München – Indian Mango, by request

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Hector

Today was not a question of if, but when. The Friends of Hector were unanimous that there would be a return trip to Indian Mango (Zweibruckenstrasse 18, 80331, München). We spent the latter part of the afternoon sampling the Spaten Oktoberfestbier then jumped on the S Bahn down to Isartor. The young Doris and Bert were there once more to greet us.

Sitting at the same table as Tuesday, we were one Juliet and Steve less, but had gained a ?Stan!

Hector knew that having had the Fisch Chettinad on the last visit, the Lamb version was called for this time. ?Stan! went for the Fisch version whilst Craig and Howard ordered the straight Fisch Curry. Yvonne chose the Mutton Masala Madras.

Poppadoms were ordered at €1 each. No comment. Two Garlic Nan were ordered for Howard and Hector, we were hungry.

The wait tonight was nowhere near as long as at the start of the week. There was a worrying moment when the plates arrived, the Rice was set before us and then nothing. Frustration is the thought that the Curry is sitting somewhere getting cold.

Before I attempt to praise the Curry let me point out the major disappointment of the evening. The Nan was little more than a slightly thicker Chapatti. There was no evidence of Garlic either. Now we know.

Craig has now described Mango as his favourite Curry House, I believe he means anywhere! Howard also thoroughly enjoyed this Fish dish. ?Stan! was hardly likely to be exuberant but was surprisingly full of praise. Yvonne loved her Lamb Madras.

Hector’s Curry was once again at the very highest level. The Lamb was plentiful and tender. The Masala has its own distinctive Indian Mango flavour. The Chettinad grit of chopped fresh Vegetables is something I know I shall attempt soon in my own cooking.

The plates were spotless when they were collected. Had we licked the plates we could not have made them any cleaner.

 The Bill

 €67.85. The two Chettinads are significantly dearer than the dishes from the main menu. They are worth every cent.

The Aftermath

 Our compliments were sent to the two young Chefs whom we now know are twin brothers, nice.

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Sur Mandir; a Salted again in Erlangen

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Hector

DB were in a more efficient mode today. The twenty three minute journey from Bamberg to Erlangen took twenty two minutes. Hector was tempted to return to the impressive Curry House, but there must be more to the Erlangen Curry scene than this. There are a disproportionate number of outlets for this size of town. And when one considers the number of Curry Houses in Nurnberg just another fifteen minutes away, one has to speculate as to why this part of Frankonia is blessed with so many Curry outlets.

With Google Maps on display, the rather un-trusted HTC would provide the necessary navigation. Two venues were close together, this doubled the opperchanity of a lunchtime feed. Sur Mandir (Luitpold Strasse 18, Erlangen) revealed itself first. I would have described the address as being on Bismarckstrasse myself.

The rain of two days ago had been consigned to history, the brilliant sun, low in the sky, had made the reactive lenses fully functional. I entered Sur Mandir and saw Mein Host sitting directly in front of me. I could see little else. The dim electric lights, the shades drawn and the unlit candles added to my visual impairment. I sat at the first table and was given a menu. I could not read it. Removing the glasses made life slightly better, the candle was lit, Hector can see.

The Mutton Handi was the clearly lunch of champions. I had understood that the house operated a Spice rating based on the level of the Complimentary Poppadom, I don’t understand. Madras? Mein Host suggested. By now any attempt at Deutsch had dissipated, his English was on a par with mine.

The Poppadom was Spicy, it is also the Saltiest Poppadom I have ever tasted. I ate only half of it.

Little more than ten minutes had passed when the Bits started to arrive. A candle heater was laid before me and lit. The meat bowl containing a very Red Curry was placed on top. Enough Basmati Rice for two was presented along with a Side Salad.

The redness of the Masala had me worried, in fact the pulped Tomato content of the Masala had added to this, it was not all food colouring. The Masala was once again of the old fashioned, not Soup, but not runny consistency. Three Black Cardamom pods were separated from the edible part of the Curry.

The Masala was hot, really hot. I know someone who would have died instantly had this been set before him. The Salt content was again noticeable. Perhaps the Karrah effect worked well. There were flavours emanating from the Masala despite the heat. The Lamb was tender, at times I speculated as to how long the Meat and the Masala had been in each others company.

About one third of the Rice ended up on my plate. This was a waste. I did not know how anyone could have eaten all this. As for the Side Salad, I am sure the next customer must have enjoyed it.

The Bill

€16.00 This  included a glass of Sparkling Water. This was approximately twice the price of the Curry House. As I paid I offered my Calling Card. Not for the first time, the mention of Website had the recipient thinking I was trying to sell the business a Website. I have been here twenty years, in fact twenty years last week, without a computer. – Hector was told.

The Aftermath

This was a Curry I shall probably not forget. I was back at the Bahnhof in good time to catch the S Bahn to Buttenheim where ?Stan! awaited. Meantime Howard was wandering around Erlangen trying to find the Kitzmann Brewery Tap, how Hector’s priorities have changed.

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The Curry House in Erlangen

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Hector

Having eaten the worst Curry-Heute in Bamberg at this time last year there was no way I would return to the Swarg. It is a short hop with a Bayern Ticket to Erlangen which boasts five Curry Houses, at least. DB are not having a good day today, well they did excel yesterday (cf Bier-Traveller). Everything is running twenty minutes late. So much much for my planned 13.00 rendezvous at Schlenkerla.

Hector finds a Curry House in a new town

I have never been to Erlangen before today. There are a couple of Breweries (Kitzmann) here, but somehow Forchheim and Nurnberg always win. Nearest to the Bahnhof and most importantly open, lies the Curry House (Helmstrasse 11, 91054, Erlangen). This is in essence a Fast Food Indian Cafe. They advertise that they are open every day from 11.00 until midnight, perfect.

Having selected my table I realised it was approaching self-service. I glanced at the Board and then focused on the array of Curry dishes behind the counter. The Mutton was a stand out. I paid my €8.90 to the young Lady and the Chap started to spoon a very generous helping on to the plate. As is customary in Deutschland, the other half the large plate was covered in Boiled Basmati and then topped with a quarter Poppadom.

I took my seat and got tore in.

Karrah!

This is the Saltiest Curry I have ever eaten. ?Stan! would love it. Where was this place back in the old days when I used to cover my food in Salt? The Masala was a typical old fashioned, quite runny, Sauce, but the pedigree was there. I felt as if I had travelled back in time. This was going to be superb.

Eating this early in the day is quite an achievement for Hector. To eat this quantity was nothing short of miraculous. I counted the pieces of Mutton once I was halfway through the meal. I still had six large pieces of Mutton to go. It would be touch and go. The Lamb was so Tender, the Meat and the Masala were not strangers on the plate. This Curry had been cooked properly, the pleasure was all mine.

The Bill

€8.90, were you not paying attention?

The Aftermath

There was little time for discussion. There were five diners present when I entered, this figure had doubled when I left. I took my plate back to the counter and handed over my Calling Card to the Chef. I made positive noises in Deutsch and my Card was passed to the Fraulein who pinned it to the wall. We shall see.

The Menu is limited but covers the main array of expected dishes including Butter Chicken, so Marg will be brought here next time she comes to Bamberg. There is also a Mutton Spinach dish which will be the next Curry of choice, yes Hector will definitely return, this place can make Curry!

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München – Indian Mango is open, it was wonderful!

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Hector

The approach to Indian Mango (Zweibrückenstr. 15, 80331, München)   was tinged with a slight nervousness. John had reported the place shut on his two attempts at securing what could be the finest Curry House in Deutschland, earlier this year. Hector had phoned, no reply. Hector had emailed Mr. Jolly, no reply. The lights were on, we were in business.

There were two young waiters this time and the Chefs also looked different, they are very young too.  19.40 was Hector and Howard’s ETA from a swift visit to the Forschung Brauhaus. Craig, Yvonne, Juliet and Steve – the man who discovered Mango, were all due imminently. Howard and Hector had soft drinks whilst we waited. This wonderful Curry House does sell Bier, but we were here for the Curry.

The Spezial’s Board was gone, in its place was a laminated additional menu. The Fisch Chettinad would be Hector’s meal of choice. This was from the Spezial menu and at €14.90, not a cheap option. Howard had the Fish from the normal menu as did Craig. Steve opted for the Lamb Vindaloo, Yvonne the Bhindi Gosht, and Juliet the Chicken Jalfrezi. (Chicken!?) Two Roti and a Nan were also ordered.

The wait was considerable, were they waiting for the Fish Eggs to hatch? When the dishes finally appeared it was the Rice Bowls which were presented first. This is a departure from our normal Mango experience where Curry and Rice are served on the plate together. The quantities of Rice were copious, indeed we amassed an extra bowl.

The Fisch Chettinad at Mango is indeed one of Hector’s all time favourite Curry experiences. The Masala and the Fisch are as one, not dry but certainly not Soup. The flavours are exquisite and the Coriander stems give a slight gritty texture. Howard and Craig, the other two Fish eaters were also marvelling at their meal, but Hector knew his was Spezial…

Yvonne learned tonight that Bhindi is in fact Okra. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience and discovered that Okra could minimally is very pleasant, not the slime she usually is presented with when Hector reheats the vast Curry Pot at a Barrel Party. Steve and Juliet also enthused about their respective Curries. This is a very special place. If there is a better Curry Haus in Munchen, please tell us where.

The Bill

€79.90. Between the six of us this was perhaps dearer than we would pay for the equivalent at home, but then Sterling has gone down the pan. They could charge what they like at Indian Mango, I would still pay it.

The Aftermath

I gave my calling card to the young Doris who informed us that Mr Jolly was due on the premises any minute. Our shared enthusiasm for this venue was related. We could not hang about, the Festbier was calling.

There must be another visit to Mango on this trip – Saturday!

Posted in [Indian Mango] | 1 Comment

The Mother of Hector visits Yadgar!

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Hector

Hector finds himself on vacation one week sooner than the rest of the teaching fraternity in the West of Scotland.  Marg decreed it was time to take Mother out for a Curry-Heute.  The Mother of Hector could claim that Yadgar (148  Calder St, Glasgow, G42 7QP )  is her local Curry House, if the grill joint on Aikenhead Rd is dismissed.

High Noon

Shkoor was forewarned of the impending moment, 1kg of Goshat Karahi (boneless) was ordered in advance along with two Veggie Rice and three Chapattis.  High Noon was in fact to be 18.00.

Road Report #1

Marg, Hector and the Mother of Hector entered Yadgar at precisely the agreed moment.  En route, the new Polmadie exit to the M74 was attempted for the first time.  Who has put a sign for Polmadie to the right, and Oatlands to the left at the end of the slipway?  The Polmadie route takes you to Govanhill.   Useless!

The venue was a bit on the chilly side, coats were kept on until we had acclimatised  The Complementary Onion Chutney and Popadoms appeared soon after we had taken our seats.  The Mother of Hector demanded Mango Chutney, Hector made it so.  Two Mango Lassis were ordered for the ladies, Hector had  his now usual Rubicon Mango fizz.

Shkoor appeared from nowhere, how does he do this?  He must have a hideyhole on the premises.  The wonderful Karahi was brought to the table.  The two Veggie Rice were already in situ.  The Chapattis completed the array, it was time to feast.

Tonight’s Goshat Karahi looked the part, the Masala was minimal.  Even more Mango Chutney was ordered to appease the Mother of Hector, she finally started to eat the wonderful Curry set before her.

Marg instantly declared it was too hot for her.  Hector announced that this Curry had to be up to the standards expected by The Mother of Hector.  There were no complaints from our guest, who simply got stuck in.  When she spooned even more from the generous Karahi, I knew she was enjoying the finest Curry served in Glasgow.  Did she make any positive comment?… of course not, we Hectors are made of sterner stuff.

Hector can declare that this is the best Curry he has had here in some visits, so this must have made it outstanding.  Eventually there were positive pronouncements from the Lady.

Shkoor appeared once more during the meal to ensure all was well.  Marg took the opportunity to order another Lassi, what a mistake.  Shkoor, the gentleman, was in full charm mode.  I introduced the Lady who had force-fed, sorry, strongly encouraged, Hector to eat Curry form a very early age.  The Mother of Hector will probably remember Shkoor to her cronies more than the taste of the Curry.   She has a wee Take-Away for luch tomorrow.

The Mother of Hector has stated that she will return to Yadgar!

The Bill

 £29.90.  In his most magnanimous mood, Shkoor had waved the cost of the drinks.  Between three, this is tremendous value.  The gesture is always appreciated.

The Aftermath

On our exit I spotted the Tripe Curry, it looks enticing.  Perhaps when Mr Holden next appears in Glasgow we may sample it?

Road Report #2

The cones at the north end of Aikenhead Rd are very confusing.  No, I did not hit any!  In the dark, Hector found himself on the wrong side of the road at the traffic lights.  Unperturbed he crossed back over.  I have driven this road for nearly forty years, why am I confused now?

Tomorrow, München!

Posted in Yadgar Kebab House | 1 Comment

Mama’s Rasoi, a new Glasgow Curry Cafe

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Hector

It was Eleanor,  a historian, who informed Hector of the existence and the location of Mama’s Rasoi (82 Howard St, Glasgow, G1 4EE).  Let the Geographer describe it as being on the wrong side of the tracks; outside the St Enoch’s Centre, but on the south side.  This is a part of the city which people traverse by bus or when queuing to access the St Enoch’s car park.  Few people actually walk along Howard St.  It was no surprise to find a staff member handing out flyers to the few who did emerge from the St Enoch’s Centre on the wrong side.

The last time Hector entered these premises it was a rather excellent vegetarian café/restaurant.  It has changed hands many times over the years so I wish these guys good luck.  Glasgow needs more Curry Cafes, and a centrally placed one like this will give a kick up the proverbial to the overpriced, table-clothed, staid venues.

There were a handful of diners as Hector entered shortly after 14.00.  The bright yellow laminated menu caters for all tastes Curry or not.  As Mama’s Rasoi  opens at 08.00, they serve British breakfasts, I wonder if anyone has ever asked for Curry this early.  On my Sri Lankan trip, even I could not eat Curry for breakfast.

It was Jack, the front of house partner who served me.  I knew this because I had time to access their website and discover more about Mama’s Rasoi.  The Chef JD once cooked for the Indian Prime Minister.  So this is an Indian Café then.  Jack sounded as Indian as I do.

There were four Lamb dishes on offer, all priced under £5.  The Lamb Desi Curry seemed a logical place to establish what this place can do.  Chapattis felt like the perfect accompaniment, Jack suggested I have Tandoori Chapattis, so I did.  This was a good recommendation, they were excellent.

The Curry did not take too long to arrive.  My initial reaction was one of major disappointment – a plate of Soup. Hector prefers a thick Masala.  I could have gone for the Bhoona, but the website menu suggested Peppers. The Lamb pieces were cut quite small, there was not that many of them.  I suppose at £4.95 this is more of a Tapas portion.  The bottom of the pot revealed a thicker Masala, and the flavour of the classic Indian curry/mustard leaf infusion.  This dish was much better than I originally thought.  The aforementioned Chapattis were the perfect accompaniment.

Hector the Inspector

Jack had spotted me taking the photos.  He asked if I was a tourist.  I told him I would tell him more after I had eaten.  And so Jack and I chatted for some minutes, I gave him the calling card and showed him the website.  I wonder if Jack’s spontaneous nomenclature will catch on.

The Bill

£7.90.  This included a half litre bottle of Sparkling Mineral water.  I felt I had eaten enough.

The Aftermath

Having spotted Palak Paneer on the menu, I know someone who may make a beeline to Mama’s Rasoi.

For a quick snack this place is good value, I hope they get the foot fall.  It is only a few steps from the Hootenanny, what sort of name is this?

The Take Away Menu

 The Take Away Menu is much more extensive than what is on offer in the Café.  With prices typically around the £8 mark, one assumes that these will be full portions.  Lamb Kofta Achari sounds appealing.  There is a Chicken Chettinad but no Lamb version apparently.  The Fish menu also looks enticing.

A Question

The question has to be asked: why have such an extensive Take Away Menu and such a minimalist in House Menu?

Posted in [Daawat / Mama's Rasoi] | 1 Comment

Hector’s Thirty Years Celebration at Cafe Salma

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Hector

The last two solo visits to Café Salma (523 Sauchiehall St, Charing X, Glasgow G3 7PQ) were the build up to this splendid evening.  It was announced earlier this year that possibly the finest Independent School in the West of Scotland would honour Hector’s thirty years of service with a commemorative dinner.  Al, the Depute was put in charge but it was simpler for Hector to do  all the organisation.

Café Salma was chosen not just for the outstanding quality of the Curry but the fact that the downstairs venue could be taken over.  We could have a private meal in a public place.  The ambience downstairs is perfect and as the guests arrived they were thoroughly impressed.  This was a significant breakaway from the usual Helensburgh hotels where such events would normally be held.

From our earliest visits to Café Salma we always enjoyed the atmosphere set by the staff wearing African dress to highlight that this is also a Moroccan restaurant.  ‘One day we will come here and wear our own costumes.’ I remarked to Marg some time back.  Tonight seemed a perfect opperchancity, it brought a smile to everyone’s face as the emerged from the foot of the stairs into the main room.

With last minute call offs and two late additions, Hassan did well to cope with the order.  Last week he was given each person’s order and it was agreed that we would spilt ourselves into three tables and each would be served in turn.

Some were early, some were late, and we were all sat and tucked into the complimentary Poppadoms and Chutneys by 18.50.  Marg, sitting at The Friend’s of Hector’s table was served first.  The table entitled La Maison de Toutou was next and finally Hector’s Table complete with past and present colleagues.  We were thirty-one diners in all.  Quite a logistical task and far removed from the normal choice of three Starters or three main courses served at a hotel function.

I had recommended the Prawn Puri to quite a few colleagues as they had never tried one before, this went down well.  The freshness of the Pakora was remarked upon.  Hector had Kofta Palak as a Starter, this was brave as I did not know how near a full portion I would receive, it was the full portion which came and I managed to suggest that others try this magnificent creation.

The Lamb Lahori Karahi IMHO is the signature dish of Café Salma.  This was the main dish ordered by those who know their Curry.  Some who actually like Capsicum in their Curry had the Punjabi variant.  There was the milder Makhani and other more mainstream Curries ordered by those who do not live in the Curry scene.  Anthony took the opperchancity to sample proper Moroccan food , the Tajine, and not the Vesta variety.  Five portions of Ravi Machi, the Fish Curry, were served tonight to great acclaim.

Never have I seen so many Garlic and Coriander Nan, there was minimal debris left at the end.

All bar one were thoroughly impressed by the Café Salma experience, and having been before one suspects that the mindset of that person was immovable.  Nicki has told me that she will now have Lamb Curry having tried it for the first time; Eleanor too may have had her last Chicken for a while.  Chicken?

The Presentation – Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the Temperance Society

In addition to presenting a quaich, Al made a wonderful speech highlighting the sheer professionalism of Hector in the workplace; he did forget to point out that in thirty years of service Hector has never phoned in sick.  Hector’s speech went down well despite being delivered at a very fast pace, the Biers were calling.  Yes, this was the first ever presentation dinner in a dry establishment.

The Bill

Hassan stated that he had lost track of exactly what had been served and put it to us that we should pay what we thought was due.  £20 per head was my ball park figure when the details were announced, this was accepted, and Hassan was a very happy man at the end of the evening when the cash was piled high.

The Aftermath

We retired to the Bon Accord where Russell had promised me Harviestons’s American IPA, this was quaffed quickly before moving on to Augustiner Edelsftoff, my normal Friday night treat.  We managed to occupy much of the raised area at the rear quite comfortably.  A Buffet was ordered for 22.00, which was put back to 22.30.  By this time the numbers had dwindled and we were all still stuffed.  Whose idea was it to order a Buffet?

Thank you

My thanks to all those who made the effort to leave the coastal resort town and travel up to the big city.  Perhaps in five years something similar will be held again, but in the meantime the plan for another mass trip to Traben-Trarbach has been hatched.

And Finally

My thanks to Hassan for making the evening possible.

As we left Hassan invited Marg and I to dine at Cafe Salma next time as his guests.  I think we made his night too.

Posted in [Cafe Salma] | 4 Comments

Taj, a long overlooked Clydebank Takeaway

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Hector

Taj (697 Dumbarton Road, Clydebank, G81 4HD) has been in situ since 1996.  Hector did not know this until he was conversing with Mein Host whilst waiting for his Methi Gosht and Special Fried Rice.

The menu comes through my door a couple of times a year.  The frequency that I visit local Takeaways is minimal, however Tuesdays are currently non-cooking nights as cooking for one is at best tedious.  A perfect opperchancity to experiment.  I had also spotted Methi Gosht on the menu.  This is too much for Hector to resist once his mind is set.

Located near the main Dalmuir junction in the west of Clydebank, I wonder why I never knew of the Taj’s precise location, or of its lengthy existence.  Kurdish is the Lingua Franca behind the counter.  Trade was brisk, once again I spotted no plastic gloves in a Clydebank Takeaway.  The Nan Donner looked well handled before a young mother collected her evening meal.

The Rice I was promised would have Mushroom and Peas, the menu also said Onion but nothing about the occasional pieces of Capsicum that fought their way into my container.  The portion was ample, well they have to fill the plastic containers, don’t they?

The Methi Gosht looked the part.  Thankfully this was not yet another Red Clydebank Curry with excessive Onions.  Indeed, for Clydebank, the Onion content was well understated.  The meat was plentiful, the pieces were large.  Who were they trying to impress?

The first few mouthfuls of Methi Gosht and Rice worked very well.   The Lamb was tender, I had selected the smaller pieces on the plate.  I counted the Lamb chunks, twelve in all and most of these were larger than single bite.  This was another Lamb Feast!

The quality of the Lamb varied throughout the meal, my very last piece was decidedly firm and chewy which I do not mind when it is in isolation.  Most of the Lamb was most acceptable.

A single Clove, Cardamom, Curry Leaf, and Methi/Coriander stalk gave themselves up as I ate the meal.  The Methi could have been more evident, or was it the lack of Salt which held the flavour back?

There were moments when I was thoroughly enjoying this dish and thought perhaps I had found somewhere special.

 Overall I cannot criticise too much.  At £7.50 this was good value.  Two people could easily have shared the Curry given the massive quantity of Lamb.  How could anyone eat a Starter before this?

Shall I return? 

I tend to go east and south to eat Glasgow Curry.

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Yadgar! Why are the People of Glasgow not queueing around the corner?

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Hector

Eleanor is a Curry fan.  She possibly eats as much Curry as Hector, but Chicken… Chicken?   We had pencilled in today as her first trip to Yadgar to experience the finest Curry served in Glasgow.  This as every reader knows is the Goshat Karahi (on-the-bone) – Lamb, of course!  Today was Eleanor’s first Lamb Curry.

?Stan! and Howard were appointed as Chaperones for the day.

 The Complementary Popadoms, Onion Chutney  and Salad (complete with Black Olives) were set before us shortly before the official rendezvous time of 15.00.  As always, everything had been booked well in advance.  Three Vegetable Rice and Four Chapattis seemed enough to complement the One Kilo and Two Portions of this very fine Lamb Curry.  ?Stan! and Hector were sharing the Kilo.

 

We were munching our way through the last pieces of Poppadoms when the dishes started to appear.  With conveyor belt efficiency the various components were set before us.  Time for the first dip…

 

My initial thoughts were that this was not created at the hands of Mr Shah, the Chef Hector thinks is the finest Chef in Glasgow.  The normal Yadgar – Goshat Karahi flavour was masked by a the fulsome flavour of Cinnamon.  The Lamb was also darker than the norm, or was that a result of the richness of the minimal Masala?   The Lamb was tender.  No, this needs further emphasis, the Lamb was magnificently tender, no knife was required to cut the larger pieces or separate the meat from the bone.

The large Karahi had been severely attacked, it was towards the bottom that the normal Yadgar taste began to emerge.  This is reminiscent of the other great Glasgow Lamb Karahi outlet (The Khyber) where the flavour at the base of the Karahi really hits home.

 

There was ongoing discussion about the superbness of the meal when Mr Shah appeared to take his bow.

Mr Anwar (Snr) had chatted to us in the minutes between Poppadoms and the Curry.  He assured us that his son, Shkoor was pursuing more cerebral pursuits today.  We think he was hiding in the cupboard because Shkoor magically appeared as we ended our ritual feast.  I was able to update him on my Curry exploits in Bradford last weekend.  Shkoor thinks I should contact the Guinness Book of Records as a possible candidate for the man who has eaten the most Curry in the past year.  Flattering, but I am sure the staff do not eat Pizza, or maybe they do.

Mr Anwar invited us to sample the Rice Dessert which had just been cooked, was still hot and would normally be served cold.  Semolina is what any Glaswegian would call it.  Somehow we  found room for this.   Hector had a Sugar High.  School dinners became the momentary topic of reminiscence.  Whatever happened to Sago?

Eleanor was impressed; hopefully she will add her own comments.  Will her next Curry be Lamb?

The Bill

£45.   Between four of us and inclusion of a 1Kg  portion, this was value as always.

The Aftermath

At the Allison Arms the Augustiner Heller Bock, Pyraser Export Landbier and Andechs Spezial Hell were all available.  This was a good day.

Posted in Yadgar Kebab House | 1 Comment

Cafe Salma, Palak Gosht

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Hector

Hector had to see Hassan about next week’s extravaganza, it would once again have been impolite not to have a Curry-Heute.  That I have chosen Café Salma (523 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow, G3 7PQ) above all other Glasgow venues for a special evening says much about the quality of the food and the ambience.

Palak Gosht – Desi Hot, on-the-bone, is as masochistic a Curry as man can endure.  This dish needs Bread, not Rice to ensure the full Spinach flavour ramrods the palate. The classic Garlic and Coriander Nan is the perfect accompaniment.

The Complementary Popadoms and Chutney were presented as I sat down.  Hassan spent some minutes with Hector discussing the coming event.  There is no truth in the rumour that  ?Stan! was away bootlegging hence Hector’s solo dining experience on a Friday evening.  Speaking of ?Stan!, I must congratulate my reader who spoke to ?Stan! at a recent Bier event, Cove I believe, and addressed him with ‘You know Hector!’  How ?Stan! struggled to say these words.

After Bradford I have found it necessary to visit only the best of places for a while.  This dish never disappoints.  It is really all about the Masala: thick, black almost a burnt taste.  It is not for the faint hearted.  Like Guinness, I have to admit to having it quite a few times before the concept of enjoyment became the norm.  I began to wish I had ordered the Kofta version; more meat would have been presented.  I had much bone and not so much Lamb this evening.  In the past when I pointed this out another half portion was quickly set before me.  There was enough to attain satisfaction and give me a chance of eating all the magnificent Nan.

The Bill

Undisclosed.  This is between Hector and his Confessor.

The Aftermath

Later at the Bon Accord, Thomas called me over to sort out a Curry dispute.  Around 8pm a massive of group of Chaps and Chapattis entered mostly wearing check shirts.   Was this a lumberjacks’ convention?  Anyway, there was an intense discussion about the content of a standard Curry – Jalfrezi: Capsicum, Tomatoes, never Cream or Yoghurt.  It is written.

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