For a change a – Curry – that is definitely not Indian in origin.
The recipe is based on Apple and Onion. Usually I make this with Pork Chops, but since this posting would have the recipe I decided to go back and make a grand version with the Hard Boiled Eggs.
Today Hector was dragged from his bed early in the morning and he was not going to an airport: instead he was being persuaded up a mountain…
Clydesdale Hockey Club (male), incorporating Glasgow Western Hockey Club (female) were having a sponsored walk to raise money for a new pitch. Marg was determined to get me up the hill.
Arrive Alive
It was not the happiest of experiences after twenty minutes or so when the near vertical climb from Succoth (sea level)at 10.30 up to the edge of the hanging valley nearly finished me. The next hour was easy and after a brief lunch stop it was another vertical climb to the summit (984m) arriving at 13.50. The path was barely existent and there were rock fields to negotiate.
Hector has climbed his first Munro, the reward was a visit to Nando’s!
Nando’s is not a curry house but a chain with a South African/Portuguese origin. The number of branches in the UK has mushroomed in recent years. The Black Flag – Half Chicken is wild: this is hotter than many a Curry. Yet, all is superficial, Chicken doesn’t absorb Flavour to its core, bring on the extra bottles of Peri-Peri.
The Urban Pind (18 Candleriggs G1 1LD, Glasgow) was not necessarily Hector’s Curry-Heute destination, however having spotted the poster on Trongate it appeared to be the obvious place to go.
The board outside says the lunch menu was available until three with the main meals available after three. The presented menu in the restaurant stated that the main menu is available all day. One had to investigate this excellent looking offer. The Hind Thali is recommended by waiter over the Karahi Thali.
£6.95 including a soft drink and tea afterwards…I await the portion.
Meanwhile Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is the music, I like this place.
Gosh…two pieces each of chicken and vegetable Pakora.
A korma style sauce over Kadu and mushroom is served hot as one of the sides. Three pieces fresh nan and the main dish…well it was on the bland side and was not as hot as the graded menu choices would have suggested.
This may not be the best Curry in Glasgow… but value for money? Sensational!
Initial text and photo posted live in the restaurant!
So,are Candleriggs Curries overrated?
Hector and Marg trie
d the Dhabba early in 2009. We assumed it must have been the Chef’s night off as the dishes served were unremarkable. Hector tried this one Saturday afternoon in December and it was the same outcome. The press and other Glasgow Curry web sites suggest that these Curry Houses on Candleriggs are outstanding. Hector awaits convincing.
A return to The Village
Three weeks since Hector’s last visit to the ‘Glasgow Mecca‘, well the publicity has not be that sensational in recent times. The café has clearly now met the approval of those who decide when our health and safety are not being compromised and so it is business as usual.
The Board had Aloo Gosht, it must be matter of days since I had this, I must like it, because there was nothing else going to interest me: lamb on the bone in one of my favourite sauces.
Jonathan ordered the Chicken Tawa then changed his mind when we were asked if I wanted mine on the bone or off. Jonathan would have preferred the ‘off the bone’ version of Aloo Gosht but the waiter had not heard him, he is a quiet chap after all. And so Chicken Tawa it was to be.
We sat in companionable silence and ate. It was towards the end game when Hector announced that this was comfort eating.
It has been written before; it will hopefully continue to be written: The Village serves the best curry in Glasgow.
This is one of three Balbir’s experienced by Hector
Since Mr O’Leary changed Hector’s life some ten years ago, Balbir’s Route 77, on the A77 between Glasgow and Prestwick Airport has been passed more times than I can remember. However as the train usually takes us down it has mostly been seen in the other direction when Marg picks us up from our foreign sojourns. The fancy for a curry after a trip has been confirmed too often by the sight of this building 8km north of the airport, alas it is on the other side of the dual carriageway and so has always been passed at high speed.
We had considered today’s treat being at The Turban in Eastwood but the online menu did not grab me and so at the last minute a long-ish drive for a curry appeared to be a worthwhile suggestion. It was a pleasant spring evening and in Scotland at this time of year the sun is shining until after 21.00.
Hector should have done more research.
We were asked if we wanted the menu: as I do not particularly enjoy the general blandness of buffets we accepted the menu. I did not see a buffet set up on the way in but had not realised what the alternative was. Nor did anyone try to tell us.
The Lamb Tava looked to be the most likely dish that this commentator would order: Lamb fillet pan fried with onions, peppers and fresh herbs. I verified that the quoted Peppers were Capsicums. The waiter struggled to understand that I did not want these in a Curry. He told me they were already in and could not be taken out.
I did not believe this for a minute.
Hector settled for the Lamb Chilli Ginger: lamb cooked in a rich tarka bhoona base with plenty of fresh ginger and sliced green chillies. Marg was going to have this, but being the delightful lady she is, opted for the Chicken Parsi: chicken breast cooked to a sweet and sour flavour with chillies and coconut.
An enjoyable Pakora was wolfed whilst we waited for the main event. There were certainly more pieces served than in our last outing.
The Lamb Chilli Ginger did have a very pleasant kick and its appearance looked as though it had certainly been freshly prepared. The dish was enjoyable but not sensational.
The Chicken Parsi certainly had a kick, Marg kept telling me this. One must congratulate the chef for serving a coconut curry with a kick, why should Korma-style dishes always be mild?
The plates were cleaned, the volume was just a shade less than total satisfaction.
This was when Hector realised that the research should have been done in advance AND the staff could have been more communicative.
Apparently, in the first five years of this venue being open, there was no menu. The Chef cooked whatever one asked for. This is now described as – The Banquet. This was not at all visible from our table at the far wall. No offer was made. No price was quoted: it could well have been worth it, I do not know. However, the thought of the Chef preparing a Bradford-style Curry to my specifications, with loads of Methi and a dry sauce…well… We could have had the Fish too!
Those of you paying attention will realise that when the waiter said I could not have the Lamb Tava without Capsicums…
Escaped at last!
One of the first things to do after my release was to seek a curry. In the spirit of Curry-heute, I decided to try somewhere different. Accompanied by John, I visited Mister Singh’s for their lunch.
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There was of course a Hector Curry Heute to accompany the best Bier on the planet…
The Aloo Gosht was started on Thursday and left to ferment for two days..
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We left some for Jonathan…
Hector realises that it is the Curry portion which is – Wee
No Curry since last Saturday, what is a Hector to do? Fortunately Marg suggested eating out. If she was paying, Nando’s, else I choose, I pay.
And so back to The Wee Curry Shop in Ashton Lane to see if the Methi Gosht was a fluke.
The Haggis Pakora to start was over £5 for five pieces of what was essentially the same as any chip shop would serve: haggis in batter.
To the main course(s): Butter Chicken with Asparagus was too much for Marg to resist, there was no resistance. The foil wrapped Chicken again made me wonder if this has been – brought in – from outside. I had a taste at the outset, too sweet for the Hector.
The Methi Gosht tasted great but there was once more an issue about the size of the portion. As reported the – pre-theatre menu – was small, portion wise, but there was little excuse for this. Over £9 for eight pieces of Lamb. Papa Gills remains the best place in the West End for quantity.
The accompanying rice – to be shared – was insultingly small, this is never the case at The Village. The Paratha was the saving grace.
Hector and Marg both destroyed what was before them. Hector even mopped up an extra piece of Marg’s Chicken. Did we enjoy our meal? Well, yes, but… there could have been much more. The Asparagus turned out to be a mere three spikes…
£35 for a midweek snack…Hector’s mental arithmetic is trying to work if two pre-theatre menus is a better deal than one meal off the main menu.
And so we went down to the University Café at the bottom of Byres Rd to recapture the days of yore and enjoy the best ice cream in Glasgow. Fear not, there will be no ice cream blog!
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Meanwhile back in Clydebank something is brewing for Saturday…
Jonathan is indisposed…
And so when Mags suggested last night in The Bon Accord last night that she would love to join us in The Village one Saturday, and the story of the rats was unveiled once more, it was a case of ‘So where are you going tomorrow?’Hector arrived at the Bukharah (923 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow) bang on 3pm as arranged. The restaurant is on the west wing of the building and has its own entrance, but Hector did walk in through the main hotel entrance, and why not?
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he Lorne Hotel was redeveloped and the intention was to build the biggest Curry House in Scotland. With the demise of Crème de la Crème (cue the romantic music, Marg) which was possibly the biggest Curry House on the planet, this was no great aim.
The place was empty as one would expect at this time of day…why have people not yet realised that this is the perfect time of day to savour a curry?
The waiter was quite amused by the fact that Hector was sitting alone and so the poppadoms were offered: ‘while you wait’. That we were not charged for these is a plus.
There was pleasant banter in the ten minutes it took Mags to arrive by which time the supposition was that it was a chap with whom I had made the rendezvous. ‘Worth waiting for.’ was the polite admittance.
And so down to business… Hector has seen an attractive dish on the website: ‘LAMB RASANDER TAVA Chunks of Lamb cooked in a rich spicy sauce with fresh ginger to give an extra bite’. The appearance was excellent, yet again on a black karahi… there was absolutely no distinctive taste to make this a standout curry, but the extra bite of the ginger, presumably, made this a dish to remember, The sweat was emitting from the skull, so this was no way a disappointment. Alas, it had been built up, so one was hoping for more.
Mags, aka Ms Korma, had the Chicken Karahi and found it pleasant. In the interest of decorum, Hector declined a taste of the curry below.
The menu did have a Desi dish which Hector stated he would no doubt be drawn to if ever he appears here again. There was also the leg of lamb dish requiring 24 hours notice: now a Kleftiko Curry could be the ultimate experience: the challenge to Marg: are we willing to risk £30?
The experience was very positive, alas there was no evidence of ‘the taste.’
