Steve, who is otherwise not in this saga today, assured the Hector that Bella Tandoori (Schützenstraße 14, 96047 Bamberg Deutschland) was worth another visit. Visit #1 was not a great experience, but even nearby Swarg, once reported as the worst Curry House ever visited, eventually had the Hector onside. Time heels, else the management are forced to get their act together. As reported two days ago, Erlangen has always had a disproportionate number of Curry Houses for the size of town, Bamberg is catching up, alas the better venues are not open at lunchtime, and so shall continue to be passed by.
Originally, Hector had other plans for today. A Punjabi outlet has popped up in Ebermannstadt – Everybody’s Darling (Mama’s Punjab) – Monday was earmarked for a visit until I noted that Google had them as closed this week, with today as the reopening. Their holiday has been extended. It is good to see people keep this medium up to date. Maybe next year Hector will have his first Kofta Anda in Deutschland.
On entering Bella Tandoori, nothing was familiar. Having been directed towards the garden at the rear last time, today, we were very much in the front end of the premises. A compact room, two diners were in situ as we entered at 13.00. A turbaned chap greeted but was not serving. Instead, a Syrian gentleman would be looking after us. For once, I managed to refrain from announcing that I have been to a piece of land that was once Syria, i.e. Golan. Clive did get in a mention of Assad.
Rehydration, a 0.75l bottle of Mineralwasser spritzig (€6.00) was first up for Hector. Maggie ordered a comparable bottle of Still Water whilst Clive hung on for water from the tap.
We took our time choosing our Curry. All the permutations of Lamb, Chicken, Fish and Duck were listed and described on the extensive menu. Pizza, too, Bella explained. The Korma on the Board was not of the type celebrated in these pages. Monday’s Vindaloo at Curry House (Erlangen) was enough of an experience for one week. Today’s Curry would very much be in the Mainstream category, nothing – Desi – here.
For Hector, Lamm Rogan Josh (€19.90), a bit steep, but of course, in Europe, Rice is usually included. And we have tablecloths, so pukka eating today. Clive, determined to find something with a – kick – opted for Chilli Chicken (€15.90), whilst Maggie took Hector’s advice and went for Chicken Sabji (€14.90). A potentially Interesting array of Vegetables being the attraction here, not the Chicken.
Three Spice Levels were outlined on the menu. Our waiter took time to address our individual needs. Maggie specified – lightly spiced – whilst the men sought something above medium, but not crazy. Sorted.
The two ladies departed, we were entertained by a variety of musical styles unfortunately featuring Indian (c)rap. The turbaned chap apologised when a sudden blast escaped from his sound system.
Three Poppadoms, the tasty ones, complete with Cumin Seeds, and three Dips were provided for our further amusement. The Chilli Dip was pronounced sweet by Clive, and so was avoided by Hector, as was the Mint Raita. The Mango did the trick. Why don’t we get Complimentary Poppadoms as standard across the UK?
When the food arrived, Maggie was impressed by the tall stands. Like Hector, she prefers to decant half of the Curry at the start, anything which can help keep the remaining food warm a bit longer is always appreciated, as were the hot dinner plates.
I was surprised when three individual portions of Rice were presented. For once in Europe, sensible portions, manageable, no wastage.
Lamm Rogan Josh
Attractively presented, raw Onions Rings were an interesting addition to the ubiquitous Ginger Strips and threat of Coriander. I counted out the, oh so standard, eight pieces of Meat. In addition to a slight Oily sheen, the Red-ish Masala had a hint of Creaminess to it. With no sign of Tomato, this Rogan Josh was in the new-style interpretation of this Curry. When my TARDIS arrives, I shall go back to the early 1980s and visit the original Akash (Helensburgh) and have this Curry in the original style, with large pieces of Tomato cooked in.
We had Seasoning! The Spice Level was well pitched, and we had Flavour. OK, calm, there was no great depth of Flavour, no Whole Spice, and so nothing of note was discernible. Importantly, there was only the merest hint of the universal Euro-Curry Taste. In effect, there was nothing not to like here.
Tender Meat, soft, minimal chewing required, as with any Mainstream Curry House, only the pronounced Flavour of the Lamb itself was forthcoming. Overall, a decent Curry, and a vast improvement over that which was presented some six years back at these premises.
Chilli Chicken
With an identical garnish, the Masala looked not dissimilar to the Rogan Josh. The major difference was the protrusion of the Meat in the Masala. So, maybe more eating here. Clive:
Everything about that was good. Nice place, good service. Excellent, it was hot and spicy, not lethal, pleasantly hot. Addition of free Poppadoms was welcome.
*
*
*
*
Chicken Sabji
The Masala here was markedly different in colour, a different sauce pot? The same level of viscosity had been achieved, this made me look back at the very poor Masala served in the Fisch Mix back in 2019. Today’s was clearly better.
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrot and Peas gave the Diversity which always makes Sabji a worthy fallback in European Curry Houses when nothing else attracts. Maggie held a piece of Chicken aloft and wondered how one achieves cubes of Chicken. Chicken breast can be cut thus with ease, surely. Maggie:
Lots of vegetables, lightly spiced as requested. Not too soupy, lots of chicken, cubes of chicken. Just the right portion size. It’s not often you go somewhere and get everything you ask for.
*
*
*
It appears that we were three contented diners. I gestured towards the empty plates when the table was cleared.
The Bill
€65.60 (£57.68)
The Aftermath
It was after the advertised 14.00 closing time when we took our leave. Meanwhile, a new customer had arrived, so maybe they are not too strict.
2025 Menu extracts
It’s that time of year when the Bockbier of Franconia calls. Curry opperchancities are limited, to many restaurants are open in the evening only, which does not fit into the daily model. 
Steve texted to say he was joining me, and to verify the train I was taking. For reasons unknown, this was impossible, t’Internet was not working, A global outage, unglaublich!. 
A new layout, with extra tables in situ, and the majority occupied, 
The Board had extra options, Punjabi Kadhi (€8.50) had to be considered. Which – Kadhi – was this? 
We took our seats, the food would be brought to the table. 
Curry, nothing fancy, with more Basmati than I would manage. Five pieces of Meat, four of these would require cutting into two or even three bits. T
Bloody hell! – no prisoners, this was brutal. Tissue please, 
Soft Meat, giving of Flavour, a respite from the Masala. Eating this early, taking it slowly, remember, Hector, this is meant to be pleasure. 
Cumin and Coconut Milk were mentioned on the menu, in addition to declaring this Curry to be a South Indian creation. I initially took the slight Creaminess of the Masala to be Yoghurt, but now we know. 
A pleasant dish with just the right amount of spice and heat. There was a reasonable amount of fairly tender meat. Fresh ginger juliennes added a nice finish. 
Later this evening, Steve and I excused ourselves and found a bar which put on the match for us. 
A Saturday night, and Hector is having Curry at home courtesy of Praveen Kumar (Unit 1, Islay Place, Perth PH1 3FU). 
A frozen, pre-cooked Curry, quite a departure from the norm, and a Railway Curry to boot. This could be anything 
The back of the box gives full disclosure of every Spice which went into this 
A modest portion, but as it turned out, well judged.
The Thick, and not excessive Masala, impressed in terms of appearance. 
Having driven past The Chaat Corner (516 Cathcart Road, Govanhill, Glasgow, G42 7BX) for who knows how long, Hector
The laminated menu was already on the table, a portion of Lamb Karahi (£11.99) is why the Hector was here. 
The artwork at the doorway advertises an array of interesting Paratha. The Laccha Paratha looks close to Hector’s favourite Malabar Parotta, light in colour, thick, and multi-layered. This was not on the menu, nor was it being offered. A Plain Paratha (£2.99) completed the Order. 
I spotted the board with a list of Curry Dishes, various. I wondered how many of 
The chap brought the food after a sensible period of preparation. The quartered Paratha was a good size, thin, flaky, had some layering but was decidedly thin/flat, and brown, compared to how I like my Paratha. A bit greasy too, but that’s the Butter. Wholemeal Flour appeared to have been used, definitely not my favourite. I would manage half, which is good going for the Hector.
Wooden cutlery was on the table, this I find abominable. By the time I arrived in 
A small karahi, and only half full, how I miss the indulgence of the days of 
In time a glass of water, which tends to make matters worse, was provided. 
identify it with certainty. The Ghee/Oil was giving off a distinctive Flavour which put me back in the Charsi road, no, this was better. 
The 
A friend, who has recently become a regular – passer by – at 
This 
The seating area in 
The Dry Lamb Chukka/Sukka has long gone from the 
A flashy bottle, a paper cup, not wonderful.
The chap brought the food.
There used to be two options, the 
Six, I can only describe as – miserly, pieces of Fish were arranged on the Rice. Not a huge volume of Fish, and this was me going – standard. The Tapas must be very much just that, beware. 
What I took to be Mustard Seeds permeated the Masala, whole Curry Leaves were aplenty. Still, I refuse to attempt to 
The food cooled quickly on the cold dinner plate. Despite the fact that I was enjoying the Flavours from the Masala, things were not going well, and nobody came to ask, else they would have been told much of this critique. 
The new Vegetarian Curry House – Saravanaa Bhavan – has finally opened on Sauchiehall Street. We know how long Curry Houses with this self-imposed restriction survive in Glasgow. I’ll get there sometime, maybe before it disappears. 
Stewart had contacted Hector, with time off his work, there had to be 
The external graphics do not convey – Curry. As I took my photo so a chap emerged. 
When Stewart arrived, I let him down gently. He too would have the Lamb Chops Curry, a Nan (£1.25) plus a Rubicon. With his prepared appetite needing sated, he added Vegetable Pakora (£4.00). 
The two Naan were served whole. Round, risen, puffy, on the verge of forming blisters, not as perfect as my preferred teardrop Tandoori Naan, but I would eat more than I thought capable. 
The Oily Shorva may be off-putting to some. Bear with it, once the eating gets underway there is a transformation. 
The Seasoning, the Flavours, and why did I add more Chillies? Stewart would pull out a piece of Cinnamon Bark from his Shorva, the Hector found the solitary Clove. Whole Peppercorns were also a major feature. It is so much easier to identify Flavours when the Whole Spice is visible. More concentrated Flavour too when these are present. This Curry was full on.
With a further bowl brought for the discarded bones, we set about separating Meat from Bone. 
Ten large pieces, well fired, presumably twice fried. Offers were declined, the Hector literally had enough on his plate. Stewart polished off the contents of one Chilli bowl and started on the next. 
By the end, Stewart had wiped his plate clean – ready for the next customer. 
The Bill
Now there’s the matter of converting the recently acquired next door premises into a Takeaway. There’s also the question of letting m
A third Curry in six days was 
Parked across the street from 
Elsewhere, the seating has been radically altered, booths aplenty on to which six may sit at a squeeze, otherwise tables are grouped for parties up to eight.
Today, the function room sat cleared of furniture. I did note the addition of the dais, a small stage. 
The waitress placed the 
Mushroom Rice (£3.95) continues to be my go-to accompaniment. 
Three for a tenner! Is this what we have reached? As it happens, the answer lies below. 
The hot dinner plate brought moments before the food was set aside, the Mushroom Rice was not presented in its usual bowl, so why dirty another? 
I arranged the nine pieces of Meat over the Mushroom Rice, reserving half of the viscous Masala for later. This is how I approach – Curry. 
Satisfaction was instantaneous, the much loved 
The Spice built steadily to a peak which was not too testing. The Seasoning of course was spot on, it had to be, these Flavours are not attained without getting everything right. 
Whole Spice! A Desi Curry, 
Ag
Zaika 
Marg and Hector entered Zaika at 14.10 this Friday afternoon. Two tables were occupied, a group of seven 
Hector had questions to ask, the 
So much to consider, no opperchancity to discuss. 
Five good-sized pieces with a Tomato/Chilli Sauce. One piece crossed the table and was duly dissected. The classic Onion-Potato-Coriander was present, not a bad wee kick from this Pakora, tasty too. On dipping the second half, the sauce was found to be a cut above the usual Sweet Chilli Sauce which I try to avoid. 
The Chapattis were the traditional ones, so hard to source these days. These I prefer by far. My little scrap would be used to test my Masala, after the ritual photograph. 
The dipping of my toty piece of Chapatti into the Masala provoked a reaction. The Spice took me by surprise, catching the back of the throat. Start again, now I knew what I was dealing with. 
OK, this Curry was up at the so-called Vindaloo level of Spice, 
Topped with some Coriander, and served in a small karahi, commensurate with being from the Lunch Menu, the Bhoona’s Masala was remarkably similar to the Laal Maas. Maybe a bit less – red. Hector’s Soupcon was duly sampled.
A small dish with large pieces of lamb in a thick sauce which contained coriander and rich flavours of tomato and onion. I was able to cut the pieces of lamb before eating. The meat was soft in texture and overall a filling dish and I left a quarter of the second chapatti. 
The Bill
The ritual Monday Curry in Glasgow was cancelled, maybe a break was required, 
Woodside is close to where the Hector spent his formative years, hence Curry at Green Gates aged ten on Bank Street off Great Western Road. It was quickly established that Maryhill/Garscube Road 
Two tables and eight chairs were positioned under a lean-to 
What came, was certainly complex, 
As Soupy as a Curry can be, a spoon proved to be the best way to tackle this – Shorva. 
It took two sets of hands to capture the solids smothered by the Shorva. Then the small cut Mutton and Tomatoes were visible. However, in time, much more would be uncovered. 
The first dip of the Parotta conveyed the rich Smoky, Peppery blast. If the enemy of Cur
These ingredients were blended to create the Shorva, however in true Desi style, other Whole Spices were revealed. I always seem to identify the presence of Cardamom when I bite into one, today, was no exception. Green Cardamom and a mass of Curry Leaves, were 
Served in a metal handi, Onion rings and a wedge of Lime formed the topping. The Roti had been finely chopped, as had everything else. It became a case of what could Marg identify
I ordered the Mutton Kothu as something different and it certainly was. The dish was Sri Lankan and full of finely chopped everything. The main ingredients were vegetables and bread with small pieces of lamb. I thoroughly enjoyed the moist taste of these flavours. The green chillies gave the food a kick and the small pieces of onion, tomato, with red, green and orange 
What do you call it? – I asked Ravi.
A lovely couple, we could happily have spent more time in their company. Anitha had to take her leave, this left us with Ravi, who was keen to chat. This business has only been in operation for a couple of months. Already, there are plans to expand. North Star Cafe on Queen Margaret Drive, is shortly to become theirs. A change of name assumed. With two outlets imminent, I had to ask – when will you see your wife? 
And so Marg and Hector set off to find the new premises. En route, we did stop off at Queens Cross to visit Cafe D’Jaconelli for some of their famous ice cream. 
This evening’s Curry at 
Poppadoms, Mango Chutney and Spiced Onion were brought in a flash, no messing
A Saturday night Curry, Marg and Hector stuck to the traditional daytime accompaniment, a large bottle of Sparkling Water (£4.70), Kath – tap water. Graeme succumbed to having yellow fizz, a pint of Cobra (£5.50).
Five large pieces of Haddock in batter, accompanied by two Dips, and a wee Salad. Eventually, everyone had sampled the Fish Pakora, all impressed. The freshness of the Spicy batter is the key here, if it has been sitting around and is reheated, not the same impact. Just the right amount of Spice in the batter to make it interesting. 
Ginger Strips, and a threat of Coriander, topped the Thick Masala. There appeared to be ample Chicken, boneless, plus some pieces of partially cooked-in Tomato. I would expect 
The Peas being so visible, suggests they had been added at the point of serving, along with the single Ginger Strip. A further cooked 
Desi Lamb on-the-bone
I gave Graeme the sad news: his Curry could not taste as good as mine as I would only be photographing one. As it happened, my Curry was served in the usual flat plate with the rim, Graeme’s on a standard soup plate. 
What makes this Curry unique to 
Tried and tested, this is a combination which works well. Graeme: 
A Saturday night Curry, and so Marg played the lets prolong the meal card. Chai was mentioned, Chai Latte (?) also. The waitress was asked – Masala Tea (£3.00) – times three, was duly ordered. Chai comes with latte, not how the Hector drinks his tea. Marg consulted further – Cinnamon, Ginger and Cardamom – feature in this creation.