Definitive UK Curry House Throwdown

[mistersloane]

Dried meats, fool.

oh cool I'll try that next time wicked

 

[Mr. Tea]

What I'm suspect of with buffets (although less so if it's veggie) is that it's really watery and low-quality, and will have been there ages. How's this place stack up?

I guess with buffets there's a positive feedback thing, in that the less popular ones will have lower turnover so the food sits there longer, whereas the better ones will sell more which means they have to refill the pans more often and it's more likely to be really fresh.

 

[matt b]

The Golden Mile in Leicester, for instance, is meant to be excellent.

Bobby's was the place to go about 17 years ago, although Golden Mile / Belgrave Road always seemed to be more about sweets, saris and gold more than savoury food at that time.

We used to go to a very good Nepalese restaurant in Brum, but rarely hit the Balti Triangle, because we were not real fans of baltis (always underwhelming).

 

[matt b]

Whilst on an East Midlands tip, if you want the worst curry house in the UK, go to Sapna's (aka Scrapna's, due to the likelihood of a fight breaking out) in Nottingham.

 

[luka]

Living nearby, it's something I've been meaning to do for ages. What I'm suspect of with buffets (although less so if it's veggie) is that it's really watery and low-quality, and will have been there ages. How's this place stack up?

i like it. i go really early after work becasue i dont like queuing for buffets and it gets busy. its not watery its very oily but its tasty and its a fiver and you can bring your booze and eat as much as you like. its also full of damaged people like charity shops are.

 

[Bangpuss]

its also full of damaged people like charity shops are.

What's full of damaged people, the restaurant or the food?

 

[viktorvaughn]

Yeah, this is very much his kind of thread.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the House Committee on Un-Dissensian Activities, there's a place on B***k Lane that deserves a mention. Can't remember what it's called but it's on the corner of one of the smaller roads leading off to the east, and is basically the curry equivalent of a greasy spoon. The tables and chairs look like they've been pinched from a down-at-heel state comprehensive, the water is served in battered metal jugs and the walls are decorated with these amazing posters of hilariously macho-camp Pakistani wrestlers. The food obviously isn't the most awesome curry you've ever eaten or anything like that but it's decent and pretty cheap. A good antidote to those upmarket places that are all tasteful dim lighting, Indo-jazz at subliminal volume and menus that overuse the word 'authentic'.

Yes, this place is wicked! Such a funny vibe.

Tayyabs is nice, including the curries, IMO but the sheer insane busyness of it robs it of much of its enjoyment for me. Trick is to go at lunch time, or in the evening I go to Mirch Masala on Commercial road which is similar but much less busy. I think it's very nice - the lamb methi (fenugreek leaf) is well nice, though the methi comes out in your sweat a bit the next day which may or may not antagonise bedfellows.

On the veg tip I second Jai Krishna on Stroud Green Road and Rasa Stoke Newington.

The Kashmir in Bradford was amazing when I went a few times about 15 or so years ago when I was 12-14. The main meat dishes were about £3 and I had keema curry for the first time.

 

[luka]

i'll take you there, knock for me and we'll go. i took your mate edmund but he has a vegetable phobia so he just watched me eat.

 

[benjybars]

jashan turnpike lane all day

 

[Slothrop]

The best curries are probably outside London.

I've always had this unfounded prejudice that assumes that the best curry outside of London will be very good but generally close to anglo-indian in style and content, whereas more London places will do different styles of thing. But that's based on almost no evidence...

 

[jackjambie]

this is excellent so i'm absolutely going to go to town on posting.

my top 3 right now have got to be lahore kabab near whitechapel, al frash in birmingham (in the balti triangle - naans the size of tables no lie check it - http://www.urbanspoon.com/rph/339/1380034/609421/birmingham-al-frash-peshwari-naan-photo) and my absolute favourite the murgh masala in croydon (south-ish, just next door to the walkabout wetherspoons).

all 3 are bring your own. lahore despite its name is not a kebab house but a multi story curry powerhouse that does not just do lamb chops to rival taayabs' (it's just down the road), but also a lamb chop curry (so with sauce) on a friday for the headstrong.

murgh masala is just good all round - great cos it's in croydon too. massive selection with stuff like haleems that's a bit unusual. lots of mutton dishes. their chickeen keema's fucking mindblowing. nice and spicy too.

al frash is totally different to the london / southern ones. lots of fish and balti dishes and a great mixed grill. fucking excellent value too. they do an 'aphrodisia' with minced chicken and minced prawn plus bare chilli which is definitely pretty special [it's also just a short taxi ride away from the rainbow club for 2:31 on a saturday (had to bring jackin in to it somehow haha!]...

 

[luka]

lahore kabab near whitechapel

i agree with that

 

[Mr. Tea]

I might have a T-shirt from that place knocking about somewhere...

 

[...]

Is anybody in touch with Stelfox?

 

[Slothrop]

Any opinions on which is the best of the Drummond Street crop? And is it the sort of place where you can't really go wrong because the competition keeps standards fairly high, or the sort of place where you have to be careful because the reputation keeps the crap ones afloat?

I've only been to Diwana, which is Quite Good, but I fancy a change.

 

[viktorvaughn]

Any opinions on which is the best of the Drummond Street crop? And is it the sort of place where you can't really go wrong because the competition keeps standards fairly high, or the sort of place where you have to be careful because the reputation keeps the crap ones afloat?

I've only been to Diwana, which is Quite Good, but I fancy a change.

Hmm, I usually go to Ravi Shankar (good) and have been to Diwana. Have been to a third one and it wasn't as good...

 

[sufi]

yeeehah!

Kashmir halal on ridley road Dalston does fantastic and very cheap Samosas, bhajia and stuff

Paradise and Salims on Turnpike Lane do a splendid nosh for takeaway or sitting down

I's also recommend a couple of places down London Road, West Croydon, if i could remember their names

 

[viktorvaughn]

yeeehah!

Kashmir halal on ridley road Dalston does fantastic and very cheap Samosas, bhajia and stuff

Paradise and Salims on Turnpike Lane do a splendid nosh for takeaway or sitting down

I's also recommend a couple of places down London Road, West Croydon, if i could remember their names

Cool
Is Kashmir on the North side right near Kingsland Rd, or on the South side a bit further East?

 

[Slothrop]

al frash in birmingham (in the balti triangle - naans the size of tables no lie check it - http://www.urbanspoon.com/rph/339/1380034/609421/birmingham-al-frash-peshwari-naan-photo)

That looks like a smaller version of the "family naan" (so called because you could provide shelter for a family under one, I think) that you get at the random place in Walsall that we stop off at on the way back from North Wales or the Lakes. It's a good curry anyway, which given that it's totally off the map supports the claim that curry in the west midlands is generally excellent, but a naan bread that can stop four hungry climbers in their tracks is not fucking around.

On a related note, a friend of mine who used to live in Tooting once tried to order a family size masala dosa to take away for a party, only to find out that the place didn't do them to take away because they're about the size of a surfboard and you'd have trouble carrying one down the street.

 

[sufi]

Just by kingsland road...
near the bagel place which used to be nice, but is not anymore...