Hector and Marg are in Athena for a few days, Greek cuisine, Craft Beer being two of the attractions, the third, of course, is Curry. Having learned years ago to dismiss the pukka mainstream establishments, today it was back to Punjabi Tikka (Nikiforou 1, Athina 104 37 Hellas).
En route we passed more untried venues, who knows, I might get round them all, if I live long enough. The Hector does not have to apologise for returning to Punjabi Tikka, it has become the – go-to – Curry Cafe in Athena.
Arriving at 13.20, we took a table inside for a change, but still in the doorway. One day we’ll be recognised, and maybe walk boldly to the upstairs seating. Mein Host approached, not quite a greeting, and had the only other chap we recognised, bring the menu. The waiter seemed to be distracted, always in conversation with people at the counter. He did bring us a table covering, only one other table would be royally treated.
Unbelievably, prices had not gone up since last year. How they can continue to provide the quantity at the prices charged, remains a mystery. Look at the price of Bread.
Clearly, they cannot be using top quality Meat, but if cooked properly, does that really matter?
For Hector, the choice was simple, either boneless Beef Karahi (€5.00) or on-the-bone Mutton Karahi (€5.00). With this trip looming, the Hector has avoided Mutton since Antwerpen, it was time.
Marg had declared her intention to have Curry at lunchtime, changed her mind to Greek Salad (€5.00) then changed it back to Keema (€5.00). Salad was going to come anyway, and with more Raita than she would manage. Chilled bottles of water come as a matter of course. Sparkling is not available, though two litre bottles of branded soft drinks are available.
Marg tore into the Salad, apart from Feta, all was here that she would have had in a Greek Salad. Everything was fresh, no limp Vegetables.
There was a steady flow of customers, some dining in, some for Takeaway. Three female beggars were chased. This has been a feature of our visits to Punjabi Tikka, only here.
When the two karahi were brought to the table, the near absurdity of the laden table made me wonder – who cannot afford to eat here? There was a momentary wait for the Bread – Pakistani Roti (€0.50), a pair, light, fluffy, glorious Bread. The Roti beneath would crisp on one side, this suited Marg. The Hector would have his fill of beautiful fresh Bread. Only a scrap would be left over.
Mutton Karahi
The brown Masala had a decent viscosity, this was not Shorva, and no sign of Oil, excess or otherwise. There was plenty Masala for dipping. The Meat count was bewildering, this much for so little. OK, the majority of pieces were on-the-bone, and not recognisable cuts of Meat. Some chewy bits, fatty also, no offal. We were not just here because it’s cheap, it’s the quality of the Curry.
The Masala was gorgeous. With the Seasoning to the fore, the Flavours were intense, Earthy, this was authentic Punjabi fayre. No Whole Spices, so no clues as to what was in there, I assume, the lot: Cinnamon, Clove etc. Why I would have so much Bread was all down to the Masala.
The Mutton, chewy at times, the boneless pieces were otherwise. So few venues have Meat which truly emits both the Flavours from the Spices and the Meat itself.
Having celebrated the contents of the karahi, it was time to introduce some of the Salad elements. The Tomatoes, dipped in the Masala, wonderful. The Cucumber remained, as Cucumber. Olives, the dry, bitterness, complemented the Masala, a new avenue of Flavour. The solitary Pickled Chilli was Hector’s, no dispute there. Salt, Vinegar, heat, more sensations on the palate. Diversity rules.
Back to the Mutton. As the Flavours flooded, so a particular sense of meatiness dawned, I have travelled far this year, why had it taken me so long to recognise what I was eating. This Mutton had to be Goat.
Keema
Well Keema Mutter actually. The Oil had separated, a wet Keema. Again, the quantity defied belief. The Hector had his Soupçon, the depth of Flavour here was nothing like that of the Karahi.
Marg has taken to sending me her observations by text, written as she waits for me to finish.
A lovely Salad arrived with the usual Raita sauce. Enjoyed this mix.
The Keema looked very oily and usually this does not matter. Today, I thought the meat was fairly fatty and I started to pick out better mince with peas., trying to avoid the fatty pieces.
Overall, good flavour, but I did not finish my dish. Thoroughly enjoyed the Salad and the soft, warm bread.
The Bill
€11.00 (£9.21) Where can you buy a single main course for this amount?
The Aftermath
I bided my time, determined to engage Mein Host, and show him the dedicated page for Punjabi Tikka. As I presented the Calling Card, so his phone rang, business, ah well, next time.
Nine days without Curry, nine days without red meat, the legacy of the 
Pratap pointed to the – Specials – board and suggested Lamb Pepper Fry (£15.00). I gave two reasons why today this would not suit: my excess of Meat in 
A 750 ml bottle of Sparkling Water (£4.50) was dully provided, better value than many an establishment. Suitably chilled, this justified the investment. 
Pratap brought the food and importantly, an extra plate. This included a complimentary Samosa Chat which is not featured on the menu. 
A handi! If these have been on the premises all this time, why serve the Curry on a soup plate? The handi was brimming with Potato, Cauliflower and Peas, fresh Coriander had been stirred in. Dry Curry is Hector’s preference, this Dish had no sign of a Masala, and if this was more of a – stir fry – there was no Oil residue either. 
The blast of Flavour from the Vegetables took me aback. At 
Five large pieces of Haddock, in a Spicy Batter, were accompanied by two Dips and a Salad/Garnish. This was quite a plateful. Each piece of Fish was then halved, further confirming the quantity. The specific mention of – Ginger – had me anticipating a blast of this root vegetable, it came, but later. It was the – Fishiness – which immediately stood out. The Chilli Dip was put to good use. There was another surprise on this plate.
Whoever, dreamt up this combination of Dishes should be congratulated, oh, that’s me!
A Vegetable Samosa, of course, had been cut into pieces and smothered with Yoghurt, I presume, Cumin Seeds and Coriander. Beneath lay the Chilli Sauce and I believe Tamarind may have found its way in here too. Inevitably, the Samosa becomes – soggy – not a favourite texture, but again today, adding to the array. I suspect Chaat Masala had been added here also. I stirred the sauce to combine all the elements, tasty. Much appreciated.
Score out of ten? – asked Pratap.
This was unexpected. Late last night, Mr. O’Leary’s airline informed the Hector that there is a strike at Charleroi Airport, today’s fight cancelled. Rebooked for tomorrow, the challenge was to find a reasonably priced hotel at short notice, anywhere in 
16.00 CET, 15.00 BST, is Hector’s preferred time to eat. If ever the half kilo could be managed, this should be it. I stood just beyond the counter waiting to be recognised as a sit-in customer. A chap invited me to choose any table in the otherwise empty restaurant. The lady, who was clearly today’s hostess, was dealing with departing customers.
The menu at Afghan Darbar bears an uncanny resemblance to the 
Drink?
Given my perspective, I must have been sitting in the 
A chap placed a chit on my table as he brought a Modest Salad, Raita and more Flatbread than I could eat in a week. The Bread was cold, given my increasingly expansive knowledge of Afghan outlets, that’s how it is. This Bread was tough around the edges but manageable in the middle. Had it been Naan, I would have been celebrating three pointy ends. Much Bread would go to waste. I put this down, in part, to the lack of communication. 
Everything was hotter than everything else, care had to be taken not to touch the actual karahi. The Tomato-based Masala was close to that 
The Spice Level took me by surprise, then I noticed the sliced Green Chillies which had not been cooked in, but stirred in towards serving. The Seasoning was well pitched, not as noticeable as last year when it was the immediate standout. 
Was this as 
Brugge, the final full day of this trip, and Dr. Stan has declared an interest in joining Hector for Curry. 
Indian Tandoori (Oude Gentweg 11, 8000 Brugge, Belgien) became my chosen venue for the day. Located in the south-east of the old town, away from the main Grote Markt, Indian Tandoori appears to have been bypassed by too many. It’s a small restaurant, seating thirty. Book in summer.
The Garlic Naan was served quartered, what is wrong with serving Bread – whole? Thin, risen in parts, some blisters, the Naan was suitably light. Instead of Garlic Butter dripping off, grains had been cooked in. This would prove to be acceptable to Hector’s palate and did not overwhelm the Curry. 
I had warned Dr. Stan that European Curry Houses are going to have way more Cream in their Saag/Palak than he is used to at home. Dr. Stan acknowledged the creaminess on its arrival. He worked his way methodically through the pot of Curry, alternating with Rice and Naan before taking most of the remaining Rice. I wasn’t hearing any – Mmmms – today, but this was not a Desi Curry House. 
It was tender meat in a creamy spinach sauce, with subtle spice and flavours.
The handi was piled high with a Thick Masala, this is what I had previously seen, and was my reason for choosing Indian Tandoori. The copious flecks of red made the heart sink. Just how much 
Five decent sized chunks of Fish were arranged over the Rice. There would be plenty of eating here. I separated some of the red flecks then realised, thankfully, that the majority were actually sliced (cherry?) Tomatoes, which had also been cooked in. 
A photo of Ram and Manish was taken, then Chef made an appearance. Well, why not? 
If it’s Monday, it must be Antwerpen. Actually, Hector is still resident in 
Finally, on this trip, the Hector gets to see his Belgian Fanta in all its glory. No sooner had I got myself sorted when the food was brought to the table. We’re talking seconds here. If one is taking Karahi seriously, this should not be so. 
Included in the price, enough Bread to last me a week, a modest Salad and a Raita. A Flatbread, not a Naan, it was still light, puffy, impressive. The major drawback, it was cold, as in this is how it comes, cold. I don’t know if anyone has ever tried eating cold Bread with hot food, it might catch on. 
In what way was this – Karahi? 
Going back for more glorious 
Entering Chanab Tandoori at 13.30, one customer occupied a table to my left, whilst a chap was finishing off at the bench table along the right side wall. A quick glance, a larger room next door looked to be more inviting. Others thought so too.
As with many a Curry Cafe, the food was on display in kettles. Research had now raised the possibility of Hector having a Desi Korma on consecutive days. The photos in the online menu revealed Lamb Korma (€10.00) showing no sign of being the – creamy, mild – variety. I showed the photo of yesterdays 
Belgian Fanta, the paper cup may not prove the case, previous posts do, so much tastier with less colouring than the rest of Europe. How, why? 
The wait was not long, in fact not long enough. Just what current preparation had been done to produce what was brought? For once, the Rice portion looked almost sensible. Or did it? 
The appearance was completely wrong. A Desi Korma should have a Masala, rich in appearance with an oily sheen, and the merest threat of being creamy. This was Lamb Shorva. I would like to see their Mutton Curry (€10.00) for comparison purposes. 
Hot food, a good start. The Shorva packed a punch, so much Flavour coming through. There was no doubting this was down to the Seasoning which was totally a la Hector. The soft Meat was not giving back more than its own Meatiness, however, each intake of Shorva soaked Rice had Cloves to the fore. The intensity of Flavour had me won. A thought, this style of Curry was close to a traditional Aloo Gosht. Had Potato been present I would be nominating this for prizes. Who wins awards? 
I introduced Curry-Heute to the chap who had served me. Immediately another chap appeared, Mein Host – Umer Darz – whose photo it is on the menu. The serving chap did all the translating for both his boss and the first customer sitting in the room. The Calling Card was well received, the extent of my travels appreciated. Yes, the Hector does travel to the ends of the earth looking for Desi Punjabi fayre. 
One day I’ll find a DB-ICE that will actually run all the way between 
The double take describes my reaction on entering the premises. Gone is the long counter and the somewhat dingy décor, instead, well, a transformation has taken place in the last year. There was a shiny new 
Mutton karahi (€12.95) has been my go-to Curry at
On the return to my seat I took two cans of Orange from the fridge, no Belgian Fanta available for Hector yet. Two cans, I’d had nothing to drink all day. The first, despite the off-putting colour, disappeared in an instant. 
Topped with fresh Coriander, the Masala had the correct oily sheen. The slight creaminess was visible therein. I decanted the boneless Meat, ten large pieces. This meant that the remaining Masala had to be described as – minimal. Not enough Masala to engage all the Rice then. Should I ask for more? That might set Curry-Heute back a decade. Two whole Chillies were revealed. 
The much hoped for Citrus Blast, from the Yoghurt, Chefs assure me, was spot on. The Seasoning was well below the Hector idyll, a pity – the rules – did not permit the use of the Salt mill on the table. With so much Flavour from the Masala, this was not an issue today. 
Busy as I had just made him, Shahzad was keen to catch up, he knows Dr. Stan, Marg, Howard. How were they? Why was Dr. Stan not here today, yes why? 
Moments later, a Side of – Tori masala – was brought to the table. Some may find the Oily Masala off-putting, the slimy Texture also. A new experience, and an Interesting Vegetable is always appreciated. 
Arranged upon the remaining virgin Basmati, it became clear that in no way was Hector going to finish the Rice. The Flavour took me back sixty years. This Masala must have been simply made with Curry Powder. Whether it complemented the Desi Korma remains debatable, it did prolong the experience. 
In my search for the 86 bus stop, I passed Comte de Flandre Metro station. Lines 1 and 5, another way to get to 
A day in 
On the assumption that Lamm Cutlet (€14.00) could be even better, I asked for this. Nein. Lamm Filet Curry it would be. A half litre bottle of Sparkling Water (€2.00) completed the Order. The conversation, mostly one way, so maybe not strictly speaking a conversation, was in Deutsch. Anna manifestly has less English than Hector has Deutsch. 
On 
As is ever the case in Europe, the Basmati was the dominant feature on the tray. The Curry was decidedly Lamb Shorva, as thin and watery as a Masala could be. 
The piece of Poppadom was set aside, there were more interesting things to deal with. Top right was the same watery Daal as served in 
The accompanying small bowl had another version of the – Spicy Sod – plus pieces of Green Chilli just in case that wasn’t deadly enough, more Tarka, then Yoghurt, the means of diffusing the situation. Spice Level could be adjusted, with care, to one’s own desire. 
With the Lamb Curry spread across the left hand side of the Basmati, the Shorva mostly disappeared. That which remained, bottom left, would take patience to relocate. There was enough to confirm that the Seasoning here was definitely low. Having already established that this was not the major source of Flavour before me, I was left to wonder. In 2003, Marg and Hector toured 
Cold food, an inevitability, spoiled the end game. I prefer a plate to a metal tray. 
There was nothing here not to like, it simply could have, should have, been so much more. 
It is six years since the last Curry-Heute post from the city of 
The S Bahn took me from Hauptbahnhof to Bilk, two stops. With an arcade on both sides of the road, – the blue dot – was struggling to differentiate. Bürgerhaus Bilk proved to be the correct one, and no, the Hector was not entering a Burger House, though a few Frikadelle may be consumed on this trip. It was 12.40 when instinct took me up the escalator to the arcade eatery. 
Number 7, Chalau Qurme Gosht was described as being served with Rice and featuring Veal. With the food in kettles and on display, I watched those in front of me have their orders plated. There was no avoiding the Euro Rice portion. Two Rices were being given. Meat Rice – is what it sounded like when it became my turn. Why not, it looked tastier than the plain Basmati. In addition to the Meat, the Chalau Qurme had Chana and Kidney Beans in the Shorva. This inevitably reduced the meat content, but this was still quite a plateful, for not very much.
There was ample seating to be had, and many other options from which to choose. This would be a good place to bring someone who wasn’t bothered about having – Curry. There is wi-fi in the mall, use it, the phone signal is otherwise non existent. 
The contents of the right side of the plate were spooned on to the left. A Soupçon of the Spicy Sod was mixed through. Spice Level was not going to be an issue, steady on, Hector. The Seasoning in the Shorva was spot on. The Meaty Rice gave a blast of Clove, familiar territory. Fruit, a Sultana or two, also adding more Flavour. The strips of Carrot raised a smile, exactly what does a Carrot add to a Curry, no point asking anyone at 
Spice, Seasoning, an array of Flavours and Textures, this was proving to be an enjoyable meal, despite being nothing like the Desi Korma that was hoped for. Chili Con Carne meets Goulasch may be an apt description. There was sufficient moisture that all of the Rice remained interesting. The Hector managing every grain of Rice in a Euro portion? Most unusual. 
Downstairs is chocolate heaven, ice-cream too. I know someone who would be amused here.
And so the rain continues, the second day of meteorological autumn and the Hector is still waiting for summer. Maybe, continental Europe can provide warmth and blue skies. Watch this space. 
On 
I had previously initially ignored the QR Code on the menu, it can be revealed that there are Daily Specials, today’s included: Lamb and Potato Curry (£9.50) served in the traditional – Shorba, Saag (£8.00), and a Chicken Karahi (£10.00) served on-the-bone. Furthermore, extra detail for the Dishes on the printed menu, the description here describes the Chicken Korma (8.50) as having – a thick and delicious gravy. This makes the Hector think – Desi Korma – and not the ubiquitous Cream & Coconut version. Contains Milk – enhances this thought. Mmmm?
The wait was an appropriate twenty minutes during which the waitress returned to discuss the Spice Level. 
The first sight of the food confirmed the Hector would need no more. 
You don’t get this in Mainstream Curry Houses, this Curry looked spectacular. The menu gives no clue, but as with the 
Decanting the Lamb and the Potatoes, the ratio was half and half. The pricing was therefore realistic, fair, reflecting the lesser quantity of Meat. Still, there was enough, no complaints here. The Potato pieces had clearly absorbed the Spices. The Masala was dark with specks of Herb, thick, viscous, magnificent. Desi/Apna was written all over this Curry. 
The sensation of the Masala on the palate was wonderful, smooth, velvet. The Seasoning was there, the Spice Level was no more than – medium. Next time – extra Desi – for the Hector. 
