Birthday Treat at The Khyber

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Hector

Tonight was a special night, the Birthday of Hector’s alter ego. Two years ago was my last visit to the Mother India restaurant, a poor night.  Last year was a Home cooked affair with Potatoes that wouldn’t.   Would it be three Catastrophes in a row?  Of course not, a trip to The Khyber Restaurant (221 St Andrews Road, Glasgow, G41 1PD) must impress.

Marg and Hector entered the empty premises just after 18.00.  Is it too early for the masses, or are things not going so well?  A Chap from East Kilbride came in for a Takeaway, an expensive round trip by taxi.  One has to expect to pay a bit more than the norm at The Khyber, the portions are not small, at a half kilo the quantity is guaranteed.

Amjad, our Host had to go out for Sparkling Water, Marg had Green Tea to kick things off, why was she frozen?  The Boti Kebab would pass the time whilst out Mains were prepared.  These succulent and dry Tandoori baked pieces of Lamb are stunning.  One could easily sit and eat this all night, but one would be missing something special.

The Menu was new and more extensive than on the first visits.  The prices may well have increased too.  There was a larger selection of Karahi dishes to choose from.  Marg went for the Lamb Peshawari Karahi (£11.95) which was off-the-bone.

The boldly named (Lamb) Khyber Special Karahi (£13.95) and on-the-bone, was the choice of Hector.  One pays more for less meat, the logic escapes me.

Two Roti and a Basmati Rice were the Accompaniments.  The Khyber does offer more sophisticated Rice dishes but these are clearly meals in their own right.

The wait was significant but expected. It was hoped that the Boti Kebab would come fairly soon and the Mains after the anticipated passage of time, alas the Mains came little more than five minutes after we had finished the wonderful Boti.

The Curry at the Khyber is nothing like that served anywhere else.  Pulped Onion and Tomato is the basis of what could be considered the Masala, however the appearance is more Stew-like.  The flavours emerge slowly.  Normally as one reaches the oilier base of the dish the wow factor has hit, but less so tonight.  There was a consistently pleasant flavour but it did not bring back the outstanding memories of the previous visits.  A different Chef?  Still, the Lamb was magnificent.  Picking pieces up in the Roti and carefully avoiding biting into the bone is part of the fun.  This is still a great dish.

Marg enjoyed her meal but defeated by the volume.   Poor Hector had to sample the alternative Karahi.  The boneless Lamb was tougher but had a greater kick.  Ginger hit the palate; this served on-the-bone could be a better option.

The Bill

£36.00.  £25.00 of this was Curry.  With two Soft Drinks, a Tea and the Accompaniments,  not excessive.  We had eaten very well.

The Aftermath

More customers had arrived, some prepared for the long wait for a Takeaway.

There was a sprint home to watch Man City annoy Sir Alex.

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Glasgow – Shorva at Yadgar

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Hector

After the delights of last evening at the Alba/Asia Network Curry Night, Hector was once again dining alone.  What better than to drop in unannounced at  Yadgar (148  Calder St, Glasgow, G42 7QP) and see what is on offer for Curry-Heute.  The Chicken and Chickpeas looked very tempting but come on, Chicken?  Lamb and Turnip Shorva sounded more of a challenge.  Turnip is a Vegetable Hector chooses not to eat, I find it generally unpleasant.  One has never seen Turnip before in a Curry, this could be the one and only time it is ever eaten.

Naveed took the order along with the customary pair of Chapattis.

I had hardly settled when the meal arrived; one assumes the Chef keeps some of the Daily Specials on the hob.  This was a normal portion of Lamb on-the-bone with the classic thin Shorva Masala.  This makes a fine change from the usual Goshat Karahi, Yadgar’s signature dish.  The Turnip was not a problem.  Wrapped in a bit of Chapatti it was harmless and did not offend the Hector palate.  I might even go as far as saying it was pleasant, one needs a Vegetable.

Shalgam Gosht

The moment I finished my meal the door from the Kitchen opened and Mr Anwar Sr. made an appearance.  How did you like that? – he asked.  I told him it was probably the first time I had eaten Turnip in maybe ten years.  He explained that when Shorva is cooked one cannot just have meat and sauce, a Vegetable is necessary.  Normally this would be Potato but some people ask for Turnip for a change.

Vegetable CurryMr Anwar went into the Kitchen momentarily and returned with a small bowl.  The last time he did this it was a portion of just-cooked Semolina he presented.  Today it was a Vegetable Curry.  I had not seen this at the counter, I probably would not have ordered it anyway, but I shall be asking if it is available in future.  This was a truly wonderful, the full Yadgar flavours were there in this minimalist dish.  Potato (maybe this Tuber should feature in every Curry?), Carrot and Peas – simples.  A side portion of this between two or three people would be ideal.  It may go some way to solving the problem of not ordering the outstanding Vegetable Rice.

Hector has once again been spoilt.  The education continues: Curry without Rice, Turnip, Vegetable Curry.  I hate to admit it but the Tandoori-baked Chicken pieces are starting to look tempting too.

Devastating News

Whilst I was enjoying the delight of the Vegetable Curry, Mr Anwar told me that the Council has plans to renovate this block in Calder St.  They may have to close at an unknown time and for an unknown period.  They already have plans to renovate their premises internally but these have been put on hold until the matter of the exterior is resolved.

The Bill

£8.10.  A hearty feed and a can of juice.

The Aftermath

Hector did not spend the rest of the day alone.

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Alba Asia Network – Sri Lankan Curry Night

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Hector

All You Can Eat Curry Night

In Aid of the Alba Asia Network Fund

Genuine Sri Lankan Home Cooking

Music & Dancing

Well, the first three of the four banner statements was enough to convince Hector that he should be present.  Even the music if traditional, would be a positive feature; perhaps Eleanor’s dance talents could be called upon: Help ma Boab…

This is the third year that Maureen and Graham have been involved in the organisation of this Charity Event.  The Cathcart Bowling Club is an unlikely place to go for Quality Curry but then Crawley has the Lal Akash at The Ram Sports Social Club, so why not?  Extra tables had to be raised on the dance floor, a good sign on two levels.

 

Eleanor also shares Hector’s belief that – Every Day is a Good Day to Eat Curry – so she was up for this collective immediately.  Kirsty came though from the Far East, Kirkcaldy and Anthony was the surprise inclusion.  Steve the Decisive was a last minute additive and had to phone Graham to negotiate his own ticket an hour before kick-off.  He timed this to perfection, tickets were not available at the door as the organisers had to know how many to prepare for.  In the end the eighty expected became one hundred and twenty, no more was Maureen’s instruction.

Anthony and his Harem were in situ as Marg and Hector entered, only then of course did we know that Steve was there to spoil (?) Anthony’s night.   Michael, who has not featured in Curry-Heute before, joined us soon afterwards.  This is the man who lives closest to Yadgar of The Friends of Hector, and has never been.

The Starters were uncomplicated: Pakora, Spring Rolls (or something very close), Onion Chutney and Poppadoms.  It became evident that the presentation of the  Main Courses would be some time.  The Starters kept coming, mustn’t eat more, mustn’t’ eat more, doh….

At 20.40 Hector returned from the bar to find a food queue of forty people.  Good timing.  Eleanor and Anthony were off.  The rest of us save Kirsty joined in.  Was she not eating?  Twenty minutes later the tureens were within our grasp.  A choice of Rice or Noodles, Marg took the noodles Hector had minimal Rice.  The Lamb Curry was the Big Attraction for most of us. The tureen had a single portion left, Michael and I shared it.  Fortunately the Chaps were refilling the tureens and a basin of Lamb straight from the Hob was provided.  Now we have food!

The Devilled Chicken was dry, as good a Chicken dish as I have encountered.  The Mixed Vegetable Curry looked like the genuine Sri Lankan fare Marg and Hector enjoyed on our Honeymoon in – Sri Lanka!  This would have the Coconut and looked the creamiest of all the dishes on offer.  The memories came back, this had a superb kick and at this scale was excellent, however nineteen days of this dish became an endurance by the time we reached Galle.  Two brand new experiences were the next in the array.  The Eggplant Moju looked interesting: Eggplant and Shallots with a simple blend of Spices and Vinegar.  The large slices of Onion and the pulped Aubergine punched above their weight.  The Tempered Potatoes with Onion and Curry Leaves and again a simple blend of Spices, was the final offering.  Hector loves Aloo, this was superb.  I really should order a portion of Potato with my Curry on a regular basis.

The Lamb Curry I have not commented upon, yet.  On taking my seat this was of course the first portion to be sampled.  The Masala was a wonderful Brown colour, not thin by any standard it looked the part.  The Lamb was well cooked – the combination of the two is what makes Curry – this was a very satisfying traditional Lamb Curry.  It did not have the aggression of the Glasgow Curry of the 1960s, there was a smoothness with a decent kick – is there more?

Eventually Kirtsy went up to get a modest plate of food – she brought a bowl of Lamb Curry back with her.  Steve, Michael and I finished this, Anthony and Eleanor went back for their own, Marg had already reached her fill.  Six Stuffed Turkeys and Kirsty.

There was a Raffle

We all bought tickets, Marg won a bottle of wine.  The adjacent table appeared to win half of the available prizes.

The Proceeds

The Friends of Ceylon and The Friends of Vatsalya will be the beneficiaries of this evening’s event.  They support an orphanage in Sri Lanka and India respectively.  Marg and Hector marvelled at the smart appearance of the schoolchildren in Sri Lanka on our visit in 2003.

The Kitchen

The meal was cooked by Suneth and Donna Liyanage.

Hector had to go to the Kitchen and thank the Chaps, it is a Sri Lankan thing.

 

 

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Yadgar, the Takeaway!

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Hector

Marg revealed yesterday that for today’s Birthday Celebrations at the Wendy House, we were to bring over a Curry for the adults.  Once the Hector had been consulted there could be only one possible source of Curry, the magnificent Yadgar (148  Calder St, Glasgow, G42 7QP).  Shkoor, Mein Host was texted last night with an order for 2 Vegetable Pakora, 2 Vegetable Rice, 5 Chapattis, Poppadoms and Onion Chutney and wait for it – One Kilo of Boneless Goshat Karahi (Medium).  The order was received and confirmed in seconds.  Hector had to compromise in intensity of both heat and flavour by having the Boneless version and at a Medium heat rating.

At the eleventh hour, two further diners were to be included, a phone call was necessary to order an extra portion of Curry and a further Plain Rice.

Arriving promptly at the 19.00 rendezvous, I was greeted by Shkoor who announced that there was Good News and Bad News.  I opted for the Bad: they had no more Boneless Lamb; the Good News did not have to be spoken.  A Hector-sized portion of Goshat Karahi on-the-bone was set aside.  Life can be tough.   Shkoor was packing the various Bits and asked if I would be indulging in my other Passion this evening.  Being a weeknight this was not going to be the case.  One cannot have too much pleasure.

Whilst we watched Shkoor and Naveed deal with our order, the seated customers and a steady flow of the others in for a Takeaway, there was time to study the dishes on display under the counter.  The Chicken Legs have never been sampled, temptation. The red and oily Lamb dish looked stunning, I felt like staying. With everything packed, it was time to depart.

The Bill

£45.00.  A customer standing beside us asked if he could come with us.  This is as it should be.

 The Eating

The Hector portion was placed in the oven along with all the Bits to bring it back to a perfect eating temperature.  I had never tasted Yadgar Pakora before, it was not outstanding.  I worry when the Starter impresses excessively, I now what usually follows…  I cursed myself for allowing myself to be distracted by Poppadoms, Pakora, Chutney and Sauces, but it was a Dinner Party.  Nice to be nice.

Four adults had One Kilo of Boneless Goshat Karahi set before them.  Only Marg had witnessed this meal before.  They had never seen such a Curry, it was not Soup.  The majority claimed they would prefer it this way.   The tenderness of the Lamb impressed.  The Kick caused no complaints.  As anticipated, the Vegetable Rice went down well; again the Hosts had never experienced this, another treat.  The Four could not manage the Kilo.  There was Suplus Curry, had Hector misjudged?

Meanwhile Hector was having his second Goshat Karahi in three days.  With Chapatti in hand and some Vegetable Rice on the plate, the Curry was enjoyed to the full.  Four or five pieces of bone were left, all small.  The Hector portion lived up to expectation, and remember this is the highest level there is.

Somehow the Surplus found its way back to Clydebank. Now, who thought this was accidental?

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Yadgar – Unglaublich Curry Geschmeckt!

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Hector

Curry-Heute findet  Hector an, was sein Lieblings-Glasgow-Curryhaus bleibt Yadgar (148  Calder St, Glasgow, G42 7QP ).  Hector hat neigt, Yadgar als ein Pony mit einen Tricks in den letzten Jahren anzusehen, nicht mehr. Ich habe eine Vielzahl von Tellern hier in meinen neuesten Besuchen gegessen. Heutiger Tag ist zurück zu den Wurzeln mit dem berühmten Goshat Karahi als die Mahlzeit der Wahl. Wenn es einen besseren Curry gibt, der in Glasgow gedient wird, habe ich es nicht gefunden.

“Curry-Today Hector turns up, what its favourite Glasgow Curryhaus remains Yadgar (148 Calder St, Glasgow, G42 7QP).  Hector does not have bends, to Yadgar as a pony with one cheats in the last years to regard, any longer. I ate a variety of plates here in my newest visits. Today’s day is back to the roots with the famous Goshat Karahi as the meal of the choice. If there is a better Curry, to which in Glasgow one serves, I did not find it.”

Well that was nonsense, but such is the frivolous mood Hector finds himself in today, why not?  A one-trick-pony indeed.  (Andrew can you help?)  What does Babble-Fish Curry taste like?  Why the poor attempt at Deutsch?  [Stan.TB] and Jonathan are in Köln today, Hector eats alone, again.

Thanks to an unfortunately timed shower between Hector’s House and the Station, I found myself soaking wet in my lower half and most uncomfortable.  Where the Hector Curry Pound would be spent today was still undecided.  What would make me a Happy Old Hector – it had to be the Curry that has consistently provided the greatest pleasure of the past two years – this was the thirtieth visit to Yadgar, a Curry-Heute Milestone.  A text was sent to Mein Host – Goshat Karahi.  I left to the discretion of the restaurant as to whether this would be Boneless or the classic on-the-bone.  Last Saturday I ordered Boneless but was seduced by the Karela Gosht at the last minute.  In recent visits I have been served Methi Gosht.  I have finally broken the chain of being tied to what is the best Curry served in Glasgow and been brave enough to sample the other superb dishes on offer at this humble establishment.  However today it was back to the roots, oh, I’ve written this twice already.

Entering slightly later than estimated due to the unexplained lack of trains to Glasgow Central Low Level, Naveed, the Every Faithful Servant was on the phone.  He acknowledged me and I took my seat.  Young Ahmed appeared and offered Poppadoms, Chutney, Starters, these were all declined.  Two Chapattis would be sufficient accompaniment.

Mr Arshad, currently the Head Chef, appeared with his lunch and sat at the adjacent table, he acknowledged me too.  A third customer sat alone awaiting his feast.  In a few minutes there was the comical sight of three Chaps all sitting alone, facing in the same direction towards the window, and not a word being said.  When the Curry is this good, one becomes speechless.

The on-the-bone version of Goshat Karahi packs an incredible amount of flavour into one dish.  Seasoned to perfection to bring out the full flavours of the Herbs and Spices, there was a kick too.  How to balance this kick and not spoil the flavour is the mark of genius.  The quantity was also most generous.  Hector was half expecting Shkoor to appear through his Magic Trap Door halfway through my meal, I did receive a text to check all was well.  The kitchen had been instructed to prepare a Hector sized portion.  If this is the case, how can I ever dine here in company again?  Well, ordering the full Kilo between two tends to guarantee absolute satisfaction.  No problem today, this was as much as I could comfortably consume.  The sheer pleasure of every morsel has to be noted, again.

I was left with four small pieces of bone.

The Bill

£9.85.   This included one soft drink.

The Aftermath

The Lonesome Three were progressively replaced by an impressive gathering.  By the time I departed, eight people were sitting with a Kilo of Goshat Karahi.  Perhaps some were there to spectate?

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Akbar’s – The Taste of Bradford – In Glasgow!

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Hector

Akbar’s (573–581 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G3 7PQ) has been hit and miss in Hector’s previous four visits, this evening’s visit was very much the decider.

Arriving at 17.10 I found many people already ensconced in the ritual eating of Curry.  So did they only open at 17.00 today?  I give up.  Hang on, their website says 17.00 during the week, 16.30 on a Friday, 16.00 on a Saturday and 14.00 on a Sunday.  Why not 2pm everyday?

Hector was recognised and sat at a table for four, the rest of the settings were quickly cleared away, space.  The Maitre d’ asked where I had been for the last few weeks.  My last visit was some six weeks ago, and I thought the temptation of Bradford Curry would have had me semi resident by now.  I replied that there are other places to eat, I could have added other cities, even other countries but that would have been churlish.

The ridiculously large Laminated Menu was offered, I knew what I was having – the fated Roshan Lal.  Tandoori Roti at 95p each caught the eye, these instead of the standard Chapattis, I thought.

It was the third waiter encountered today who took the order, he had failed to do so on my first visit so by now he must have settled.  I made it clear I wished my dish In The Asian Style as the proprietor Shabir Hussain himself has instructed the Hector to do.  ‘Do you want it Spicy?’ was the reply… ‘In The Asian Style please, I don’t want Soup!’ He glanced at his watch and informed me that the order would be fifteen minutes.  This is five less than on my first visits, either it was quieter or they are getting their act together as a whole. ‘No, I don’t want Poppadoms.’

The Complimentary Salad appeared in no time at all, presented as ever by a Chef.  I knew this signalled the imminent arrival of the meal. Toys away.

The second waiter brought the food, three more waiters would stop and ask me how I was enjoying it.  This is a wearing feature of Akbar’s, the place feels over-staffed and the courtesy could be more subtle.

Now for the positive

I use the term dry frequently in this Blog.  Bradford Curry redefines the term.  I know for a fact how hard the Chefs have to work to remove the surface Ghee. With the Masala at an absolute minimum this Curry looks exactly how it would be served at International, Sheesh Mahal Kashmir et al in Bradford. And as for the flavours… how do they achieve this?  The Bradford Curry Taste is so distinctive one could pick this out of a hundred Curry dishes.  That it happens to be my absolute favourite should go some way to relating just how much ecstasy Hector was experiencing.  This must now put Akbar’s in the top half dozen Curry Houses in Glasgow.  This is sheer pleasure.

The Lamb was cut small, possibly even smaller than in previous visits, approaching the Kashmir minute cuts.  Tender of course, and so much of it.  This would last a long time.

The Tandoori Roti were a hoot.  I was not expecting two such large offerings.  I wondered how I would eat both.  The first was hot and soft-ish and was soon devoured with one third of the Lamb. However it did turn crispy quite quickly.  Next time one Chapatti, one Roti, and no plate. The Salad remained untouched.

Hector’s capacity would be sated, this was very apparent before the second Roti was started.  It took mental gymnastics to match the remaining Lamb to the most edible parts of the Roti.  This was fun.  I had realised by now that I had cocked up the order – I had forgotten to exclude the Capsicum.  The pieces started to emerge in the Karahi, this actually aided my ability to finish the Lamb.

The Roshan Lal, In The Asian Style is one hell of a dish.  How many more will I have before I feel I can risk trying the Lamb Karahi?

The waiter who removed the debris, yes another one, was from Bradford. He insisted that the venue under the taxi office next door to the Sheesh Mahal – Westgate – is his favourite Bradford Curry House.  Perhaps my Bradford friends will check this out?  How could I go there when the Sheesh Mahal is open?

The Bill

£13.85.  At £2.00 for the Sparkling Water this leaves a fair price for the excellent Curry and Roti.  Paying at the desk I think I had now been dealt with by possibly eight staff members.

The Aftermath

As I marched along Sauchiehall St I passed three venues with people on the pavement handing out discount vouchers, up to 50% at one place.  Why not just drop your prices and improve the quality of  your food?  There are now five Curry Houses around one block west of Charing Cross serving some of the highest of quality Curry served in Glasgow.  It is ironic that later in the Bon Accord I got chatting to a group who had just been to the Koh i Noor, why?

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Karela Gosht at Yadgar!

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Hector

Curry-Heute at Yadgar (148 Calder St, Govanhill, Glasgow, G42 7QP) was not in mind  until Robin changed the Post-Curry rendezvous whilst Hector was in transit.  The restaurant was phoned and a portion of the legendary Goshat Karahi was organised, this would be ready some ten minutes after my arrival.

On entering I acknowledged The Ever Faithful Servant behind the counter and took my seat, by now I should know his name.  Shkoor, Mein Host appeared through his magic trap-door and looked in surprise at the solitary Hector.  ‘Boneless?’ he asked.   ‘I feel like a change.’    The reality was: the superb Goat Curry I had last evening at the Punjabi Charing Cross had simply whetted my appetite for a really good feed; I knew that a Boneless Goshat Karahi would achieve this goal.

Shkoor  informed me that they had Karela Gosht on-the-bone – ready, how could the Hector resist?  I then declined the offer of Poppadoms and Chutney, a small Brunch with Marg had been consumed earlier.

As ever Shkoor took time to listen to my travels in the last ten days, he has come to realise that the sign of a good Holiday Destination is how good is the Bier and the Curry?  Poor Chap, doesn’t get out much.

Behold the Karela Gosht!

The Karela had been cut almost in rectangles rather than the automatic  way this Bitter Vegetable suggest – cutting thin slices as one would an Onion.  This made it very apparent in the dish.  The Lamb looked wonderful and what’s more, there was plenty of it. The ritual Dip almost had the Hector gasp – this was going to be yet another first class Yadgar experience.  The Curry at Yadgar is always very good – to excellent.  Sometimes it is off the scale, today was such a day.

I had to stop and take notes of exactly what I was eating: the Karela I have covered, the Onion was cut in larger slices than the norm.  The conclusion was that the Bitterness of the Karela was balanced by the slight Sweetness of the Onion.  Meanwhile the Herbs and Spices in the Masala were working their magic.  As for the Lamb, this must go down as one the best platefuls of Lamb ever set before the Hector.  I had been given a portion of Lamb on-the-bone, the Bone content numbered two – all the flavour from the Marrow, none of the debris.  And as for the tenderness, the flavour, as is written: off the scale.

More Chapattis were offered but declined.  The Chapattis served at Yadgar are as one would expect the larger, thicker and filling ones that cost half the price of the nonsense served in the majority of outlets.  I ate my fill, mission accomplished, and more.

The Bill

Money did change hands.

The Aftermath

The Ever Faithful Servant had by now sat at the adjacent table and was tucking into his lunch.  He had chosen a Shorba style Curry.  Why? – when  surely even better alternatives are available? The conversation with Shkoor moved from the dining room to the counter.  I commented on the number of Asians who come to Yadgar and order Pizza and Chips.  Their treat, I am told.  We went on to discuss the quality of food served in India/Pakistan – I could well be disappointed by the lack of quality meat, or even its availability.

The locals get to choose every day whether to eat the wonderful food served at Yadgar or not, is there a tone of resentment in this commentary?  Hector was born in the South-Side but removed at an early age. I ask the same question once again: why is the place not queued around the corner 24/7?  But if it was, the Hector would still not be happy.

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7 Goat to the Punjabi Bock Fest

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Hector

Mr Holden is in town, our very own Bradford Curry Guru who searches for new Meats and had Hector try to eat Liver at the Sheesh Mahal (Bradford) earlier this year, and disgracefully ate Sheep’s Brains one night  at the same venue last summer.

With Hector abroad discovering a new venue in Zell (Mosel) yesterday I was not in town for the Chaps visit to Yadgar.  I am assured the food was infinitely better than their behaviour…

The Punjabi Charing Cross (157-159 North Street, Glasgow, G3 7DA) was agreed upon as the venue for this evening’s outing of The Friends of Hector; the promise of Goat Curry had Mr Holden excited.  Lady Yvonne emailed during the week when she discovered that Goat Curry was to be the dish of the day.  Mr Boyd cancelled a trip at the last minute; Marg arrived a few minutes before Jonathan, both slightly late. [Stan.TB] lived up to his new moniker and had Mr Holden walk to Charing Cross from Partick Cross.

The order was six Goat Gurmeet, created by the hands of our should-be Celebrity Chef, Mr Gurmeet.  It is the Curry Awards season again. Marg, who prefers her meat off-the-bone and was abhorred when I cooked Goat some years ago, selected the safer South Indian Garlic Chilli.

Twelve Chapattis were the accompaniments, Mr Boyd ordered Rice.  This apparently was the cause of the Stooshie at Yadgar yesterday, who eats Rice with such a quality meal as this, Mr Boyd!

The Complementary Poppadoms and Onion Chutney were brought to the table as we took our seats.

Having phoned in the order the previous evening from Bus Stop 10 at Edinburgh Airport, (how’s this for unnecessary detail?), Hector was becoming a bit fidgety when after forty-five minutes the main meals had not arrived. Patience, Dear Chap.

Last time Hector found the Goat to be a bit chewier than the customary Lamb/Mutton.  The Chaps had been warned.  There was no need; the Goat was cooked to perfection.  The Masala was thick and rich with the flavours erupting on the tongue.  There was very little conversation, there was no need, we know what we like and we had just been given it.  The Chaps were happy.

Hari appeared with a Complementary plate of Karela, a new experience for Our Man from Bradford. There was a spoonful for each of us.  A dry, salty Vegetable, a welcome addition and the Punjabi Charing Cross may well be the only place in the country which produces this cooked in the traditional manner.  Thank you, Hari.

But then…

There was one criticism, the event was over too quickly.  The portion size was more akin to The Village than the Feast we have become used to at the Punjabi.  We all felt we could have eaten more, and given that every Karahi was wiped clean this was the proof. If the Goat Meat is dearer, then please charge us more and maintain the portion size..

Meanwhile at the Ladies end of the table

Lady Yvonne was not into eating with her dainty fingers.  A knife and fork with Goat on-the-bone means much will be leftover.  Despite the fact that Mr Holden was not sitting in my line of sight, I knew that the bones were visible to both of us.  We did the decent thing…

Meanwhile Marg had consumed her South Indian Garlic Chilli and expressed her pleasure at the dish but she too made a clinical observation: ‘It was just Lamb and Sauce, and there was not enough of it.’  Marg’s dish is what Mr Holden and Hector refer to as Soup.  It is what we try to avoid at all costs, and after our recent European Experiments I am surprised that Marg was not more adventurous.  Without an Interesting Vegetable then sadly this is all this style of Curry can ever be.  A shared Vegetable Rice would have enhanced the meal.  (But not today in the presence of Mr Boyd.)  as for the quantity, it is unusual for Marg to eat the lot, this was achieved.

Hector was permitted a Dip of Marg’s Masala, too sweet, too red, and too oily for my liking = Soup!  But, Hector had just eaten a superb Curry prepared in exactly the way he seeks.

The Bill

£89.90.  Would you believe one Lady had a Glass of Wine? It must be Friday.

The Aftermath

Mr Holden introduced himself to Hari and described the Curry of Bradford. The Restaurateurs may not believe that I knew Bradford Curry before I met Mr Holden. We know what we like but continually strive to discover more.

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The Taj Mahal – Zell (Mosel)

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Hector

This is only the third time I have made a Curry-Heute posting without having tried the Curry first, but once more a Curry Haus in a special location has to be reported.

Until today I did not know of the existence of the Taj Mahal (Balduinstrasse 46, 56856, Zell, Tel: 0049 6542 962465), it does not show up on Mr Google.  It was on a whim that we went to Zell today just to pass the time before our flight home.

Open at lunchtime it will certainly be visited in Oktober when The Chaps return.

Mein Host was happy to chat and mentioned the fact that he gets many visitors from ‘England’.  Bernkastel-Kues is his nearest competitor, so at least it is now known that there are two outlets on the Mosel, then of course more down at Koblenz where the Mosel joins the Rhein at Deutsches-Ecke.

Update

When phoned in October 2014, there was no reply.

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Saarbrücken – Star of India

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Hector

Saarbrücken is on the western edge of Deutschland bordering France, it has been French twice in the past.  With only one Curry House there was no choice.  Star of India (Johanisstrasse 17, Nauwieser Viertel, 66111, Saarbrücken) it was then.  Arriving in the city at lunchtime I phoned to see if they were open, in this way we could subsequently enjoy dinner at one of two possible Bier Houses, alas the answering machine said otherwise.  With the rain relentless we set off to introduce ourselves to  Saarbrücken and located  Star of India half a block from the Rathaus, we would return.

There was about a dozen customers as we entered around 19.30, a group of young girls were just finishing.  The German waiter approached and I decided not to speak anything but English this evening.  Curry Menus are written in a language we all understand so no need to translate.  However the Lamm dishes were  – ohne Knochen – so I did have to look up to see what I was missing.   Do you have any Lamb dished on-the-bone? I then asked.  I was shown the Tandoori section of the Menu.

This left a plain Lamm Curry or Mutton Saag.  It had to be the Spinach.  Marg felt like Chicken tonight and went for Chicken Ginger.  Boiled Basmati Rice was inclusive which is just as well as the starting prices were a bit steep.  A Knoblauch-Naan had to be ordered just for the fun of saying it.

Bottled Franziskaner Hefe Wiezen was available at a decent price, indeed the only Asian on the premises who was probably the owner sat with his friend sharing one.  I stuck to my standard pattern and ordered Sparkling Water at a hefty €5.50 for a 0.7l bottle.  This was then served in a Jug so I had no way of knowing if this came from a supermarket 2l bottle.  Marg’s Apfelschorle was also more expensive than the Bier.

Two Poppadoms were presented, the wonderful German ones with the Cumin Seeds, very tasty.  The Pickle on the table was very tart, impressive so far.

By now our waiter had established our origins.  He assured us that he would be serving North-West Indian Curry and not German Curry.  Expectation levels were increasing.  He described  Saarbrücken as not being the most attractive of places but insisted that the people were friendly.  The classic industrial heritage.

The Rice and Nan arrived first, once again there was enough Rice to feed four people.  There was nothing to show that the Nan had ever been introduced to Garlic, it was also thinner and more crispy than one would hope for.  The Curry was brought in a complex pair of candle-heated stands.  This looked the part, but what exactly were we being served?

Marg’s Chicken Ginger was set down first. 

Ginger Chicken

High on its promontory I could see nothing but the thinnest of Masala which could only mean Shorva. At least there was enough Rice to soak this up.  Marg described her meal as tangy, she also marvelled at how the Chicken pieces stayed together until she decided to cut them, a sure sign that this was Halal Chicken.

There was a copious quantity of Fresh Ginger and slivers of Onion, but one could only deduce that no Onion had been hurt in the making of the Masala.  Marg enjoyed her meal.

Mutton Saag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mutton Saag was dark with Spinach and looked totally different to the Soup that Marg had been given.  The Lamb and the Spinach made a massive mound in the dish, the portion was going to be a challenge.  At the base of the dish was a little of the thin Masala that could well have come from the same pot as the Chicken Ginger.  So, a Curry with no Onion at all?  This would be different.

In the time honoured manner I dipped a piece of the crispy-ish Nan into the Masala, there was a pleasant flavour and a definite kick.  The Lamb was tender but the Spices had not permeated the meat.  Then there was the mass of Spinach, lots of it.  I know from my own Palak Gosht recipe that Spinach should be cooked separately in its own prepared Spice and Herbs and then added to the Meat base.  I stopped doing this some time ago, I prefer the two to be in each other’s company a lot longer. The meal was well seasoned and with the kick was certainly not bland.   I kept hoping for more flavours, but none emerged.  Even the Spinach should have assaulted the taste-buds, but no.

The Bill

€39.50.  €9.50 of this was the two soft drinks.

The Aftermath

Our waiter was charming.  He was interested enough to ask what the Indian population was in Scotland.  Of course Pakistani and Bangladeshi was the answer. (Apologies to the minority in Scotland who are of Indian descent.)  He had never been to Scotland, on a day like today, he would feel at home.  We left, the rain continued…

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