Having only become aware of the existence of Namaste by Delhi Darbar (St Enoch Centre 1st Floor, 55 St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4BW) in recent weeks, it meant there were now three venues in Glasgow on the – to do – list. Reviews elsewhere are positive, but not all specifically about the Curry.
I doubt if I have set foot in the St Enoch Centre since Debenhams closed. Apparently, facade aside, the whole kaboodle is due for demolition. Walking through the various levels today, people are already pulling out of what is now a sorry sight in terms of retail.
It was established that Namaste is close to the cinema, the Hector took escalators all the way to the top assuming movies had replaced ice-skating. The mini-Vegas took me by surprise. The cinema is at the opposite end, where BHS used to be.
Two diners were visible in Namaste as I entered the restaurant at 13.57. Regular readers will appreciate that such a precise time is building up to, well, wait and see. The waitress placed me near the fellow diners, such that I could hear their conversation, no need for this in such large, empty premises. Window dressing, but without windows.
I had previously studied the menu on-line and was therefore aware that there was only one Lamb Curry on the menu which was worthy of the Hector. For the record, and the nth time, Capsicum does not belong in authentic Karahi and Hector does not recognise Chicken Curry. This is Curry-Heute and that is how it is.
Lamb Bhoona (£10.00) and Basmati Pilau Rice (£4.00) was the Order, plus tap water. There was little point ordering Bread and leaving half of it, as tends to be the case. Four quid for Rice, that could be a hefty portion.
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Taking in the surroundings, it was evident that many Shekels had been invested in the décor. I would have appreciated seeing the premises from the inside, looking out. What happens to all this in the coming future?
The India Club at Hotel Strand Continental (Westminster) – will close on September 17. This is sad news, developers having their way there too. The long established India Club, formerly the staff canteen for the Indian Embassy, is one of only a handful of Curry Houses in Britain where the simple, straightforward – Curry – is that exceptional, one could pick it out in a line-up. One more visit is scheduled, if we can get in.
At Namaste, there was always the hope that Chef had something special waiting, something distinctive, this is always the hope when visiting any new Curry venue. I didn’t have long to wait, eight minutes after taking my seat, the food arrived. Call in the chaps from Guinness.
The Curry was in a soup plate, the Rice on a platter, no third plate. Why do restaurants do this? Adding Rice to a plate of Curry feels absurd.
The portion was standard, every grain would be managed.
This £4.00 portion was not for sharing.
Lamb Bhoona
The reasonably Thick Masala contained Syboes and featured seven pieces of Meat, not the magical eight. Rice was definitely the correct accompaniment, whilst not as – soupy – as my recent Bhuna in Köln, I had nothing to compare it with here. If this was – Bhuna – then what is their Curry like?
Finely chopped Onions and traces of Herb had been added to the blended Masala. Having counted the Meat, twice, it was decided that six pieces were worthy of halving, else all could have been devoured in a time comparable to its serving.
The Sweetness of the Masala hit first. The Seasoning was moderate to low. Having billed the Spice as being – medium strength – this quite impressed, a modest – kick.
The Lamb was super-soft, minimal chewing required. Decent Meat, but it was not giving anything back in terms of Spice or acquired Flavour. Tomato became evident in terms of Flavour, no skins/seeds were visible, no Whole Spices. There was a Seed in the Rice which I could not identify.
I have had this Curry, in effect, a hundred times. This was what passes for – Curry – across the European continent. Mainstream Curry for the masses, nothing offensive, safe, easy to eat. I know people who would happily devour this.
How I am going to miss the Curry at The India Club.
The Bill
£14.50 Look back to last Monday.
The Aftermath
The Calling Card was given to the waitress, my Curry preferences and travels were duly described. This was just Curry – felt like an appropriate summary.
If the Calling Card was passed up the chain of management, nobody came to talk.
Next Monday’s Curry will be something – very special.
When Dr. Stan sat beside the Hector on Thursday at 
The Order was taken promptly, a Tawa Chapatti (£1.25) would accompany, a jug of tap water would be sufficient liquid. Above Medium – was noted for the level of Spice. Everything was recorded on paper. Pads no more?
For Hector, the – Lamb – section of the menu is a focal point: Methi Gosht and Achari Gosht have been had oft. Kofta Kirahi has yet to be tried. Apart from – Pineapple – I wonder what the difference is between Daal Gosht and Dhansak Gosht. 
With but a threat of Coriander atop, five medium-sized Meatballs sat in the Thickest of Herb-rich Masala mashes. The Oil which would become visible at the base of the karahi was enough to confirm that there had been a Masala at some point. 
The final day of this trip: this means the Hector does not have to have Curry tomorrow, though thoughts of Kofta Palak on Saturday are already looming! In keeping with the name of this Blog, another Manchester Curry had to be squeezed in. 13.20 at 
Today’s Curry, 
Rizwan brought a plateful of the – foliage. The Coriander was back. Was that all I was getting? Emoticon understood. 
This portion had Oil collecting on the edge of the bowl whereas 
The Fish was presented on top of the Rice, and adjacent to the Salad and Raita. Spiced Onions had been squeezed on to the plate also. 
There was still the – foliage – to add.
It was good to have Spiced Onions without the oft used red food colouring. Crunchy, Spicy, this would give additional Texture to the Creation, as would the Salad components. 
From her advantageous viewpoint, Marg saw the arrival of Dr. Stan, his second Curry in three days. Dr. Stan moves in mysterious ways as was
The Hector was still eating, the tail of the Coley and the remaining Masala. It was decided that the Rice which was still white would be abandoned. 
Mags came in. Karahi Lamb on-the-bone and a Chapatti for Mags. This was 
It’s Wednesday in Manchester, the opperchancity to have Bateera (Quail) at 
Arriving at 
An average size, and looking a bit naked without any Salad or Raita, just a snack. I had declined – Sauce – at the counter, the thought of smothering the Samosas did not feel right. Ahead of the game, Marg thoughtfully took the photos of the interior of each Samosa. 
The Meat one was dry with a good flavour of Keema. The Vegetable one was very moist and spicy with potato, peas, plenty vegetables. 
Quails are fiddly, one is not enough, two are surprisingly satisfying. Or, is it the thought that tackling a third would drive one to distraction? The Texture is different from Chicken, at least the Hector is convincing himself that this is a much more Gamey experience, much tastier Meat. 
What appeared to be so little certainly filled the gut. The sorry sight of the skeletons piled on the adjacent plate turned to amusement when one tiny – wishbone – was set aside. And no, we didn’t. 
Only one large table was free, we spread out and waited a considerably long time for the table to be wiped. If there is a fundamental criticism to be made at 
Two kilos, four Naan (£1.00) and Lamb Chops. Some dared to question the Bread order. Knowing what comes, this should be enough. With no Keema Naan on offer, Clive accepted the flow. Water was also ordered, the first of two – two litre bottles – (£3.00) was presented, sneaky. A jug or two would have sufficed. 
The first kilo was placed between Hector, Steve and Maggie. There was that brief moment when we looked at it and wondered, is this actually two kilos? This was a lot of Meat. The second kilo and the Naans, some halved, were placed at the far end of the table. Dr. Stan would be sharing with Clive and Howard. Chef monitored the proceedings. I wonder how often he has had to prepare two kilos simultaneously.
Wow!
Having taken a decent portion, it was back for more. Steve and Hector ensured the karahi was wiped clean. Not much attention was being paid to the action at the other end of the table, too far to tell if Dr. Stan was uttering his usual – Mmmm. 
Howard was as eloquent, as ever:
Reasonably well-fired – was Marg’s verdict. A lot of Meat on the Chops, tasty. 
With the Salad and Raita, Marg had quite a plateful. The fifth Chop was on offer, but 
The Bill
Whilst the payment was being sorted, Chef produced his phone. Hector’s profile on a certain social medium was displayed. We are friends.
We had devoured their afternoon quota of Lamb, time to cook more.
The Company – are mob-handed in Manchester this week. Whilst many will head to 
The usual? – asked Rizwan. This was confirmed, plus Keema Peas (£6.50) and a Chapatti (£1.00) for Marg. Marg’s – usual. Both the Karahi Lamb (£6.50) and the Rice (£2.00) have gone up by 50p since my visit last month. 
The naked Curry had to be dressed. 
When Rice is ordered at 
This was a classic Keema Mutter, no sign of peripheral Oil, and no Masala per se. 
On another visit to our table, Rizwan mentioned a recent article in the Manchester Evening News. The author knew of and had evidently visited all the Northern Quarter Curry Cafes except 
Lalaa is always happy to pose for a photo. I can now reveal that he is in fact – le Chef! Meanwhile, Marg spotted a chap with a proper camera and assumed he was another Blogger. Apparently not, but the Calling Card was handed over anyway.
Another Summertime Saturday in Glasgow, The Glorious Twelfth as it happens. Fear not, the Hector is not off to grab a brace of Grouse, however, if someone knows anywhere in this city serving Baterai/Quail without advance notice, do let me know. Maybe Wednesday, next week in Manchester? 
At 13.50, across the river, Hector found himself once again in Allison Street. As spotted at the start of the week, what was: 
Ready Curry was on display, one stood out (below right). I took this to be their Chicken Curry (£5.00) as advertised on the board. With a presumably Yogurt-rich Masala, this almost looked tempting, OK a fallback, last resort even, if my intended Dish was not yet available. 
I found a menu on the counter, the glorious Namkeen Karahi (£30.00) was only available by the kilo. Marg had nearly joined me today, but knowing what awaits next week, decided otherwise. I shall let her down gently. A half kilo of Lamb Charsi Karahi (£15.00) was what was in mind upon arrival. There was no premium for ordering the ordering the half kilo, customer friendly. 
My choice of seat was to hopefully engage the chaps working and establish how this Shinwari has come about after the demise of the once nearby 
Ten minutes after placing my Order, a young chap brought out the Karahi and Naan, then quickly presented an extra plate for the bones, plus a bottle of chilled water with accompanying glass and napkins. How he got all this on the table in seemingly an instant, did impress. A disturbingly quick Karahi, but if the kitchen is set up to produce this regularly, so be it. It doesn’t take that long 
Sliced in two, the Naan was huge given the price. The Tandoor was within sight of where I sat, but with perforations, the Bread had not been allowed to rise. 
The portion looked to be substantial, but still very much – a portion. How the half kilo is measured has never been defined. The Ginger Strips on top were plentiful, a sprinkling of Coriander sat beneath. The watery residue I have come to associate with – Charsi – was collecting around the edges. The Masala was the distinctive, Tomato based, yet there was not the abundance associated with – Charsi. Not a trace of – pink. 
Around the half way mark, judging by the array of bones on the adjacent plate, I had to re-evaluate my strategy. This – portion – was certainly the half kilo. The Bread was abandoned, I had managed but a third of the Naan. 
not the guy whom I met today. Another case for Hector Holmes who notes that 
With Hector free from kitchen duties this Sunday afternoon, ah well, why not? 
At 13.35, some ladies were queuing for Takeaway, four chaps were sitting in the dining area, awaiting their Order. I stood at the entrance to the dining area waiting to be served. Around six trays of ready-Curry were lined up in the display counter. Aloo Gobi was already in mind, but the words Lamb on-the-bone proved to be seductive. The Chicken Rice would accompany, in effect, two main courses. As ever prices cannot be quoted, is there a board which I keep missing, a menu even? 
Cutlery, napkins and Raita were brought in a flash. My fellow diners appeared to be having Kebap based food. 
The Chicken Rice, a Biryani in effect, came with a Salad garnish. Raita was duly applied, the remainder would be useful if I ended up with Dry Rice. There was a powerful aromatic sense of Spice emanating from the Rice. The two pieces of Chicken, also on-the-bone, would be little more than a distraction. 
The two comparatively huge lumps of Potato gave it away, this was way more than Lamb on-the-bone. I counted the Meat into double figures as I arranged the pieces over the Rice. I retained some of the Shorva for later, Coriander stems were visible here.
Starting with the Rice, there was a big Clove presence. Aromatic indeed, this was Spicy Rice. The Lamb was suitably soft, and having sat in the Spicy Shorva had absorbed its Flavour. This was Desi Cuisine, and why the Hector favours these modest venues over Mainstream Restaurants. Curry Cafes are also more affordable for the frequent diner. 
Imran Khan is in gaol, Donald Trump is not. Meanwhile in Glasgow, the city centre streets are blocked to traffic due to an ongoing international cycling event. With angry skies, Hector’s personal rain cloud looked as menacing as ever. Still no sign of summer, but the un-seasonal, cool temperatures suit the cyclists. 
The shutters were raised. Moiz got to work, standing in the spot where 
It took Moiz twenty five minutes to produce the Karahi and Chapatti. The Wholemeal Chapatti was a welcomed sight, having seen some strange interpretations on my recent travels. A sensible size and with appropriate girth, this would do the job.
No Ginger Strips or sliced Chillies on top today, just a sprinkling of Coriander. The ratio of Masala to Meat was such that here was – Dry – as I am happy to define it. The peripheral Oil was minimal. 
To provide variation, I arranged the Salad remnants on the side of the karahi, Diversity of Texture, I was loving this. If this standard can be maintained, then 
What is becoming the ritual presentation of Green Tea was hailed, and the news given that Moiz had Sparkling Water in his car. Then – The Big News. 
Never mind summer, can we have our city back?
Tonight’s Beef Stroganoff was cancelled when Marg announced that she would be fed elsewhere. Having hardly cooked in recent weeks, the Hector felt the need to get back into the kitchen. There would be Curry-Heute!
A modest slice of Frying Steak was meant to complement a larger slice of Rump, however the latter stayed in the freezer. Leftover Roast Potato, and Hector’s favourite – 
The Oil quickly separated in the karahi, not so attractive if having Bread, today was Rice. The Rice absorbed the Oil, end of. 
With the Meat cut small into double figures, there was enough in theory, but the remaining portion should surely have half, so maybe not. The Steak had cooked perfectly, the thirty minutes plus in the Masala had done enough. I like Mushrooms in Curry, so leaving them in lumps always pleases. The Potatoes were simply 
Apart from the Whole Spice, the plate was cleared. Another lesson learned this evening: the clearing of the plate was only managed because I sat at the dining table. When eating from a tray, the appetite quickly wanes. 