A quick Curry at London Victoria

The final day of May was to be the first day that Marg and Hector went on a wander around the City of Westminster, alone. A Curry-Heute was not the plan. We were meant to rendezvous with the Chaps, however, as is reported in the sister blog Bier today, this was not to be.

By 18.00 we had half an hour left in the city. Marg played the ‘I’m hungry’ card; I played the ‘if you mention the C-word’ card. It was very much a situation of where is the nearest Curry house to Victoria Station? Hector spotted it: the Victoria Indian Cuisine (318 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, SW1V 1AA).

The place was small. We were sat at a tiny table, for two. The meal was ordered. The meal was delivered. The place filled up, a couple were even turned away because there was only a table for four currently available.Hector ordered a Lamb Balti, Marg the Lamb Rogan Gosht.
The portions were fine for London where minuscule is the norm.
The lamb was tough; there was gristle, one piece per portion.
















The taste was impressive, the classic ‘did they put sugar in this?’ sweetness.

The taste lingered for hours later. The curry passed the test.

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be…
Meanwhile a chance to reminisce about the days when I used to go down to London constantly to see Motorhead and stay with Noddy. We always ended up in the same Curry House in Denman St behind Piccadilly Circus, the Maharaja Tandoori (14 Denman Street, London, W1V 7RE). The sign outside says it has been there since 1980. The heritage is unknown apart from this. It still appears to get great reviews. Had a city centre curry been planned, then this would have been the venue.

What would NOT have been planned was the purchase of a curry from Harrods. The Food hall in Harrods sells curry, why?

Is this the prettiest Curry House in England

Just passing by.

There was one great pub in Shoreham. There was a disappointing one. In between was a Curry House, in a Tudor style building.

There was no Curry-Heute. Indeed it was Fish and certainly not Chips: Cod, in fact.

Hector had to go in a inspect the interior. The waiter was about to say I could take a photo if the customers did not mind...too late.

Lamb Mishkaki : A Kinda' Curry in Crawley

The Ram Sports & Social Club‎ (Ifield Avenue, Crawley RH11 7LX) is an unlikely venue for a major taste experience, but within the club house lies the Lal Akash, as is written on the crockery.



Lord Clive had recommended this. He described it as being reminiscent of the very dry lamb curry he had enjoyed so much in the Wee Curry House (Byres Rd, Glasgow) a couple of years ago.

A table for eight at 19.30 was arranged.

Hector had the Machi Tikka to start: this proved to be dry, brutally hot and decidedly filling. However, given the ease at which Hector has been putting away a starter and a curry of late, this would prove not be a problem.

Its Pakora Jim, but not as we know it...Three portions of Junglee Bahji were ordered, this was various vegetables in batter... . This was given the thumbs up by those who ordered it and by those who helped finish it.

Maggie had a huge Chicken Tikka starter, and Lord Clive had an even larger, out of focus Chicken starter.

The dish of the day was a Lamb Mishkaki. Lord Clive had had this as a starter the previous week: tonight it was to be had as a main course. When it arrived (last) it was presented as three portions on a single plate. This did not please Jonathan, Lord Clive or Hector: it was sent back and reappeared with some green accompaniment, and on separate plates.

This was superb! This was not in effect a curry as one would describe a curry. This was Lamb Tika taken to extremes. The meat was much more tender than Lamb Tikka. The marinade process must have taken an age. There was a cluster of spice and herb, more than enough to dispel any fear that this would be too dry to eat. The accompanying rice and Paratha worked well. Marg was permitted to sample a single piece of meat. Hector was in heaven.

The remaining five participants had an array of more traditional curry dishes.
Maggie had a Dansak, Dr Stan a Sweet and Sour variant,
Marg had a plate of Campbell's Tomato Soup, sorry Butter Chicken, Yvonne had the Rogan Josh and Craig had the best of all the curries: a Chicken Methi.












Having hoovered his own meal, Hector rounded up the sauces in all the remaining dishes and tried the lot. This is called quality control.

This is also how I am able to write so favourably about the Methi.




Now here lies the dilemma: dry curry is what I seek. The Methi (would Lamb have been better?) had the great taste. We shall be back at the end of June on our way to Egypt. What do I order?



This Methi was excellent!

Perth, a city in Scotland

This week Hector did his research.

Marg has a hockey meeting in Perth, she is afraid of falling asleep at the wheel, so Hector is engaged to ride shotgun: a chance to experience a curry in a town where I have not eaten for twenty years. The Tabla, (173 South St, Perth) looked the most interesting and had better reviews online than the other restaurant along the street, or the Indian Buffet.

Hector is standing at the window looking at all of the offers: lunch, pre-theatre, midweek - is this place struggling? The waiter came out to the street and invited me in, a welcome.

The menu was brought and there was a plethora of chicken. The usual, 'we can prepare any of the above in lamb or king prawn' was not evident. I was about to select a seafood combination when the waiter made the ultimate offer: '...the chef is happy to cook to order..'...so...Lamb, dry sauce, herbs, reasonably hot...was the order. The waiter wrote nothing down. A Vegetable Pilau Rice was to be the accompaniment. Squid Pakora! Hector has never experienced this, so at the risk of being too full, this had to be included.

'The Squid is off' and so with the guarantee that 'Salmon Pakora is fantastic' a replacement was ordered. Now this could turn out to be very filling.

There was time to notice that the clientele was Asian only.
Pieces of salmon in batter..is this really Pakora? It was not special, and certainly not 'fantastic'..

A very wet curry was then brought: which part of 'dry' did I not communicate? Unusually, I tasted the Vegetable Rice first, it is excellent, the vegetables have not been overcooked, there is a hint of clove.
This turned out to be a tasty meal, I suspect it was the rice that gave the curry a boost. I could have eaten more which is unusual having had the starter and also given the filling nature of salmon.



A mature Scots couple came in with a voucher. In discussion with the very attentive waiter they remarked that the place has changed hands frequently. It is also established that the waiter is indeed from India.

Now, the clove ingredient is starting to puzzle me, too much and a dish is killed. Is there a balance with Cloves and Methi? Is this where my fantasy taste originates?
There will be experimentation...

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Curry-Heute : Curried Eggs

For a change a 'curry' that is definitely not Indian in origin.

The recipe (adjacent pages) 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.

Nando's, NOT a curry!

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 chicken is wild: this is hotter than any curry.

Urban Pind

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 tried 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.

Wir essen Curry Heute im den Rathaus!

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.

Balbir's Route 77 (on the way to Prestwick Airport)

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.

Now I do 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.

Now this is when Hector realises 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’. Now this was not at all visible form 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!

Now those of you paying attention will realise that when the waiter said I could not have the Lamb Tava without capsicums…