It has been a long, long year without foreign travel. Finally, Hector and Marg have escaped from Blighty. All being well, there will be much posting on Curry-Heute in the days, nay weeks, to come from foreign parts. 2021 is not over yet. I begin in Athena, where the Curry Cafes have proven to serve authentic Curry at prices comparable to those in Greece, before they joined the EU.
Last year, our return to Taste of India (Platia Theatro 22, 10552, Athena, Hellas) was left late in the trip, their Beef Curry blew me away. So what better place to start?
The omens were certainly in Hector’s favour when our taxi from the airport last night chose to take us down Menandrou, the Curry Cafe axis in the Greek capital. At the top end, I noted a Lahori cafe I had never seen before. There is time, I’ll get there after I have done my favourites.
That Menandrou – crosses the T – from this year’s accommodation made the hop to Taste of India even shorter. Lord Clive and Lady Maggie of Crawley accompanied us this lunchtime. Our host and his lady, the Chef, greeted us on entry. I’m never sure if they recognise us on arrival, in time they do. Tables were combined to give us more space as I surveyed the Fayre. Both Lamb and Beef Curry were available, though there did not appear to be much of the latter, certainly enough for two.
Menus were provided, but not for Taste of India. Bollywood Masala is their sister shop in Plaka, a much more pukka outlet. We could have ordered from the menu, but why not take advantage of the delights which were on display?
Clive was on board with having the Beef Curry. Marg took the Lamb option, whilst Maggie chose Chicken. Well somebody had to. Four portions of Rice were ordered which I knew would be a mistake, however, let others learn. Two large bottles of Still Water completed the Order.
The Water was suitably chilled, the rehydration process was underway. Having arrived in Athena late last night, events conspired to have Hector stay out late. Back at the apartment, Hector was summoned out once more. So it went.
As the Order was assembled on the table, the quantity of Rice appeared to reach the level of absurdity. Three portions would still have been more than enough, however, as it happened, Hector would go on to eat the contents of an entire bowl.
The metal pots containing the Curry were cold. It was no surprise when Maggie declared her Chicken Curry to be lukewarm. The Beef Curry was served similarly tepid, back they went. A proper reheat and all was well. In the interim, I told of how when British tourists first started going to Greece in numbers back in the 1960s, they were puzzled as to why Main Courses were served cold. Moussaka etc would be cooked around noon, and the tray set out on display, exactly as is presently done in Curry Cafes. The food cooled, and that was how it was eventually eaten.
Beef Curry
This was Curry in the old fashioned sense: Meat sat in a rich, blended Masala with the Oil separating. I did not bother to count the pieces of Beef, they were large, the portion abundant.
My initial sample confirmed this Curry would meet expectations, the Seasoning was right up there. Clive confirmed this too. The Spice seemed moderate to start, but built, and then some. Spice and Seasoning, this Curry was going to be savoured.
Tender Beef? Steak aside, I have not had Beef this tender in 2021 either at home or eating out. Has something happened to our cows this year? Having had time to sit in the Masala, the Beef was – adding – to the depth of Flavour. This is a major parameter in differentiating between Desi cooking and the Mainstream. Once served at the correct temperature, i.e. – hot – this was a Classic Beef Curry.
Clive wasn’t saying much as he ate, concentration:
Unusually tender for beef – he offered afterwards – very spicy.
Classic Beef Curry – confirmed.
Lamb Curry
The presentation was identical, again the Oil was separating. Some find this off-putting, it is how Curry is. Some tell me the Oil is fattening. Where is the evidence? Oops, shot myself in the foot there.
Marg ate nearly all of her Meat, a couple of pieces were deliberately abandoned, they had – offal – attachments. Guess what came my way?
The Lamb was even softer than the Beef, however the impact on the palate was not so apparent. Last year I had the Beef Curry for a change, so that is what I have to recommend.
Marg – Good kick, earthy, plenty meat. I was a bit picky with the (offal), enjoyed it with the rice.
Chicken Curry
What a potful. The Chicken had the appearance of Mother’s Curry made from leftover roast Chicken back in the day. Maggie did realise immediately that this was in fact not processed Chicken, this was the real deal. The Masala looked thinner compared to the above.
The quantity defeated Maggie, her remnants were shared between Hector and Clive. So Hector had the opperchancity to comment on his third Curry of this sitting. The Masala was definitely tasty, but not in the same league as that served in the Beef Curry. The Chicken did nothing for me. However, let the person who actually ordered it have the final say:
Arrived lukewarm, definitely off a chicken, not processed, cooked from scratch. Asked for it not to be too spicy – (and that is how it was served) – The Rice was separated, as I like it, no starch.
Whilst we ate, a young chap, suitably masked, came in and chatted to another diner. I recognised him, Daniyal, son of Mein Host. It took him a while to remember me, it has been some time. On showing his much younger photo on a well known and reliable Curry Blog, the penny dropped. He announced that we were having Dessert. His father was over moments later to show me a photo of an even younger Daniyal.
The Gulab Jamun was served warm which is decidedly better than – cold.
The Bill
€35.50 (£30.08) We were well fed for this modest sum.
The Aftermath
Once more on departure, I congratulated the Lady of the House, who cooked the Curry. I think they are getting to know us here.
The Monday Club has become well established, Curry afore is still in the development phase. Last week’s most enjoyable mini feast at 
A Chapli Kebab, cut into wedges, Vegetable Pakora and the legendary Fish Pakora were presented. One assumes that 
The Salad must not be overlooked. Anything that has Green Olives and Pickled Chillies has to be worthwhile. The Salad almost convinces the writer that this was the healthy option. 
Of the three pieces of Fish Pakora, I took the one nearest, then the smaller. The – little fingers – thought otherwise. I still ended up with two. Marg spontaneously remarked on the impact of the 
Our Mains were ready. We hadn’t finished our Starters. Tactically, it was clear that we should abandon the remnants. The car was parked around the corner. Leftovers, a treat for later. 
There was no denying that this was a course in itself. I hoped Marg would help out here, her Chapatti was more than enough to accompany the Keema. Potato, Cauliflower, Mushroom, Peas, Carrots and – believe it or not – slivers of
Why does this look – evil? The – onion-like – slices of Karela, sitting atop the classic 
Hector’s reaction to the first mouthful made one wonder why it had been so long. 
Meat, Masala, Karela, and a wonderful array of Vegetables, there was so much going on here. This was Diversity-cubed. Normally, on visiting 
Just look at the Potatoes! Marg felt she had so much on her plate, some of the Potatoes were added to the Vegetable Biryani. Chicken Mince, long dismissed by Hector, but no more. Last weekend’s visit to 
A good sized Chapatti to complement my Chicken Keema with Peas and Potato. Plenty flavour and a salty kick. After some complimentary starters, I was unable to finish my Chapatti. The Chicken was a lovely change, but I still prefer the Lamb version.
I took the remnants of the Starters and half of the Vegetable Biryani to the counter. Naveed needed no instruction.
Lamb Chettinad (£11.95) is why I chose Rishi’s. 
OK, I knew I was getting – Soup, I’ve had this Curry here before. Curry Leaves were a feature of the Masala, I would set these aside, or at least, attempt to. With just a threat of Coriander on top, I would appreciate the Syboes even more. 
On decanting the Meat, I counted five pieces, two of which could be described as – large. With the ratio of Meat : Masala heavily weighted towards the latter, it would be a case of eke out the Lamb. A wedge of half-cooked Tomato was present also, 
The Spice Level seemed to be decent at the start, this was reviewed as I made progress: definitely a Spicy Curry. The anticipated blast of South Indian Smokiness hit the palate, wonderful! One wouldn’t have this all the time, but it makes a great change from the Hector norm. 
I said I had too much Rice, and where did all the Leaves go?
Last night, on spotting a social medium ad for Aloo Gobi at 
This afternoon, Hector was outside waiting for the shutters to go up, which they did at precisely 14.00. Two chaps came in at my back and took the booth style table on the far wall. I sat facing the counter. 
When the screen flashed up – Fish Pakora – Hector was hooked. 
The Salad had Olives, I hope to see many more of these in the coming weeks. The Pickled Chillies, I love, and if that wasn’t enough, Spiced Onions had found their way on to the plate also. 
With the Fish Pakora, more than enough to be getting on with, however, the Aloo Gobi had now been reheated.
All this way for Vegetables? The indulgences over the past few days have not included many – greens – so here was the the key to a balanced diet. Maybe not, Potatoes and Cauliflower are both – white. Last night on TV, I saw people serving fried Cauliflower Leaves, whatever next, Potato Skins? 
The Yadgar Taste
With Hector le Chef off-duty today, it had to be Curry, what else? Choices in Glasgow, early afternoon on a Sunday, are limited. 
Two steaming hot bowls were brought to the table. As – half portions – go, these were generous.
A Herb, hopefully – Methi – was mixed through the fine grains of Chicken. As in all authentic Keema Dishes, the Masala, if any, was at an absolute minimum, yet the Curry was decidedly – moist. A micro-puddle of Oil sat atop, any peripheral Oil was again minimal. 
Even allowing for the larger pieces of Potato, this was very much a case of – eat your greens. A classic pulp, this is not the style that I go to often, however, one gets a notion and today was the day. The – Earthy Flavours – had been absorbed by the Potato. Potato, Hector had his mysterious craving sated, for today at least. 
Having decanted both Dishes, it was a matter of alternating between Veg and Meat. The contrasting Herb Flavours were noted, for Hector, Methi wins hands down. 
The Bill
£8.00 Moiz was keen to show me their new itemised printouts, still no Menu as such. Ahmed was keen to let Hector have this – on the house. In the end, money did change hands.
After excellent midweek Curry at 
A thought – I may as well order Mags’ Aloo Gosht (£8.00). Two Chapattis (£0.80) would accompany. Maybe one day, Hector will try what Mags claims to be – The Best Aloo Gosht in the World. Karahi Lamb (£9.00) is why Hector was here. 
Always served in a bowl, because it does not have the status of a – karahi – the Lamb was piled high on a bed of large pieces of Potato. How this Masala differs from the Karahi, Hector has long forgotten. I actually looked on with envy, the Potato looked to be just the job, a – Sufficiency of Diversity. Clearly my thoughts were – no Rashid, I should have tried this. 
Amazing yet again, so full of flavour. Lamb was tender, don’t know how they do it, nobody else can reach that standard. 
Just how hot can a Curry be served? I always marvel at the sizzling contents of the karahi when placed on the table. Hot food, such a simple pleasure. 
I knew this would be – good – not – outstanding – from the off. Chef Rashid knows Hector’s preferred – tweaks – he indulges me. Perhaps Ayaz is still teaching the other Chef who appears to be learning the ropes at 
Lifting the larger pieces of Lamb on-the-bone, the gnashers were called into play. No decorum, the only way to eat this creation. All Lamb at 
The main Barclay’s building looks to be nearing completion. I don’t know why Glasgow needs these twin towers, especially after it took so long to get rid of the high rise blocks on the other side of the railway. 
Curry recipes keep popping up on a certain – Social Medium – occasionally one looks worthy of actually watching. The 
Thick Masala which Hector prefers by far to the – soupy – creations served up in Mainstream Curry Houses. That’s what made me watch, then I realised that the order of introducing the ingredients was the reverse of the traditional, i.e. starting with Onions, then Tomatoes, Ginger Garlic etc. This is something I tried in April during Lockdown, 
My nearest Halal Butcher offered to cut the Lamb on the-bone – small. He did me no favours, somehow I still ended up with large cuts of meat and huge bones. 
The whole Spices were fried in the minimal Oil. Slitting open the Cardamom is something I was taught on my Indian Curry Course, Aqib really went for it, Hector followed suit. 
When the Meat was introduced, I realised just how much work lay ahead, this would would require non-stop stirring. The full eight minutes, more, led to the Oil and juices from the Meat separating. 
This was a totally different approach and was potentially producing a better outcome than using a pressure cooker to infuse Flavour, which at the time of writing feels comparable. 
It was around this point in the 
With the lid on, the Meat cooked, then it was time for lid off and some serious reduction. 
How does when tell when Lamb is cooked? Aqib let out the secret! Remove a piece of Lamb from the pot with a spoon. Using a teaspoon, try to cut through the Meat. If it goes through, the Lamb is suitably Tender, cook longer if that is one’s preference. 
Instead of serving in individual karahi as is the norm at Hector’s House, I placed the pot on the table. In this way, Marg could avoid the added Chillies. I had given Marg a warning, as I have been forced to do of late. The stock Red Chilli Powder has to be replaced, fierce, a little goes a hell of a long way.
Marg took a modest portion, her customary comment about the Spice Level was forthcoming. It wasn’t that strong, however this did not stop Marg having sliced apple to calm her palate. 
Spicy? Yes, my fault, ah but the Seasoning … this was truly spot on. The Meat was quite simply superb. Tender of course, but giving off so much Flavour. The Marinade had worked its magic.
Discovered by Hector in 2016, 
based on an article I read once but can no longer source. I’m not doing too well here, but hang on, Wicker Kebabish is not Kebabish Original (KO). Wicker Kebabish, so sources reveal, is a family run operation, not part of the chain. Hector Holmes was on the case.
Arriving on Wicker at 19.45, the shutters were down at Wicker Kebabish. Surely on this short street of Kebab Houses, Curry was being served? A few metres along the road, all was revealed, a brightly illuminated Curry House – Wicker Kebabish – occupying the former premises of 
On entering, one chap sat mid room dining alone. The area was almost thick with the smoke from the grill. The serving chap, whom I immediately clocked as being Mein Host acknowledged us. I pointed to the stairs, he assured me that the grill was being heavily used at the moment, upstairs would be worse, and the fan would clear the air in minutes. 
A waitress showed us to a downstairs booth, the – Reserved – sign was quickly removed. The Menus were already on the table – Apna Style Chef Specials – had me won. I would happily tell the World, but somebody broke – t’internet – today. The description for Karahi Gosht (£8.50) suggested no – 
The wait was appropriate, in time I shall stop mentioning how quickly the food came last week at 
The Butter Nan glistened, thankfully not with Garlic Butter. Lightly fired, but with enough burnt blisters, the Naan was puffy/thicker around the edges. A sensible size, I would both enjoy and manage all of this. Well, as much as I was allowed.
The Toppings were minimal, Ginger Strips and a threat of Coriander. No Manchester – foliage – here. There was already a significant collection of Oil around the periphery of the karahi, I would mix this into the Blended Masala. Success, the Oil was reabsorbed, no excess here. 
The Spice hit hard, no prisoners being taken here, sliced Green Chillies boosted the overall – kick. The Seasoning was below the Hector idyll, today this did not seem to matter. Behold, a new Flavour, this was markedly different for that served in the three main cities covered in Curry-Heute. Tomato skins were visible, Onions were not. I deduced a Tomato-based Masala. No need for blending, but then there were no solid Seeds/Spices here. Marg was keen to sample Hector’s latest discovery. The Naan was shrinking rapidly, Marg dipped some Naan into the Masala. I waited for the obvious reaction. The Spice Level here was well outwith Marg’s comfort zone. She came back for more. I shall remind Marg of this in days/months to come when 
Meanwhile, across the table…
The promised five pieces of Meat were present sitting on a bed of raw Onions. No sizzling platter then. As with our most recent visit to 
Plenty Meat in the Chops, with a good covering of carbon, just how I like it. The Onions were not cremated enough, but I enjoyed some of the Salad given to us – was Marg’s verdict. 
There had to be a photo with Mein Host. He took time out from serving and answering the phone. I told him to watch out for Howard who will surely visit later in the week, and report back on Karahi Gosht on-the-bone.
The weekend of – The London Marathon – and – 
The three Lamb Dishes a Hector’s point of focus when dining at 
Marg surprised us all by having her first ever Dosa – Lamb Masala Dosa – (£8.75). By avoiding Curry per se, she was clearly planning ahead for dinner later on. Doesn’t she know how these days pan out? 
Hector and Clive pushed the boat out and went all the way with the Rice, Pilau (£3.50) whilst Maggie stuck to the more modest Plain (£3.00). 
If there’s a Bhuna served anywhere in the UK which defines the genre then I offer that served at 
The Rice portion covered the plate, just. Compare this to the total waste served at other venues, especially on Mainland Europe. I think I still remember Mainland Europe. Today, I was still facing leftover Rice despite there being far from excess, further proof that the Curry portion could have been more. 
Clive offered no criticisms at all:
A pale Curry with clearly more Masala than the Bhuna as one should expect. The was an abundance of peripheral Oil, but this was in no way excessive. Hector was too busy eating to observe the Chicken Meat being separated from its bone. As Clive and Hector had done, Maggie cleared every edible morsel from her plate. I was not quite sure what the Mango Chutney was for.
The alternative vessel to Bread and Rice? Is it Curry?
The Aftermath
Taking the right hand stairs, we were shown to the same table that Steve and Hector had occupied on 
Marg thought the Blended Masala looked to be red from her side of the table, evidently not, a trick of the light. Within the Masala was a decent quantity of Fish, no flakes here, sizeable chunks. Of what, who knows? I ask the question sincerely, maybe menus should be forced to disclose this information. The Fish had been well cooked, no rubbery nonsense here. Two slices of Lemon were uncovered, the addition of – Citrus – always goes down well. There was also just enough Coriander on top to add further Flavour.
The Spice Level impressed, for the n’th time I have to wonder why so often I have Fish Curry and the Seasoning is low. In time, the Flavour of the Curry came through, even a sense of – Fishiness. 
Available in two sizes, this was the standard portion, and it gave the impression of being – huge. One day I’ll come here and try the – large (£16.95). The Masala appears to be identical to that served above, one can only speculate as to how Curry at Needoo Grill can be served so quickly. The Big Pot – comes to mind. 
Two large pieces of 
