can hold an audience. With a longer mike lead, he was able to pace up and down the central isle. He sang to us all, and to each of us individually, captivating.
Kylan Amos remains on Bass and still looks like John Jowitt, his predecessor, albeit, with hair. Behind the drum-kit, and obscured from my camera all night, remains Mick Pointer, founding member of Marillion. Whatever happened to them? 
There had to be a photo with Damian, and indeed, so familiar were we becoming, he came over at breakfast this morning to bid us farewell. 
Earlier in the year, Curryspondent John, suggested I should introduce myself to the young waitress at 
Today is the Monday between two Bank Holidays, it was quite a surprise to see 
The 
Extra Desi, on-the-bone – was clarified, plus tap water. Spicy – was agreed. Still a risk, last year, Chef truly tested the Blogger.
Copious Ginger Strips topped the distinctive Masala. The Coriander may well have been cooked as it was stirred in. A heater was also provided, dining a la carte merited this. This meant I did not arrange all of the Meat on the Masala at the beginning. 
Two whole, probably – dried – Chillies had been added. These were carefully set aside, the Hector was not falling for this. Yoghurt Flecks were visible in the Herb-strewn Masala, the study period was over, time to eat.
The Spice Level was a bit testing, but nothing like the aforementioned. The Seasoning may have been a tad below the Hector idyll, but not so much to impinge on the overall enjoyment. 
The Bill
This year, instead of the annual pukka dinner for the Glasgow members of her alma mater, Marg and her committee came up with the idea of a trip to the Burrell Collection, with lunch thereafter. Hector was willing to forego the customary Aberdeen Angus, soup and sandwiches were promised. Hector has been known to devour a sandwich or ten.
For years I have been asking why UK restaurants charge so much for Fish Curry, whilst in Europe, Meat Curry costs more. For the price of 1kg of Lamb on-the-bone, today I could have purchased 4kg of Tilapia. One 2kg pack of frozen Fish sufficed. Watch out for Fish Curry appearing in the near future. 
No such issues at 
Unbelievably, Samosas have not appeared in these pages before, nor has a Chapli Sandwich. Reheated in the air fryer, the Texture of the pastry was maintained. The Spice Level surprised. Meat, Potato, Peas, two is definitely better than one. 
The air fryer was also used to reheat the Fish Pakora, again, the batter survived. The Chilli Sauce was microwaved, such a treat to have this Hot Sauce with Fish Pakora. 