currycouncil.com

Cockroach restaurant fined

2009-07-06T14:45:00.007+01:00

THE boss of a restaurant on Manchester's 'curry mile' has been fined after a court heard it had been crawling with cockroaches.

Magistrates were told a public health inspector had found a 'well developed' infestation at the Al Nawaz restaurant on Wilmslow Road, in Rusholme, last summer.

The court was told that manager Gopal Dangol, 64, was ordered to shut it down after the inspection. He was fined £2,500 and restaurant owner Elite Chain Ltd was fined £12,500. The restaurant has since re-opened under new management.

The court heard that the inspector went there on July 24 last year after a customer made a complaint. Barbara Gora, prosecuting for Manchester council, said: "He saw live cockroaches running around the bar area, over shelving and on drinking glasses.

"Live cockroaches were also found around the washing up sink, under the coffee machine and over electrical equipment.

"A live cockroach was also found in a foil food container. There were also a number of dead cockroaches, which was indicative of a well-developed infestation."

Dangol, from Buxton Road, Stockport, and the firm had earlier pleaded guilty to five offences under food hygiene regulations.

Miss Gora said salad had been left next to raw meat in a fridge and the refrigeration units were in a poor state of repair. She said samosas and onion bhajis had been left out overnight at room temperature. Waste food and unclean kitchenware had also provided a source of food for the cockroaches. The waste bin was also full and overflowing.

She said: "The council prosecutes these matters because the public health is being put at risk. These defendants are clearly putting their profits before public health."

The court was told Dangol had a previous conviction for five food hygiene breaches while he was manager at the New Tabak restaurant on Wilmslow Road in 2007.

Barry Cuttle, defending, said Dangol had worked in restaurants as a waiter, a chef and a manager all his life. He said: "He's a family man. He hails from Nepal. He has worked very, very hard and very honestly and sincerely."

He said Dangol had already resigned from his job when the inspector visited but had 'copped a rocket' because he was still there while the firm waited to appoint a replacement manager.

He said the firm's pest controller fighting the infestation had needed access to the flats above the restaurant, but the residents often would not let them upstairs.

He said the restaurant was now under new management and he had been told by accountants that Elite Chain Ltd had ceased trading. Dangol was fined £500 for each offence - a total of £2,500. He was ordered to pay £1,124 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Elite Chain Ltd was fined £2,500 for each offence - a total of £12,500. The firm was ordered to pay costs of £1,124 plus a £15 surcharge.

Dangol was told by magistrate Catherine Feeney it was the worst breach of hygiene regulations she had seen in 30 years in the hospitality industry. She said: "Hygiene is important because people can become ill and die. You're in a very prominent position on Wilmslow Road and it's totally unacceptable."

Source : Manchester Evening News

The tikka tagliatelle

2009-07-06T11:20:00.000+01:00

EVER fancied a chicken tikka tagliatelle? Or how about an aloo arrabiata?

For those with exotic tastes, one restaurant owner is bringing a fusion of Indian and Italian food to south Manchester diners.

Umar Farooq has begun introducing the culinary crossbreed to the Palatine restaurant in Northenden, and he plans to put the idea on the menu when he takes over the former Princess of Hearts in Chorlton.

He said: "I thought it would be a great idea to offer something new and different.

"I can‘t think of anywhere else where you could start with onion bhajis and then have a main of lasagne if you wanted to. And if they want to top it off with some Italian ice cream or an Indian dessert, they can.

"These days people have more exotic tastes and I want to give them the chance to mix and match a bit.

"But also when you get a group of people going out, they don’t all want to eat the same style of food, so I’m giving them the opportunity to have a few different things to share."

As well as selling a number of much-loved Indian or Italian dishes such as chicken tikka masala or penne al pesto, Umar says customers can design their own dishes if they want.

"If they want tagliatelle with a tikka sauce or an aloo gobi with an arrabiata sauce, they can have it!

"We want customers to have what they want and have a bit of fun."

Umar, 35, opened the Palatine on the site of the former Kazbar on Palatine Road, Northenden a few months ago, and he has agreed a lease with the owners of the former Princess Of Hearts on Manchester Road, Chorlton. The restauranteur who lives in Urmston with his wife Sahida and their five children, grew up on Manley Road on the Chorlton-Whalley Range border.

He said: "When I told my children I was going to do this they laughed and thought it was a funny idea. But like the new generation of British Asian kids, they’re very accepting of all sorts of different tastes.

"And they especially like the idea of Italian ice cream."

Umar will take over the running of the Chorlton restaurant once an issue over the height of the revamped building is resolved between the owners, Britannia Property Group, and the council.

He added: "We‘re going to start doing breakfasts too, so people can have parathas with spicy omelettes.

"We’re going to blow the roof off!"

Source : MEN Asian News

Lal Qila - Rusholme

2009-06-23T23:53:00.023+01:00

T 0161 224 9999
A 125 Wilmslow Road, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 5AN

Visit arranged by: Chris Marchbank-Smith

It has now been at least 7 years since the currycouncil last sampled the cuisine in the aptly titled ‘Curry Mile’ in Rusholme, Manchester. It became clear that some of the famous restaurants in the ‘Curry Mile’ must be included in our website, to back up our claim of being the true Indian Restaurant knowledge base of the Manchester and Cheshire area.

The ‘Curry Mile’ consists of over 60 restaurants and takeaways on Wilmslow Road. The venue for the June 2009 curry was set after extensive research and ‘Lal Qila’ was the venue of choice.

Rusholme appeared a little bit more scruffier than on our last visit. Scaffolding and broken neon signs are now common place across a number of shop and restaurants fronts. Parking was extremely difficult and most members subsequently arrived ten minutes later than planned due to the lack of available car parking spaces in the area.

The large restaurant appeared busy on arrival and consisted of a mixed crowd consisting of students, couples, families and a Cilla Battersby-Brown lookalike. The décor was basic and neither modern nor old. The interior of the white washed restaurant does not really have the look or feel of a traditional ‘curry house’ or a restaurant that had chosen to move with the times.

"Watery Mango Chutney"

A complimentary poppodum was served to each council member with a small selection of dips. The texture of the mango chutney and associated dips appeared to be very thin and almost watered down. The standard and choice of dips was quite poor and it was noted that the dips were not complimentary. Pints of cobra were promptly served all round and went down quite well.

The waiter quickly and rather impatiently tried to take our order before the first pop had even been broken. Winfield duly dismissed the waiter and asked for a “couple more minutes” for the council to peruse the menu.

The waiter took our order and we resumed or usual discussions. The main talking points included welcoming Paul ‘The Rat’ Day back to the fold after his self-inflicted 6 month break from all currycouncil activities. The council were pleased to see him and explained the reasons behind our current stRATegy of targeting the Rusholme area for review. Mr Day didn’t seem too impressed with the surroundings and raised a concern about finding the toilets unsupervised.

"Uncle Bens Chinese Sweet & Sour Sauce?"

A selection of starters arrived. Winfield and Hague opted for the ‘Chicken Chaat’, a firm council favourite. The ‘Chaat’ was, unusually, not served on the traditional Chaapati and this immediately raised concerned with the lads.

Hague chewed on his flourescent coloured starter and begin to grimace. He shouted out “Lads, this chaat tastes a bit too sweet, it tastes like Uncle Ben’s Chinese Sweet & Sour Sauce from a jar” in his not so discreet voice.

The rest of the currycouncil began to sample his starter and all concluded that the sauce was not home made, strangely included pineapple, tasted like it was from a jar and was incredibly poor.

The chicken tikka starter was very well marinated and elegantly spiced. The Onion bhaji’s were small, bland and flat. The bhajis lacked onion and strongly tasted of potato.

"Any more drinks?" x 19

The waiter constantly asked us if we “wanted any more drinks” every five minutes. This became quite repetitive on the 19th occasion of asking, as did the sulky look on the waiter's when we didn’t order another round of drinks.

Things were not looking great so far but surely Lal Qila surely had to deliver on the main courses?

The waiter brought out some clean cutlery for our main course but the council were left suitably unimpressed by the well worn and scruffy looking plates that arrived. Metallic hot plate warmers were also not provided.

Main Courses - did they deliver?

Two members opted for the "Chef’s Special" and were left suitably unimpressed with their choice. They wondered why this dish was actually described as ‘special’. The sauce was quite dry and rather bland. The chicken and lamb balti’s were both sampled and would be described as average to good.

Winfield sampled the Chicken Jalfrezi and was not impressed with their offering and was dissapointed with the "lets go to Iceland" style chicken pieces.

"Nan lacking fluffiness"

The Peshwari Nan served was very flat and circular, almost like an Italian pizza base. The bread lacked the 'fluffiness' and the usual brown 'bubble' type crators that we have become accustomed to.
The brown pilau rice arrived served on two large plates rather than seperate bowls. The rice texture was lumpy and unappealing.

The months curry organiser had pre organised a group booking discount of 10%. The waiter did not honour this discount when the bill arrived. After some persuasion the waiter reduced the bill by just 6% and we all begrudingly chucked in £20 each.

If Lal Qila is a true reflection of the standard of the restaurants on the curry mile, the Curry Council are extemely dissapointed and may think twice before revisiting Rusholme based on this offering.

Pros

Very busy restaurant with a mixed crowd
Good pints of draught Cobra
The Curry Mile's unique atmosphere and 'smell'
Vimto lollys with the bill

Cons

Parking difficult
Cheap paper napkins
Poor to average food
Unappealing "Old School" Salad with starters (e.g. iceberg lettuce and huge tomato slices)
Uncle Bens Chicken Chaat
Waiters too pushy with drinks

CurryCouncil Rating
Food 3/10
Service 4/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Value for money 4/10
Originality 3/10

Overall 4.2/10

Curry News June 2009 : North West

2009-06-19T16:17:00.020+01:00

The CurryCouncil have noted a few interesting developments on their recent travels across the North West.

New Restaurants

The Khandoker Indian Restaurant is scheduled to open in Bramhall (Stockport) in the Summer of 2009.

The new restaurant on Fir Road is to be opened by the owners of the original Khandoker in Parrs Wood (Manchester).

Following on from the huge success of their Poynton restaurant, the Purple Pakora II is currently being built on the former Little Chef site on the A6 between Disley (Stockport) and New Mills (Derbyshire).

New Menu

The Indian Ocean in Ashton-under-Lyne (Tameside) is now offering an 'al-fresco' dining experience. The outside dining terrace offers an al-fresco dining menu with a healthy menu presented in tiffin boxes, this gives a perfect opportunity for diners to enjoy light indian meals whilst taking advantage of the warmer weather.

The CurryCouncil hope to visit these establishments soon and promise to give you our expert opinion on these new offerings.

Legal News

The Gatley Tandoori in Stockport suffered a legal blow after being forced to pay an estimated five figure compensation sum to a customer. The customer injured herself when leaving the restaurant. The restaurant has lost an appeal at London's Civil Appeal Court.

Full article HERE.

Weekly curry 'may fight dementia'

2009-06-03T22:41:00.003+01:00

Eating a curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, a US researcher suggests.

The key ingredient is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric.

Curcumin appears to prevent the spread of amyloid protein plaques - thought to cause dementia - in the brain.

But the theory, presented at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' annual meeting, has been given a lukewarm reception by UK experts.

Amyloid plaques, along with tangles of nerve fibres, are thought to contribute to the degradation of the wiring in brain cells, eventually leading to symptoms of dementia.

Professor Murali Doraiswamy, of Duke University in North Carolina, said there was evidence that people who eat a curry meal two or three times a week have a lower risk of dementia.

He said researchers were testing the impact of higher doses - the equivalent of going on a curry spree for a week - to see if they could maximise the effect.

Animal studies

Professor Doraiswamy told the meeting: "There is very solid evidence that curcumin binds to plaques, and basic research on animals engineered to produce human amyloid plaques has shown benefits."

"You can modify a mouse so that at about 12 months its brain is riddled with plaques.

"If you feed this rat a curcumin-rich diet it dissolves these plaques. The same diet prevented younger mice from forming new plaques.

"The next step is to test curcumin on human amyloid plaque formation using newer brain scans and there are plans for that."

Professor Doraiswamy said a clinical trial was now underway at the University of California, Los Angeles, to test curcumin's effects in Alzheimer's patients.

He said research had also examined turmeric's therapeutic potential for treating conditions such as cancer and arthritis.

Good diet

He stressed that eating a curry could not counter-balance the increased risk of dementia associated with a poor diet.

However, he said: "If you have a good diet and take plenty of exercise, eating curry regularly could help prevent dementia."

Professor Doraiswamy predicted it might be possible to develop a curry pill which had the same therapeutic effect.

However, Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, stressed that people would need to eat a lot of curry - over 100g of turmeric curry powder - to get a clinical dose of curcumin.

She said: "Professor Doraiswamy's unpublished research applies only to animal models; his hypothesis has not been confirmed in human clinical trials.

"We look forward to the results of the human curcumin trial at UCLA."

Dr Susanne Sorensen, of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Indian communities that regularly eat curcumin have a surprisingly low incidence of Alzheimer's disease but we don't yet know why.

"Alzheimer's Society is keen to explore the potential benefits of curcumin in protecting the brain and we are conducting our own research into this area.

"A cheap, accessible and safe treatment could transform the quality of life of thousands of people with the condition."

SOURCE BBC NEWS

Kulshi Buffet restaurant - Urmston

2009-05-26T23:00:00.015+01:00

T 0161 747 1777
A 47 Station Rd, Urmston, Manchester, M41 9JG
E info@kulshi.co.uk
W http://www.kulshi.co.uk

Visit arranged by: Dave Marchbank-Smith
Review by: Dave Marchbank-Smith

Attendees
Keith (CMS)
DMS
Bean
MN
Woody
Jordan

A contingent of six members of the CurryCouncil descended on Urmston for the May 2009 outing. On a bright summer evening we entered the impressive 100-year-old grand building that is the Kulshi. The former roller-skating rink, supermarket and snooker hall has hugely an impressive half-moon ceiling and original wooden beams. Kulshi's origins lie from the port town of Chittagong, Bangladesh where members of the family run restaurant are from.

The Kulshi Buffet restaurant offer an ‘all you can eat’ midweek deal costing just £7.95. With a huge array of starters, mains and deserts on offer, this represented excellent value for money. However the CurryCouncil opted for the A La Carte menu – to provide a fairer comparison with previous restaurants. This decision was also helped by the fact Madras didn’t appear on the buffet selection (on this occasion).

It was a no-show for Paul Day (Sperminator number 5) whose better half has fallen pregnant again. Meanwhile Andrew Hague had forgotten he was working late. Rumors’ circulated suggesting that a re-run of the first series of “Come Dine With Me” had begun at 8pm on Channel 4 – the real reason for his absence.

The night began in the worst possible way. Six pints of Cobra were ordered, two of which were quickly replaced after complaints by Woodman and Noble regarding the taste. Woody had suggested that "the Cobra could do with a bit of a lemonade top to take the nasty taste off it". After much deliberation and tasting each other’s pints to decide “is it dodgy, or is it me?” all 6 drinks (plus the replacement two) were sent back, eight in total!. The waiter to his absolute credit, didn’t hesitate and replaced them with 6 bottled regular sized Cobras, which immediately hit the spot.

The poppodoms tasted fresh and arrived with a rather thick but tasty mango chutney. As the dip-shortage occurred quite rapidly, additional replenishments duly arrived at no extra charge (always well received by the CurryCouncil).

We savored the taste of our Cobra and ordered our dishes. This sparked the monthly debate of how many rice, naan and side dishes would be required to satisfy our healthy appetites. The main source of disagreement, yet again surrounded Peshwari Naan Vs Plain Naan. The peshwari came out on top 3-1.

Rather amusingly Gaz Jordan’s request for “ …. one portion of chips” was met by an immediate response of “do you want peas and gravy as well?” by the waiter. Comedy gold.

It was also noted that the said waiter spoke in the same manner and style to Geoffrey “the butler” from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. From this point forward we were expecting him to say the immortal words of “Master William”…. sadly he didn’t.

A fantastic mix of starters arrived. First the Chicken Preeto starter: This was similar to chicken chat in many ways but was served on a crispy paratha bread, salad and hot barbecue sauce – this received a real thumbs up from Bean, Noble and Jordan. The waiter also demonstrated his knowledge by explaining in detail how the paratha bread is made and then cooked.

CMS opted for the Chicken Tangary, this arrived on-the-bone and marinated in ground almonds, pistachio, black pepper, yoghurt and lemon juice barbecued over a charcoal grill.

Woody opted for the “excellent” Gola Kebab – comprised of minced-meat balls mixed with green chillies, coriander and onion stuffed with cheese. Summed up as “Well tasty”.

During the wait between starters and main course. The curry-talk kicked in. Tonight we discussed ways to promote the legendary Curry Council. DMS suggested we purchase 16 large helium balloons with the lettering C U R R Y C O U N C I L . C O M . We could then fix them together and release them inside the Kulshi on our next visit. Due to the sheer height of the ceiling the currycouncil.com message would present itself to the many visitors frequenting for years! Bean poo-pooed this idea and instead suggested “You know what we should do? Get a float on Stockport carnival. We could even hire some models to parade round holding a banner”. Curry talk at its best.

Onto the main event. Despite a huge selection of dishes four out of the six attendees opted for the classic Chicken Tikka Madras at just £4 (reduced from £5 utilizing an onionring 25% off voucher). This represented excellent value for money. CMS not a usual Madras-man stated “The chicken madras was extremely hot”, Noble-Madras agreed “the hottest chicken tikka madras ever, surely a vindaloo?”, “It tasted good but was far too hot, I suffered badly on the ‘ringstingometer’ the next day”.

The fieriness was appreciated by Gary Jordan who quipped “this is proper, old school chicken tikka madras of the correct hotness, 1992 style, really nice” – an accurate observation from Gaz. Highlighting that the strength of Madras has weakened over the last decade.

Bean ordered the Chicken/Lamb combo Jalfrezi. In line with the Madras, this was the hottest curry he had ever tasted, however it was extremely tasty and very nice. Bean recommends the purchase of Ring of Fire (After Curry Wipes) if you try this dish.

Woodman decided upon the Chicken Tikka Balti again at a hugely appealing £4. The dish contained “plenty of chicken” and came served in a balti wok (as cooked in India).

Pros

‘Old skool’ curry at ‘old skool’ prices. Almost half the price than city centre equivalents!
Great building – incredibly spacious, great detail, unlike any other!
Strength of madras.
Family friendly – noticed a large number of high chairs. Ideal heading back from a day at the Trafford Centre with the family.
Mint imperials at the end (with the bill). These do the job nicely. Who really wants a Ferrero Rocher after ba steaming hot curry?
The place for any MPs looking to reduce their expenses when dining out. Excellent VFM.

Cons

Fairly quiet. (compounded by the local competition? We counted three within short walking distance)
Quality of Draught Cobra. (this was resolved with the minimum of fuss)

No Madras on the buffet selection

CurryCouncil Rating
Food 8/10
Service 9/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Value for money 10/10
Originality 9/10

Overall 8.6/10

Himalayan curry helps men reach new peaks

2009-05-12T16:43:00.010+01:00

A restaurant is dishing up a curry to spice up diners’ love lives – containing a hidden ingredient dubbed the Himalayan Viagra.

Yawan Giri, owner of Altrincham eaterie Swaad, shipped in the sexy substance from his native Nepal and is serving it cooked in a creation he calls the Karma Sutra.

And while the meal, served with chicken, lamb or prawn, is a favourite with diners at the Regent Road venue, he says many more prefer to savour it in the privacy of their homes.

He said: "I don’t know who’s buying it, whether it’s men or women.

"It seems to be more popular through takeaway – maybe people are embarrassed to order it in the restaurant!"

The curry’s hidden ingredient is yarshagumba – a rare herb with aphrodisiac qualities used to treat conditions such as impotence.

Yawan, 45, said: "It’s very rare and very expensive to get in my home country.

"It is known that it is good for health, in particular sexual health, and for the immune system."

Yawan buys the herb in bulk on his regular trips to Nepal, where his wife and four children live.

Swaad is his first restaurant and only opened last month – but he arrives in Altrincham with plenty of experience.

Having moved to the UK more than a decade ago, Yawan worked as a chef in exclusive Mayfair venue Benarus, run by Michelin starred chef Atul Kochhar. But he dreamed of opening his own business.

He added: "I have worked very hard everywhere and now I want to do something for me.

"The dishes, including the Karma Sutra, are not the things you find at many restaurants."

SOURCE: AsianNews

Zumar - Sale

2009-04-22T22:23:00.021+01:00

T 0161 973 2200
A Northenden Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 3BR
E info@zumar.co.uk
W www.zumar.co.uk

Visit arranged by: Steven Woodman

April’s curry was arranged by Woody, who had again been recommended the Zumar restaurant in Sale by his work colleagues. The council were very suspicious at his choice, seeing as one of his previous recommendations, the Great Kathmandu in Didsbury did not live up to our expectations.

Zumar quotes itself as:- "A fantastic modern restaurant and bar serves from a British-Asian fusion menu. We do not only serve Indian cuisine - our dishes are prepared with a selection of spices from around Asia (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Banglandesh, Sri Lanka and beyond) using fine, local produce where possible".

"Zumar offers a high level of attention to detail in every aspect of your meal. The kitchen is spotless and more in keeping with a 5 star hotel. There is a dedicated wine cooler and beer chilling system that ensures your drinks are served at exactly the right temperature".

The Council have very expectations and hoped that the restaurant could live up to this bold statement on their website.

Zumar is a modern restaurant with a relaxed environment just outside of Sale town centre. There was a nice ambience in the modern restaurant but the taste in non-indian music was not to the councils taste, classic hits from Travis, Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson were a distraction and unheard of in an Indian restaurant.

The curry council were very pleased to see the return of Martin Noble after his recent 2 month sabbatical. There was still one notable absentee Paul Day who has not attended a single curry in 2009! The council are considering putting the PD up in front of the council for very poor attendance. Woody did send PD’s apology by text in which it stated he wanted to save his money for an extra dance in Bremen!

The waiter was very attentive and took the drinks order very swiftly. Unfortunately, to Woody’s disappointment, they had run out of cold 660ml Kingfisher bottles. The waiter offered to bring two 330ml bottles instead.

In true curry council fashion we ordered poppodum’s and a selection of chutney trays(the chutney trays where lacking in cabbage, sweetcorn and mayonnaise).

The ordering of the starters and main meals took about 30 minutes with Jord asking the waiter a description of every single dish on the menu before eventually choosing something different with a "cheesy" starter.

This caused several problems for the waiter who then took the order for the main meals, which included Jalfrezi, Balti Chicken Tikka, Chicken Madras and 2 Red Fort delicacies, 2 Naan, 1 chips 3 plain rice and 1 mushroom rice (halway through choosing the main meals Bean decided to change his main course and asked the waiter to remove his first choice and added to the confusion).

The starters arrived which with the majority of people going for the mixed starter, the presentation and taste was very good. The onion bhaji could have been bigger and the kebab was lacking in the usual spice. Jord and Andy decided both had the mixed opinions of their starter, which was made with Indian cheese, as it is not quite to their tastes. The chicken chaat starter was also sampled (photo below) and given the thumbs up.

We all ordered another drink a small 330ml Kingfisher, Bean who was not driving asked for another 660ml bottle which arrived warm. On the Zumar website it boasts the drinks are served “at exactly the right temperature” ?

The main discussion point of the night was about the lack of current reviews on the website and a vote went out whether we should continue to carry out our restaurant reviews. The decision was unanimous with everyone agreeing it was a vital element of the website.

The main meals arrived with the additional main course (Jalfrezi) which Bean had previously asked the waiter to remove (but this did not appear on the bill).

The size of the portions looked to be the biggest the council have ever witnessed and with the extra curry, a side portion of salad and extra chips (which came late) it all looked a bit over bearing.

Bean and Andy were some what disappointed with their main course, the Red Fort Delicacy, as it was missing the stated prawn which the waiter brought late. Bean commented “to say it was not nice was a compliment”.

The toilets where very basic and did not live up to the quality of the restaurant.

Overall people were pretty happy with the standards of their curries with minor complaints, e.g. the madras was not tomatoey enough. The restaurant was very modern and the food presentation was of a high standard.

The bill came with a plate full of Ferrero Rocher's which was a very nice change to usual mint imperials.

CurryCouncil Rating
Food 8/10
Service 6/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Value for money 8/10
Originality 7/10

Overall 7.2/10

Dilli Restaurant - Altrincham

2009-03-18T12:05:00.005Z

T 0161 927 9219
A 60 Stamford New Road, Altrincham, WA14 1EE
E info@dilli.co.uk
W http://www.dilli.co.uk/

Visit arranged by: Stephen Winfield

The March curry took place at Dilli restaurant in the heart of Altrincham town centre, which “promises the real taste of India”. The Bean had organised the visit (on work colleagues recommendation) and his emails had promised a meal of the highest standard, boasting how the eatery had won a prestigious food award the previous year!

There were 5 attendees to start with - “Keith” joining us slightly later following his stint at (Bonfire) Night School. There had been a slight problem to start the evening off and that was that old chestnut - parking (or lack of it). Dilli being situated on the main road within the town had no car park of it’s own and spaces outside were limited and taken. Therefore, the Bean had to park some distance away with Woody having to use the nearby Tescos (some 10 mins walk)! The 2 missing Council members were Marf, who had failed to attend the 2 previous curries and was tinkering on expulsion and Rat (yet again) who came up with some excuse about it being too far to travel following a hard days work!!! As Rat boy had not been in attendance at the 6 prior curries, a motion to suspend him from the Council was taken with all 5 original attendees agreeing to a temporary expulsion.

The Council all agreed that the exterior & interior of the restaurant was to be given top marks and you could see that a fair bit of money had been spent to give the place the ’X’ factor. We were seated in a slightly cramped corner with expectations running high. Nice cold lagers were ordered all round and our orders were taken from the varied, non- (English) traditional menu.

As is standard, pops arrived to begin with and albeit, the pops seemed fresh, they were pre-broken which was instantly frowned upon. The accompaniments too were very disappointing, with tiny portions of onions and chutneys. Eagle-eyed Jord also noted that to order any additional red onions etc was going to cost us a £1 a go and therefore, the decision was taken to plough on with what we’d got. However, Bean was rightly informed of the Councils views.

Starters appeared soon afterwards, with both Wood and Loaf ordering the Sheekh Kebab Kangari, which was described as “Skewered mince lamb kebabs, flavoured with mild cheese”. Both Council members were not particularly impressed, believing the kebabs to be rather bland and the cheese certainly must have been mild as neither of them could taste it. Furthermore, at £5.50 it hadn’t appeared to have been good value for money. Other members had different items to start, with Bean & DMS sharing a pricey Kebab platter for 2 (£11.35) which got mixed reviews.

It had not been a particularly good start to the meal and Beany was hopeful that the Main courses would get things back on track. Unfortunately, these were also somewhat of a let down, with only the late attendee Keith getting something he was impressed with (However, it should be noted that Keith was the only one of us who asked the waiter for something he recommended). Woody had the Murgh Tikka lababdar (£9.95) which seemed to be little chicken thighs in a somewhat sickly thin tomato sauce. A mixture of Pillau and Basmati rice accompanied the mains along with the usual Peshawari & Plain Nanns and these were tasty enough.

The bill was received shortly afterwards, without any mints or chocolates, which just about rounded off a fairly poor dining experience. The only saving grace was that Super Jord had brought some discount for 20% off the final bill, so each Council member had to chuck in £26 each, apart from the Firestarter - so as they say - Every Cloud and all that.

However, it should be noted that the Dilli’s menu and website states that the restaurant provides “discerning diners with the true taste of genuine regional dishes from the Indian subcontinent. Not westernised versions…but the real thing”. There would therefore seem to be a pattern emerging, as when the Curry Council have been to previous curry restaurants also boasting traditional Indian or Nepalese cooking, they also have scored badly - maybe the Council has been brainwashed with the ‘English’ slant placed on the various curries at the numerous Curry houses we have attended? Or maybe we just know what we like?

Food - 4/10
Service - 8/10
Atmosphere - 9/10
VFM - 5/10
Originality - 8/10

Overall - 6.8/10

Rusholme

2009-02-07T19:09:00.010Z

The "Curry Mile" is the name given to Wilmslow Road in Rusholme, Manchester.

Rusholme's "Curry Mile" has the largest concentration of Asian restaurants in the UK, just over 2 miles south of Manchester City Centre.

The CurryCouncil have visited numerous Indian Restaurants on the Rusholme "Curry Mile". The visits were made before the birth of the website and the numerous restaurants on the "Curry Mile" are still to be officially reviewed.

Submit your own reviews by clicking on a restaurant name below.

Restaurants
Lal Haweli
Lal Qila
Sanam
Shere Khan

Eat Indian curry to lose weight

2009-02-02T23:17:00.000Z

Eating lots of curry may help you lose weight, research suggests.

Scientists believe that haldi, or turmeric, which is used in most Indian meals, has an active ingredient that can help fight obesity.

A meal that includes haldi will lead to less weight gain than one without the yellow powder.

This is because haldi contains a plant-based chemical called curcumin which suppresses the growth of fat tissue in mice and human cell cultures, according to a study by Tufts University in Boston, published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Curcumin is also easily absorbed by the body, the researchers said, after experiments on mice.

'Weight gain is the result of the growth and expansion of fat tissue, which cannot happen unless new blood vessels form, a process known as angiogenesis,' said senior study author Mohsen Meydani of the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts.

'Based on our data, curcumin appears to suppress angiogenic activity in the fat tissue of mice fed high fat diets,' he said in a statement.

In particular, turmeric is effective when added to a high-fat meal, suggesting it could help fight obesity.

Researchers gave one set of mice high-fat diets and another set the same food with 500mg of curcumin added to each meal.

After 12 weeks, the mice which were fed curcumin weighed less than those which did not eat it.

The next step will be to perform clinical trials on humans, said the researchers.

SORCE: Irish Sun

Purple Pakora - Poynton

2009-01-14T23:10:00.017Z

T 01625 878 878
A London Road South, Poynton, Stockport, SK12 1JX
W http://www.purplepakora.com/

Visit arranged by: Paul Day
Review by: Dave Marchbank-Smith

On Wednesday 14th January we visited the Purple Pakora Restaurant in Poynton. The curry had originally been scheduled for the Khandoker in Parrs Wood by Paul Day. However following a bout of stomach pain, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting Paul decided he wouldn’t commit himself. The currycouncil therefore switched the venue in the best interests to those actually attending.

Failure to attend

This isn’t the first time a council member has failed to attend due to a stomach bug. Previous members include Gaz Jordan, Andrew Hague (several) and Paul Day.

In light of the increased counts recorded recently Currycouncil.com today reveals a number of quick fire treatments for stomach infections:

Limit your food intake
Drink plenty of fluids
Take over-the-counter medications—Medications to relieve diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal cramping, and fever.
Get plenty of rest

Important! If symptoms persist, or last longer than five days, you should see your doctor. The pains could be a sign of another, more serious condition that will require medication or other types of medical treatment.

“impressive and unusual “bubble pool effect” wall feature”

In attendance were Dave Marchbank-Smith, Stephen Winfield, Steven Woodman, Andrew Hague and Chris Marchbank-Smith. The latter arriving late due to college commitments. On arrival we were escorted to the front table in the restaurant and were immediately focused on the impressive and unusual “bubble pool effect” wall feature – running down the length of the restaurant.

Keema rice - a hit

The cutlery and décor were ultra modern and impressive. The menu shared many similarities with its associated restaurant- Jalfrezi in Bramhall. It contained a vast choice of dishes with comedic entries such as Anneka Rice and a selection of 70’s favorites. The Princess Jalfrezi was snapped up by Winfield and Marchbank-Smith jnr. Senior MS opted to sample the keema rice which was ravaged by the entire council on its arrival. A blend of pilau rice mixed with fresh spring onion, spices and keema was appreciated by all. It’s a shame we only ordered one.

The end of a Legend

The main talking point of the night, without question related to the end of what was once a Currycouncil legend. The 14th January 2009 marked the end of Martin Noble’s 100% attendance record. Up until today he had amazingly attended EVERY single curry arranged since the inauguration of the Currycouncil.

This incredible feat came to an end when he opted to attend a Premiership match between Manchester United and the mighty Wigan Athletic. United one won nil on the night taking them to second place in the table behind Liverpool. Only he will know whether the visit to Old Trafford to witness a solitary Wayne Rooney strike was worthy of sacrificing his perfect attendance record.

The council members suspect not. Our fellow diners and staff at the Pakora were also somewhat surprised at Nobles decision as can be seen in the pictures (click to enlarge).

The restaurant was pleasantly busy and as a result the service was rather slow. Possibly not helped by the fact we were taking pictures of the waiters? Popodums arrived with a crispy coleslaw (with sweetcorn), spicy chilli dip, onion and mango chutney. These were accompanied with 5 pints of Draught Cobra lager, which hit the spot.

Woody and his "pizza pop"

The leisurely service worked in Chris’s favor as he arrived thirty minutes late and still didn’t miss out on the pops or the starter. After a quick chat about Fantasy Football the mixed starter and sizzling starters arrived. They were of a very high standard and bridged the gap nicely between pops and main. Hague and Woodman opting for the mixed “because the sizzler came with a chop” – the chop was tasty but on the small side.

“Good food – served well”

Our enforced later-dining-time may not have suited all parties and as we approached 10pm a number of Council belts were loosened, as the main courses duly arrived. In keeping with the modern surroundings the service was impeccable. This was keenly demonstrated on arrival of the main event; the mains. The waiters appeared to make a genuine effort to please as the main courses were presented correctly to the person who ordered that specific dish, without asking the diners.

For the first time in curry history only peshwari naan breads were ordered, there was no place for keema, garlic or plain on this occasion. The Princess Jalrezi was declared hot and mouthwatering. The Chicken Madras was on the medium side of hot – but thoroughly enjoyed by DMS. Portion sizes were generous throughout all the dishes.

Conclusion

The Purple Pakora is a swanky, upbeat restaurant. Larger parties can be catered for in a special private booth suited towards the rear of the restaurant. This would ideally suit parties of between 7-10 providing a private and cozy dining experience.

The staff were welcoming and attentive, without being too full on. We thoroughly enjoyed our first experience at the Purple Pakora and look forward to revisiting in the near future.

Food 9/10
Service 9/10
Atmosphere 8.5/10
Value for money 8/10
Originality 9/10

Overall 8.7/10

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T14:16:00.005Z

CurryCouncil.com would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year for 2009.

21 held in curry house raid

2008-12-15T18:22:00.002Z

HALF the workers at one of Manchester's most popular curry houses were arrested after a swoop by immigration officials.

One of Manchester's most popular curry houses was raided by immigration officials as kitchen staff prepared ingredients for the evening meals.

A total of 21 arrests - more than half the workforce - were made when officers swooped at Akbar's, on Liverpool Road.

They found a number of Afghan, Pakistani, Iranian and Iraqi nationals thought to be working there illegally.

Those arrested were taken into custody at holding cells across Greater Manchester. A notice of potential liability has been served on the restaurant, which could be hit with a £210,000 fine - £10,000 for each worker - if found guilty of breaching immigration laws.

The vast majority of those held were kitchen staff. Shortly before 4.30pm a team of 26 officers, dressed in navy and wearing body armour, raided the restaurant.

They marched down from the Deansgate end of Liverpool Road before entering through the front door after the officer in charge had paved the way.

Four members of staff desperately tried to flee through a back entrance as word of the raid filtered through to the kitchen. They were quickly rounded up by officials waiting by exits.

The quartet were brought into the restaurant and questioned with other staff before 21 were taken away. One member of staff was escorted to a van still wearing his chef's hat.

Officials acting on intelligence had believed there were around ten people thought to be working illegally at the premises.

Those held will be questioned further and some may be deported within 24 hours. A number of offences including outstaying visas and working hours in access of those allowed are thought to have been committed.

Interpreters and officials from the Department for Work and Pensions were also present.

Akbar's is known to many throughout the region. Last December it scooped first prize in the 2007 British Curry Awards - known as the industry's "Oscars".

It claims to have the service of a Michelin-starred restaurant and boasts sleek premises with leather furniture and deep purple walls.

Around 40 staff were in the restaurant when officials struck. Diners who arrived for their meals during the operation were turned away at the doors.

The officer in charge of the operation, who did not wish to be named, said: "Some of the workers hastily tried to escape through the back door but we were waiting for them.

"It's important that businesses apply by immigration laws. We had intelligence that suggested that this wasn't happening here and that is why we are here." The raid was carried out simultaneously with another Akbar's restaurant on Eastgate in Leeds.

There four Pakistani nationals were arrested. Nobody from Akbar's was available for comment.

Source: Manchester Evening News

Kismet - Stockport

2008-12-10T18:10:00.005Z

T 0161 480 4470

A 98-100 Buxton Road,Stockport,SK2 6PL

Visit arranged by:

Review by: Andrew Hague

Review to appear here...

Akbars - Manchester

2008-10-29T23:11:00.005Z

T 0161 834 8444
A 73-83 Liverpool Rd, Manchester, M3 4NQ
W http://www.akbars.co.uk/

Visit arranged by: Dave Marchback-Smith

The website for Akbar’s boldly reads PROBABLY THE BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

The choice for the November monthly curry had been decided and this quickly had the Curry Council licking their lips in anticipation after hearing rave reviews about this highly recommended city centre establishment.

Five Council members met inside the modern bar at the front of the restaurant for a quick drink of Cobra beer whilst waiting for our table. The restaurant does not allow for tables to be booked in advance due to high turnover of customers each night.

We were promptly taken to our table. We were immediately disappointed, as it looked like the waiters were trying to squeeze five of us on to a small table for four. As quick as you can say “five bottles of Cobra please”, the waiter sensed our disappointed and offered to immediately move us a more spacious round table. Top marks for service.

More drinks were served but a ghee-butter fingered waiter spilt half a bottle of Cobra across our table. A team of waiters wiped the spillages and normality was resumed, we were happy again.

The Council noticed that probably around 70% of the restaurant clientele were Asian. This may be seen as a good sign of food quality & authenticity and things were looking promising.

Akbar's specialises in sizzling pan-cooked baltis from Baltistan, an extreme mountainous region North of Pakistan.

Poppodums were served with a good selection of dips and were very fresh.

A variety of starters were ordered and promptly served. These included a gigantic Seekh Kebab, succulent in taste with just the right amount of spice. Prawn and Chicken Poori (photo below)was also sampled by our party, this consisted of tender prawns & chicken, onions in a rich masala sauce, garnished with coriander served in a poori (crispy fried bread). Top marks for the starters.

The Curry Council turned the conversation to commending the restaurant on the food served so far and the stylish modern interior of the restaurant.

Main courses sampled included Chicken Jalfrezi and Chicken Tikka Massala. The food was very fresh and meat portions were plentiful.

The side dishes sampled included a large size “family nan”, this was presented to the council on a spiked nan “tree” and was of utmost quality. The nan bread was so huge that council member Smith’s head could not be seen throughout the majority of the main course. Top marks again.

The next piece of good news was the final price of the bill. The council all had a starter, main course, Nan, Pilau Rice, shared Chips and bottles of cobra beer. Total cost each £21 (including a tip) and represented good value for money.

You may find it hard to find a better Indian restaurant in the city. Akbars is a strong contender for the “2008 CurryCouncil.com Restaurant Of The Year Award”.

Food 9/10
Service 9/10
Atmosphere 9/10
Value for money 9/10
Originality 8/10

Overall 8.8/10

Rajdoot, Manchester

2008-10-28T20:27:00.000Z

The currycouncil.com team have noticed that the Manchester Confidential website has reviewed the Rajdoot Indian Restaurant (located in Albert Square, Central Manchester).

Read the review here

Rajdoot
Manchester
Carlton House
18 Albert Square
Manchester
M2 5WD
Tel: 0161 834 7092
Tel/Fax: 0161 834 2176

http://www.rajdoot.co.uk/

British Curry Awards Update

2008-10-22T19:05:00.015+01:00

The Indian Ocean restaurant in Ashton-under-Lyne has been named the best curry restaurant in the North West for the second successive year.

The Indian Ocean was one of ten spice restaurants throughout the UK honored on the 19th October at the 2008 British Curry Awards, sponsored by Barclays Commercial and Barclaycard Business. The biggest event in the curry calendar, held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, was attended by more than 1,100 restaurateurs, MPs, diplomats and celebrity guests.

The Indian Ocean had been one of six restaurants in the North West to make it to the list of 100 establishments across the UK from which the ten winners were selected. This year’s British Curry Awards winners were chosen from a record number of more than 26,000 public nominations covering 3,000-plus restaurants.

The glitz and the glamour of the awards ceremony, hosted by impressionist and comedian Jon Culshaw, did full justice to an industry that pours £3.2 billion a year into the UK economy.

Nahim Aslam, owner of the Indian Ocean, confirms: “The Indian Ocean blends a passion for great food, brilliant service and a fun, welcoming atmosphere. We are extremely proud to be in Tameside and to be serving the finest curry in the North West. National recognition and accolades are mighty fine, but it is local recognition that warms the heart and nurtures the spirit of our wholly-deserving Indian Ocean team”.

Currycouncil.com congratulate the Indian Ocean on their recent success and hope to the revisit the restaurant in the near future.

Curry Announcement: Akbar's (Manchester)

2008-10-17T12:51:00.007+01:00

http://www.akbars.co.uk/

The October curry (DMS) will take place at Akbar's in Manchester. Akbar's is sitiuated on Liverpool Road, just off Deansgate.

Please refer to your individual email/SMS invites for the exact details and confirm your attendance to Dave MS ASAP.

Indian Ocean Short Listed For British Curry Awards

2008-10-16T10:28:00.013+01:00

The Indian Ocean in Ashton-Under-Lyne has been short listed once again by the British Curry awards for the best Indian Restaurant in the North West.

To celebrate, they are offering a free bottle of champagne for all diners the weekend of 17th and 18th October 2008. A table must be booked in advance and the offer applies to four diners and above (don't forget to tell them that currycouncil.com told you about the offer!).

The currycouncil visited the Indian Ocean in December 2007, read what we thought here.

Shandaar - Timperley

2008-09-24T23:58:00.007+01:00

T 0161 973 7611
A 336 Manchester Road, Timperley, Altrincham, WA14 5NH

Visit Arranged By : Steven Woodman

The September 2008 curry was held at the Shandaar Indian Restaurant.

This months curry organiser, Steven Woodman, opted for a restaurant in West Timperley, Altricham. Woodman had again (predictably) chosen the venue based on a recommendation from a work colleague.

The restaurant was located on a busy main road and parking was extremely limited. Two of our Curry Council members managed to park their vehicle in the side passage next to the restaurant and were instantly alarmed at what they saw. One of the kitchen staff was at the back door of the restaurant having a quick drag on his cigarette. The Curry Council operate a strict zero tolerance attitude towards smokers and this sight did not fill them with confidence.

The group sat at some comfy chairs next to the bar and waited for the remainder of our party to arrive. The final member of our party arrived and we all were disappointed at the extremely low number of attendees this month.

The restaurant had a bright and modern feel but still held the traditional features of an ‘old school’ style curry house.

The council members present were shown to the table and had to inform the waiter that the table originally booked for seven people had now embarrassingly decreased to just four people. The waiter fulfilled our request to move to a smaller table and promptly offered to move our drinks and relocate us.

Poppodums were served whilst we perused the menu. The pops came with a selection of four dips. The dips were presented in rather small square bowls that were instantly eaten. The waiter was friendly and happy to oblige to our request for extra chutney and red onions.
The Curry Council does not understand why so many Indian restaurants think that this is an area that they can cut back on. A large group of people surely deserve a higher volume and quantity of dips in comparison to a couple of people eating a poppodum each?

The conversation quickly turned to discussing the low number of attendees at the evenings curry. Woodman quickly pointed out that his texts and emails were sent out with plenty of notice and that he was disappointed that 50% of the Council had not attended his curry.

The ‘Revised 2005 Curry Council Rules and Regulations’ state that only “Only deaths, marriages and childbirth” are an acceptable reason to not attend the monthly curry.

Chris was attending an evening college course and Day had childcare commitments. Messieurs Hague and Jordan were “ill”. The former again failing to notify the curry organiser that he was not attending.

The Council members present declared that the ‘rules and regulations’ must be revisited to protect the monthly curry and that constant rule breakers must be dealt with.

Jordan's non attendance also provided Noble with his chance to rightfully claim his regal crown of 'King Curry Council Attendee'.

The starters arrived and were of a good standard. Dave opted for a mixed starter, pictured below, and it was of a reasonable standard and offered good value for money. Winfield sampled the chicken chat (also below) but was slightly disappointed with the portion size and the presentation (no side salad was available).

A selection of main courses were delivered by the waiter. Two members of the group opted for the Chicken Balti Jalfrezi. The sauce contained a large quantity of green chillies that added a lot of extra spice to this already fiery tomato and onion based dish.

The Balti Exotica was also sampled. It provided a combination of meat, including chicken, lamb and king prawns, cooked in a spiced balti sauce.

The Rice and nan were of a good standard, with two portions of pilau rice being more than adequate for four people.

The service was extremely good but this had been in part due to the fact that the restaurant was almost empty throughout our visit.

A complimentary drink of Baileys Irish Cream liqueur was presented to the group along with the customary small piece of chocolate. The Baileys was a nice gesture but not really suitable for the council members on driving duty.

All in all, the Shandaar may be worth a visit if you appreciate a fine Balti dish and good service.

Food 7.5/10
Service 8/10
Atmosphere 5/10
Value for money 7/10
Originality 6/10

Overall 6.7/10

Curry CHAAT with Bodrul Choudhary (Mousam)

2008-09-12T17:25:00.011+01:00

Welcome to the latest new and exciting feature here at currycouncil.com! The site will now regularly bring you exclusive interviews with businessmen from the local Indian food community.

Currycouncil.com recently caught up with the Gatley’s own curry connoisseur, Mr Bodrul Choudhary.

Choudhury was grilled at currycouncil towers about many interesting topics (mainly being curry!) and provided a unique insight into his life at the Mousam Indian Restaurant in Gatley (Cheadle, Stockport).

In what year did the Mousam Indian Restaurant open ?

We opened in February 2002

Please can you tell us a little bit more about the history of the Mousam. Is it a family run business ?

Mousam means “Seasons” and is a family run business. We opened the first part of the restaurant in Feb 2002 on Old Hall Rd providing 45 covers, which was not enough as customers had to wait a while for seating.

By the end of 2005 we extended onto Gatley Road which provided another 45 covers. This was an instant hit; it provided us with a lot of space especially when it comes to booking big parties.

The initial concept was to bring in a traditional Indian cuisine in the heart of Gatley next to the old Tatton cinema. I have researched thoroughly and have come up with the idea of having traditional Indian, Bengali and Nepalese cooking in Gatley and infuse them all in one menu, this was lacking in many of the restaurants in the local surroundings.

On our recent visit to the Mousam, we noticed that there was a very colourful and traditional looking theme running through the restaurant. What was your inspiration?

The theme of the restaurants is very colourful full of pictures which emphasizes on the culture of India and parts of rural Bengal.

The Pictures’ were also influenced by the Tatton cinema as it used to be a popular picture house hence the pictures in the restaurant. I believe the Mousam has a very “cosy” and relaxing dining experience.

What is the most difficult part of running a busy restaurant ?

I personally think that maintaining a good management is the most difficult part of running a restaurant, especially the early stages when you are getting established in a small village like Gatley.

On a daily basis, one must ensure that everything is running smoothly and consumers are getting good value for their money bearing in mind that customer service is imperative at all times. Therefore, my views on maintaining good management would be the most difficult part of running a business.

There has been lots of stories in the press recently about the credit crunch. The increasing price of rice is hitting the Indian food industry hard and forcing many restaurants to increase prices. Has the Mousam been affected by the changing economic climate and are things becoming harder for small businesses?

Well, this does have a big affect on all of us. But we must carry on in life and try to ensure that we work closely with our suppliers and get the best value for money.

We are going through a difficult period at the moment and many obstacles will come you’re way, you just have to remain positive and hope things will soon calm down.

There are lots of new modern Indian Restaurants (for example the Purple Pakora, EastZEast etc) opening in the area. The restaurants have the look and feel of a trendy wine bar, much different than the more traditional "curry house". Do you think that the perception of Indian Restaurant's is changing and are consumers expecting more from their experience at an Indian restaurant?

I have been to many of the up market and modern restaurants in Greater Manchester and think it’s great for the Curry Industry.

It’s nice to see a change in trend and the wide choices of restaurants you see in Rusholme’s curry mile gives it a joy to look at especially in the night when all the neon lights are lit up.

The Mousam is different in terms of the market where we are situated; Gatley is in a small village and we have kept the traditional Indian theme, which has been very popular amongst the local villagers. I think the trendy wine bar and funky colours would suit places in the city centre.

Describe which dish would you recommend our readers to eat if they visit the Mousam restaurant ?

Well, it really depends on ones taste. Some like it hot some like it Sweet and Mild. My personal favourite is the Mousam Mix Chom Chom which is made up of mixed spices, poneer (Indian cheese) mushrooms, King Prawn in a thick spicy sauce.

Another one of my favourite is the Chicken Rozzella which is to a madras strength made up of mix spice and creamy sauce and topped up with fried onions. They both have a lot of flavours and spices.

This really does bring back memories of how my Grandmother used to cook in the rural villages of West Bengal – I have tried every effort to bring this culinary taste to the Mousam.

Finally, what do you think of currycouncil.com ?

I find the website really fascinating. The lads are doing a great job; it’s been a pleasure being interviewed by one of the members. The council site brings every one together and gives the opportunity to see new businesses opening up – which is great for the Industry. “Keep up the good work”

If you would be interested in appearing in our next feature, please use the “Contact Us” button and provide us with your details.

currycouncil.com caption competition

2008-09-10T14:27:00.004+01:00

What is currycouncil member Steve Woodman thinking?

Please post your answers below

Curry Announcement: Shandaar (Timperley, Altrincham)

2008-09-03T14:03:00.007+01:00

The September curry is to be held at the Shandaar Restaurant (next to the Pelican pub) in Timperley. Please refer to your individual email/SMS invites for the exact details and confirm your attendance to Steve Woodman ASAP.

It is located at 336 Manchester Road, West Timperley.

Bayleaf Lounge - Bollington

2008-08-20T23:00:00.010+01:00

T 01625 576 465 / 01625 573 275
A 127 Wellington Road, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5HT
W www.bayleaflounge.co.uk/

Visit arranged by: Steve Winfield

The August curry took place at The Bay leaf Lounge in Bollington, Macclesfield.

6 members of the Council were in attendance with Rat being AWOL with a family related excuse, but various members of the Council raised the issue of distance x mileage x petrol prices x depreciation of vehicle, was probably the real reason. Nevertheless, 6 attendees was considered a good turnout, especially as the location was a little bit further a field than the normal South Manchester area. However, the curry organiser (Beany) had given us all his personal assurance that it was worth the trip.

The Council all arrived in the car park at the rear of the restaurant at a similar time, with the three Council vehicles pretty much taking up the last of the adequate parking facilities. It was plainly obvious to the members that the Bay leaf lounge was clearly a converted public house (Formally the Waggon & Horses).

On entering the premises, you could see that it had been tastefully done with money well spent on bringing the interior into the 21st century, with a contemporary style. We were all shown to a nice waiting area whilst our table was prepared, with a friendly waiter soon offering us refreshments from a wide range of the usual draught lagers (Fosters, Carling etc). It was a shame there were no pints of Indian lagers available, with only the option of bottled varieties presented. Most of the Council opted for the large, “nice and cold” Cobra bottles, which went down a treat.

Whilst the first sips were drunk and the Council was discussing Woody’s supposed weight loss (down to 12st 6lbs!) and Marf‘s lack of fantasy football payment, our attentive waiter was soon informing the Council of the excellent midweek deal to be had - namely, any Starter, any Main dish (except the House specials), plus choice of any rice/chips/side orders - all for £7.95. We were all suitably impressed and decided to plump for this rare value for money opportunity. Our orders were taken and the Council members never being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, all opted for the Banquet starters, consisting of Shish Kebab / Onion Bhaji / Chicken Tikka (£8.95 each if ordered off the menu!).

When the issue of ordering the main courses came about, it was clear that the Council had been scarred since their daring (yet disappointing) attempts to try something different at the preceding month’s curry (Eastzeast) and thereby, the usual requests for Madras, Balti, Massala’s were the order of the day.

We were shown to our seats a little later than we would have liked, having waited for approximately 15 minutes. However, it was noted that for a midweek night, the restaurant was decidedly busy. The Council were seated in a little area of our own which had it’s pro’s & con’s and whilst we got ourselves comfy it was noted by members that the background music was like being in an R&B nightclub and consequently, was soon being frowned upon.

Thereafter, the mood was soon lifted with some lovely warm fresh pops being delivered to the table, with an excellent variety of dips (reasonable amount of red onions), with Jord & Woody paying special attention to the ‘spot-on’ chilli number. Starters soon followed and they were of a good standard. However, certain members of the CurryCouncil did note that the Shish Kebabs could have been warmer and portion sizes slightly larger.

The consensus was that you would have been somewhat dissatisfied if you had paid the menu price for the dish. Main courses soon followed with the accustomed rice / chip / nan (peshwari & plain) accompanying them (All of first-rate standard). Again, the main dishes on the whole were of a worthy standard (again nice taste but slightly small portion) with clear plates across the board, with Mr Marf being the only member to voice his discontent (“like an Asda curry”!).

However, some Council members felt a little aggrieved that they would be heading home without the customary bowling ball in their stomach. Maybe extra pops at the start may have assisted here?

Hot towels and lovely mint chocolates were soon given out by the staff, with Bean doing his usual (annoying) trick of grabbing an extra one, so that somebody has to ask where theirs is etc etc. We got the bill which came to a very reasonable £16 (including adequate tip), which rounded off a very pleasurable dining experience.

Was it good enough to take this years curry of the year title remains to be seen?

Food - 6.5/10
Service - 7/10
Atmosphere - 7/10
Value for money - 9/10
Originality - 8/10

Overall - 7.5/10