It’s ages since we were last here. Nothing seems to have changed except that the staff seem more cheery, more chatty. Maybe they are always like that when they are not that busy, as was the case on Sunday evening.
As for the food, top notch as usual. For me, there was a kathi roll – think paneer, salad and tangy chutney wrap. It comes with a zingy tamarind sauce and a coriander one – artfully decorated across the plate in the restaurant’s usual very Western styling with starters. That was followed by Kerala duck curry. I don’t think I’ve eaten duck in a South Asian place before and this was a winner. A generous amount of meat in a rich creamy tomato sauce, with a good chilli hit. There was a hint of sweetness in there and the manager explained to me it would be the coconut. They slow roast it to intensify the flavour and to dry it out. Then they grind it to a powder for the sauce. Across the table, there was a bhaji – onion, lentil and spinach. Bags of flavour and a nice crisp texture on the outside. To follow, the best aloo gobi we know in the area – potatoes and cauli cooked just right, a little clingy and very flavoursome sauce. We shared rice and roti.
After which, the conversation went something like this:
Manager – Would you like dessert?
From across the table – Thanks but we’re full
Me – Well…
Manager – Do you like Indian desserts? Which ones have you tried.
Me – Love ‘em.. And kulfi, falooda, gulab jamun, ras malai…
Manager – We make our own kulfi in house. Really proud of it.
From across the table – Don’t tempt him, he’s diabetic.
Manager - Oh, OK then
Me - (looking across the table) Yeah but.. (looking at manager)…Go on then, Yes please.
Which was the right conclusion. This was probably the best kulfi I’ve even eaten. Delicious. Came in three layers – pistachio, cardamom and mango – representing the colours of the Indian flag. Pistachio layer was fabulous.
