Curry-Heute

This Venue has to be in Glasgow’s Top Five Curry Houses.

This evening Hector was invited To Dine with a GRAF Acronym. What this Committee stands for shall be revealed as and when.  The Decision To Dine at The New Karahi Palace (51-53 Nelson Street, Glasgow, G5 8DZ) was not Hector’s, It was Written.

Roger and Hector arrived promptly at the arranged 19.30. Roger went upstairs to join Howard who was already in situ. Hector stayed downstairs to study the Vegetable Curry Dishes that were available this evening. Potato and Peas – Mmmmm.  Stainless Steel Buffet Dishes were on display upstairs, this I have not previously witnessed.  A Buffet here could be remarkable, all Lamb Dishes on-the-bone?

Kenny arrived next with Dr. Stan and Jonathan arriving – Heaventually…

Shahid, NB The New Spelling, was quick to tell me on arrival that I have been misspelling his name. Well, I only know one other Shahed and this is how he spells his name. Anyway, Shahid brought The Menus – Menus? Ah, the joy of sitting in the Chilly Upstairs. A Table for Eight had been set, we had Two Call-offs.

Roger announced he was having Mutter Paneer whilst Kenny fancied King Prawn Karahi. I was taken aback when this became Palak Paneer and Achari Gosht respectively. Howard had his mind made up, Aloo Gosht. Jonathan has favoured Keema for some time now. When I announced the availability of Peas and Potato, Jonathan asked if Keema Aloo Mutter could be done. Shahid would see. Dr. Stan had Eaten with Hector at this very Venue Four Nights ago, he knew what to have – Follow the Hector. And so Two Lamb Karahi with Extra Salt and Extra Methi was our order along with a Portion of Potato-Peas Curry to share. Jonathan and Kenny would do the same with a Daal.

Howard had recently raved about the Quality of the Keema Nan served here, and so Hector ordered a Keema Paratha. Jonathan, Dr. Stan and Kenny followed on, so logically Howard went for an Aloo Paratha. (?) Roger a Plain Nan.

Having verified The Order, Shahid returned to inform Jonathan that there was no Keema. Lamb Chops Karahi was the Worthy Substitute. So what about the Mince for the Paratha? Twenty Minutes – said Shahid. Not a long time to wait for Properly Cooked Curry. At least Double this time had passed before the First Dishes were brought.  Six CAMRA Members, all drinking Soft Drinks.  A First? We had plenty of time to admire (?) the Upstairs Décor – Butlins meets an Italian Cafe –  was somebody’s verdict.  Oh, that person was me.

As we were all eating Bread, there was no point Decanting the Hot Curry on to the Cold Plates. Each Curry looked Dark and Rich with the Gleam of Oil forming at The Base. Howard was first To Dip with his Aloo Paratha, he was – In The Zone – very quickly. Roger spread the Palak Paneer evenly over his Nan, our First Curry together. He ate without comment. I don’t say very much.  Really?  I have witnessed him at CAMRA Meetings.

Kenny was waxing lyrical about his Achari Gosht.  I had to remind him that note-taking with Curry Covered Fingers is not possible.  A Stunning Depth of Flavour, a Dimension of Flavour I never Taste in Takeaways bought in the West End of Glasgow.  Kenny does not Dine Out often it appears. A Sweet, Chilli Kick from the Pickle.  My First Visit, and not My Last.

The Daal Side Dish was consumed with no specific comment from Jonathan or Kenny who shared it.

Jonathan who tends to avoid Lamb on-the-bone stated that his Lamb Chops Karahi was – For a Second Choice Curry, Not Bad.  Why Chop Bones are acceptable and Marrow Bones not, one may wonder.  All Lamb Dishes at The New Karahi Palace are served on-the-bone.

Hector was in his Curry Element.  A Dark, Thick Masala shrouding the Tenderest of Lamb.  A Great Kick, Seasoning, Methi, Everything I look for in a Curry.  Again this was Curry to note.  The Accompanying Potato-Peas Curry would have been Bland on its own. Acting as the Interesting Vegetable it did its job well. A Perfect Combination, and served warmer than last Saturday’s Vegetable Side.

There was never any announcement about Mince, the lack of and the Keema Paratha.  The Keema Parathas had Minimal Filling, Daal may have been the Insertion.  Still, freshly made and Piping Hot, they did the job.  One day I shall have a proper Keema Paratha here.

Dr. Stan like Roger, is a Man of Few Words.  On Saturday the – Mmmms – numbered Four.  This evening we lost count.  Dr. Stan enjoyed every morsel.

Howard shall have the Last Word on the Review of the Actual Curry. The First Stop was to Dip the Paratha in the Oil, Absolutely Magnificent! The Meat and the Sauce were both Full of Flavour, both Individually and Collectively.   A Big Chilli Hit, a Stunning Curry! The Best Curry I have had This Year !!!

The Writer should draw The Reader’s attention to the Date, December 17.   Only a few days of 2013 to go and Howard has found his COTY. The New Karahi Palace comes Highly Recommended.  It is a Small Operation with a Menu which covers what Might be Available, however, what they do is done Exceptionally Well.

The Bill

£72.80

The Aftermath

There was a meeting of The GRAF Committee, without Hector who may well be appointed as – Curry Liaison Officer.

Lord Clive of Crawley is in town, and so he joined Dr. Stan and Hector for the Friday Evening Curry Ritual. The Laurieston was the rendezvous with The Company later and so a quicker than anticipated return to the Excellent – The New Karahi Palace (51-53 Nelson Street, Glasgow, G5 8DZ) was logical. It lies one Block away.

I assumed Clive had been here before, apparently not, so this was a major oversight. Shahed shook The Hand of Hector as we entered. There was no sign of Rasheed – The Chef. Friday is his day off. Oh. Hector’s Plan was to put the venue to the Curry-Heute Test. Rasheed had cooked Hector one of the Best Curry Dishes Ever, last Saturday. Could this be repeated. The Boss, Ayaz, was The Cook this evening. He did look familiar but we have never been introduced. This would have to be rectified, but only after he had done his duty.

Dr. Stan and Clive followed Hector’s Lead. Three Lamb Karahi (on-the-bone) with Extra Salt and Extra Methi was the order. Ah, we need The Interesting Vegetable. Hector went up to the Counter to see what was available. Aubergine and Potato Curry was on display. A Full Portion of this was added, to share. Six Chapattis would be the Accompaniment. No Paratha? – asked Clive. He admitted to ordering these regularly in Crawley since I introduced him to this Compromise between Chapatti and Nan.

No Salad and Raita was forthcoming this evening. Have I been too uncomplimentary? The Raita is normally Excellent, the Salad Variable. As in my last visit there was a steady stream of Takeaway Customers. Shahed was kept busy.

The Karahi Dishes arrived accompanied by a Bowl of Aubergine-Potato Curry. The Chapattis arrived as they were prepared, here we go.

The Lamb Karahi was every bit as Wonderful as served last Saturday, Perfect. The Style of the Masala was very much – Yadgar meets The Khyber. The Lamb was not from Chops this time, the Bones were Round. The Marrow in the Bones must add Extra Flavour, one does not achieve this Standard of Curry without the Presence of Bones. This I could Eat Every Day.

The Aubergine-Potato dish was not heated to the same level as the Karahi which benefited from the Metal Karahi and Hot Oil. In fact the Vegetable Curry placed on the Chapatti then topped with some Blistering Hot Lamb made the Perfect Combination.

Clive ate heartily. It hits The Spot. It’s hard to fault it – was Clive’s verdict. Dr. Stan had little to say but his Pleasure had been apparent throughout the Eating Experience. This was a 4 mmmm Curry.

 As Shahed topped up the Basket with Fresh Chapattis he was happy to see the Thumbs Up. Ayaz can cook too.

The Bill

£32.70. Four Curry Dishes, Six Chapattis, One Soft Drink.

The Aftermath

There had to be a photo with Ayaz.

Entering The New Karahi Palace (51-53 Nelson Street, Glasgow, G5 8DZ) just after 21.00 this Saturday Evening, Shahed, Front of House, and Rasheed, The Chef were standing out in the middle of the Small Downstairs Eating Area. They were not there waiting for Hector to arrive but were engrossed in The Footae’ on TV. It was quiet, but they assured me they had been busy earlier.

This felt like the Perfect Opperchancity to Fine Tune the normally Excellent Curry served on these Modest Premises. We agreed on Lamb Karahi with Extra Salt and Methi. The Lamb is usually served on-the-bone. The Bhindi on display at the Counter also looked Very Fine. A Side Portion would be ideal, and Two Chapattis also.

I took my seat and amused myself with the Trusty Samsung and a well known Media Chat Site. Comedy of Errors and Pallas were playing in London this evening, they were Excellent in Glasgow last Saturday. A Rather Tired Salad was brought and no Raita, so this was ignored.

Shahed brought the Curry in what felt like no time at all. Rasheed had worked his Magic. Occasionally one is serve a Curry that is so Stunning it becomes Engraved in the Memory Banks, tonight’s Karahi was one such Curry. This was truly remarkable.

The Tender Lamb was mostly Chops, Boiled not Tikka. The Masala was not the Standard Onion-based fare served in the majority of Curry Houses. This was similar to the Khyber’s Wonderful Mash of Tomato and Onion. The Seasoning was Spot-on. The Salt Content of Curry is Crucial, to bring out the Other Flavours. The Spice Level was Terrific, this Dish had a Kick, but it was the Flavours which were Astonishing.

Added to this was the Okra Curry, Hector’s Interesting Vegetable of the Evening. Again this Complemented the Karahi. The Okra were cooked to Perfection, not too soft which is how it tends to be served. Covered in Fresh Coriander, again a Full Blast of Flavour.

Shahed came to ask if he could get me anything else. The Hector was in a very Happy Place, I gave the Thumbs-up. This was one of The Best Curry Experiences, Ever.

The Bill

£11.70. A Very Modest price, for a Very Memorable Curry.

The Aftermath

I congratulated Shahed for his Front of House Presence. He has certainly made a difference. I asked about The Khyber which I passed recently and saw no sign of life. It has gone. The second of Hector’s Recommended Curry Houses to disappear this year. Their Location was never ideal, and with a New Afghan Venue opposite The Village, somebody pulled the plug.

Today may be an Historical Landmarq Day, Fifty Years of Dr. Who. It could also be around this time 50 Years Ago when Hector was introduced to Curry.

There is a lot happening today. Some of The Chaps are at Fyne Ales, the rest are meeting at The State for some Hawkshead Ales late afternoon. This evening Hector is meeting up with some Former Charges dating back to the 1980s. Before any of this, there has to be Curry-Heute. The New Karahi Palace (51-53 Nelson Street, Glasgow, G5 8DZ) is a Venue I could eat in every week. Shahed as is now customary extended his hand across the counter in welcome. Rasheed was in place in the Kitchen, Karahi Karela Gosht was available, all was well. Two Chapattis were the accompaniments, I didn’t even think about experimenting with Keema Paratha, here the Chapattis are Top Quality, Large and a Perfect Thickness. Eating Two is almost achievable.

Two of the Four Tables in the small Downstairs Seating Area were occupied. At 15.00, quite unusual. One Chap was finishing his Curry, a Couple were waiting for … Chips … The Takeaway Business was Brisk, this Venue is doing well. I hope in some small may I make my contribution.

The Trusty Samsung kept Hector amused for the Ten Minutes or so it took to get the Curry sorted. A Modest Salad and a  Portion of Raita was provided to cleanse the Palate. Shahed brought a Large Bowl of Lamb, some on-the-bone. The Masala was Minimal and Thick with Karela. Some Liquid was forming on the Base of the Bowl, here would lie even more of the Killer Taste.

The First Chapatti was dipped, Gosh! The Lamb was wonderful, one Chop Bone and one Slice of Leg Bone would be all that was leftover. A Bit more seasoning and this Curry would have been Off the Scale. The Karela gave the Customary Bitterness that Hector has come to expect. This was a Feast. Howard would ask later if I had the Half-Kilo. There is no need, the Portions here are Fit for a Hector.

The Bill

£9.50. This included a Can of Fizz. No Sparkling Water available.

The Aftermath

It was a Wild Night, well done Neil and Bod.