Leeds Cultural Curry Festival

Another date for the is Leeds Cultural Curry Festival 2013:

Breakfast Study #2 - The Sweet Centre

The Breakfast Study continues with a trip to the Sweet Centre, arguably the finest breakfast establishment in Bradford.

And it is indeed great - and I have breakfasted here on many occasions, as regular readers to the Bradford Curry Blog will all to well know.

Today, the cafe was very busy - and showed obvious signs - uncleared  tables - of a very busy morning prior to my arrival.  The bar was rammed, and I was unsure of my place in the queue.

So why so good?  Well, it's a combination of many factors.  It's cheap and quick for starters, so can be considered as a rapid pop in when passing, and the the food is great too.  The chana has substantial chickpea and potato content in a thin sauce, which is excellently flavoured, seasoned, and spiced.  I find the level of spice can increase with depth, probably due the the spices settling out of the thin sauce??  Great though.  Then there's the kebabs.  50yr+ recipe apparently?  Simply gorgeous course ground meat and obvious onions, are certainly substantial in their texture and flavour.

Plenty of mint sauce is the order of the day for me.

My breakfast of choice at the moment, but from here the Breakfast study travels into virgin territory.

Breakfast - a Study

Enjoying Mughals

I'm a big fan of the traditional breakfast or desi breakfast or, I think, properly called Halwa Poori.  Therefore, I've decided to do a study.

I was first exposed to this delicacy during a trip to Manchester, many moons ago.  At the time it was a completely alien concept to me... "What?  Curry for for breakfast?"  At the time, it seemed certainly a rarity in Bradford - unless, it was just for people in the know?  In fact I need to stop banging on about this!

Anyway, thankfully it is far more easily available now, with many establishments advertising breakfasts.

Mughals Chana and poori

So, from where I've sampled up to know, it seems The Sweet Center is the bench mark.  Always pretty busy, quick and good.  Perfect for a quick bob in and out.  Chickpeas (chana) in a cauldron behind the counter and dished up simply like Oliver Twist or something!  Greasy bread (poori), and the option of halwa (a bowl of sweet stuff??) are also good, and you can also indulge in the legendary kebabs too.  Original 50yr+ old recipe.  Very nice.  It is just great.  Sweet Center exploits - including breakfasts - can be seen here.  The Sweet Center will be visited again soon as part of this study.

However, the last couple of breakfasts I have enjoyed have been at Mughals.  First time was a birthday treat to me - here.  And then most recently just the other day.  Different to the Sweet Center, the Mughals breakie is made fresh in the little open kitchen.  On this visit, the chana was rather loose and a little oily.  Very sour with lime pickle (seems to be Mughals thing), and very tasty.  The poori's were greasy as usual but I love them.  It was a great breakfast.

The study could go on for a while but I will update as regularly as possible.

Bundobust - Now This Looks Interesting...

Bundobust - a new collaboration bar between The Sparrow Bier Cafe and Prashad.

It's a little bit of a shame that the love child of The Sparrow and Prashad is to be a Loiner but never mind. There aren't many details at the moment, but this place sounds like it is going to be great.  And if they can serve good beer, and simple and tasty food quickly, it is going to go down a storm in Leeds.

Watch this space.

A Cheeky Kashmir

Eid and Bradford is like a ghost town!

Plan A - The International - shut!

Plan B - The Kashmir... Rest assure it's open. It's always open!  And remember the old saying... "If in doubt go to t'kash."

Onion bhajis are excellent. Love them from here. All twisted shards of crispy battery oniony goodness.  Still my favorite to this day.

Meat Rogan Josh soon follows - this is t'Kash after all - and again is very good. A little bit oily, resulting in a slightly looser curry than I've been seeking out recently, but peppery and meaty. A perfect balance of zing too.

Still good - one of the best - and I will always keep returning to the legendary Kashmir.

Omar's - Another Birthday Treat!

Omar's - home of the Notorious Naan.... oh and darn good curry too?

This trip to drink beer in Bradford's finest drinking establishments, and to eat Bradford Curry, was actually a belated Birthday night out with work friends.  I know it's getting on for a month after my actual Birthday, but you know me, I'm not the kind of guy to grumble at a day out however spurious the reason.  

However, before we get the the nitty gritty of Omar's itself the there is the small matter of a few pubs...

The Sparrow

The plan was to meet around 16:30 at the Shoulder of Mutton on Kirkgate - as I strode in Ngoc Phan and Martin, the evenings drinking buddies (Mary was to join us later), were already sat in the corner enjoying there first drinks. Good start.  T'shoulder is a spit and sawdust Sam Smiths place - pretty traditional with the faint whiff of wet dogs!  However, it possess a good atmos and, of course, there is the value for money Sam Smiths booze on offer.  It is always a good place to start due to it's proximity to the train stations, and is the only place in the absolute city centre I can think of with anything about it?

So, from t'Shoulder, we wandered to the Sparrow Bier Cafe.  Among my Leeds dwelling, and rare visitors to Bradford what so ever drinking buddies, the Sparrow struck a more familiar and happy chord.  It's trendy, vibrant and has a good selection of quality beverages.  I could tell Ngoc Phan and Martin were happy here.  Indeed, it is one of my favorite pubs in Bradford too.  I was tret to a Kwak so was a happy bunny.

Notorious...

Next was The New Bee Hive.  Here didn't go down well at all!  I've always liked t'Hive but statements such as "I think this is the worst pub I have ever been in" suggested to me issues?  The good quality of the beer was commented on, but we didn't dwell and swiftly moved on.  By now, the fourth Bradford Curry eating team member - Mary - had arrived, and was wondering around Centenary Square, so we jogged on down up to Sir Titus Salt for one last pre curry pint.  The Sir Titus Salt is in a spectacular building - a former swimming pool I understand - and is by far the best Wetherspoons I've ever been in.  Sucking of teeth did ensue on the mention of Wethersppons, but this soon diminished once in awe of the premises!  Phew, done. Now just a quick trip to the offy (Omar's is BYO) for some beer and wine and then CCcccuuuuuuuuuuurrrrryyyyyyy!

Notorious...

Omar's was a touch quiet on arrival at about 19:30.  But it was the middle of Ramadan, and the restaurant did fill during our stay.  We munched on popadoms and pickles whilst perusing the menu - much of which was unbelievably tempting - and soon a waiter was at our table ready for orders.  I plumped for Samosa Chaat (lamb) and, after a certain amount of umming and ahhing, lamb Jaipuri Punjabi Special.  Others ordered fish, chops, Acharis etc.  A Notorious Naan was ordered for us all too.  I was very excited.

The starters arrived and we dived in.  All seemed happy, but I found my Samosa Chaat very salty.  Apart from a slight sour tamarind flavour, salt was all I could taste!  A little deflated I hoped my Jaipuri Punjabi Special would be top draw...

The Starters

IT WAS...  Straight from the off, the curry nestling in the bottom of the massive and ace looking balti dish hit me with a wollop of outstanding full bodied flavour, and pretty garlicy - which is good in my book.  A little red in colour but thick and umptious and meaty.  I must admit I enjoyed every single mouthful and was soon mopping around the dish with chunks of Notorious Naan.

Jaipuri Punjabi Special

Ah yes, what of the Notorious Naan.  Well it is truly massive.  Four of us only ate about half of it!  However, it is far from just a gimmick.  It is a fantastic piece of bread.  It was fluffy in the middle, with the trade mark crispy charred bits on the edges.  And was nicely garlicy which, as we know, is brill.  It has to be seen to be believed but rest assured you will be getting a quality product.  I'd love to know how they cook it?

The Notorious Naan

So, Omar's was an excellent experience from start to finish - only the slightly over seasoned Samosa Chaat ever so slightly marred my meal.  Absolutely 10/10.

Village Curry House, Glasgow

Peshwari Chops

WHIZ! BANG! WALLOP!!!  WOW... what a curry!  The Village Curry Houses Peshwari Chops was a stonker.  Four sizeable, meaty and melt in the mouth bbqed/tandored lamb chops, swimming in a quite loose, and slightly oily gravy.  The flavours were immense.  Really rather citrusy sour, and a fair old amount of heat!  I was glad I reined in the bravado and erred on the side of caution with 'medium strength' when asked. Also, rich, full bodied and well seasoned, and presented with match sticks of fresh ginger on top to add a real zing.  I'm pretty sure there may have been some sultanas or something lurking in the bottom of the dish - some little morsels of sweetness were experienced any way.  It was a dish quite different to what we get here in Bradford, and one I will remember for quite a while, and keep me itching for more frequent Glasgow trips.

Frequent readers of the Bradford Curry Blog will probably have realised I often visit Glasgow to see family. After many years eating curry up there (not always blogged), it has become easy to see why both Glasgow and Bradford have swapped Curry Capital honours on a number of occasions recently.  Glasgow as a whole does serve up excellent fare.  This was to be my first visit to the Village Curry House, and first Glasgow curry with the Glaswegian Legend Hector Curry-Heute*.  How better to enjoy your first Village curry than with family and the Curry Master?

We ride so we can eat more curry

Just gone 13:00 and Win, Ben, Lynda and me are studying Lunch Special Menus which were on the tables... in Hector walks.  Looking a little puzzled - as were we - at this stripped down menu, it was clear this was not going to sate the Master Hector!  A quick chat to the waiter soon saw reinstatement of the full menu.  It is handy having friends in high places that's for sure.

Feeling much happier now, I could now see the Peshwari Chops dish I had set my heart on.  Hector spoke highly of the Lamb Desi Korma and said "well someone should get it."  Lynda took on the challenge.  Ben and Win still went with Lunch Specials.  Pakoras were ordered for starters too in various guises.  Izzy, bless here, stuck to her plate of chips and chicken nuggets, but did adorn it initially with a poppadom! And Hector the Achari Gosht - Desi Style - with Aloo Paratha.  Desi style is essentially turbo charged!

The Pakoras were dispatched without drama - I noted the fish was rater splendid.  Then the mains.  My Peshwari Chops were astonishing - as already discussed.  The Recommended Lamb Desi Korma was the only other dish I sampled and it was indeed unlike any other Korma I'd ever eaten.  It was not overly creamy, pretty darn hot and also possessed the citrus reminiscent of my dish.  Lynda was pleased and remarked on the Korma twist.  Hector considered his Achari to be stunning.  Tender meat, viscous masala, decent kick, punctuated with smacks from lime pickle.

So all in all we had a splendid visit to The Village Curry House, and I can't recommend it highly enough.  If you're ever up Glasgow way check it out.  We certainly will be on our next trip north of the border.

*Hector was on his 40 something blogged visit to the Village!  However, countless total number of visits for the curry maestro!

Pakeezah Fire

Sad news yesterday - the Ingleby Road branch of Pakeezah had a devistating fire.  Luckily, I understand, the staff acted quickly and got everybody out and nobody was harmed.  However, I gather the shop to be in a bad way!

Photo courtesy of the T&A web site

Our thoughts are with you Pakeezah at this terrible time and I'm sure you'll be back bigger and stronger than ever.

Regards

John the Bradford Curry Blogger

The Mighty Shimla Spice - My Birthday Treat

WWwwwoooohhhhhooooo a Birthday curry - and WWwwwoooohhhhhooooo the mighty Shimla Spice.

Popadom Frenzy!

I'm not sure why that, up to the mentioned above Birthday curry, we'd only ever been to Shimal Spice once! When we visited it before, as the now disbanded Bradford Curry Club, we had a great evening and we raved about the food.  In addition, Shimla Spice is fairly close to us in Guiseley, and it wins lots and lots of awards.  It's total madness!

Birthday Boy with a Naan on a Stick

Anyway, enough already, we've finally made it back, and from what we experienced we certainly shan't be leaving it quite so long next time I can promise you.  From the offset, spirits were high - it was my Birthday* - I had just returned from a stonking ride at the Great Manchester Cycle, and was buzzing.  A hearty refuel was desperately needed - something I was sure Shimla Spice would be able to offer.  I had a few people joining me too, and the whole episode was rather reminiscent of the old Bradford Curry Club days - oh how I miss it.

So on to the food. But, before we get there even, one of my fave little touches, at any restaurant for that matter, is poppadoms and pickles delivered immediately to the table.  Shimla Spice delivered and the appetite was well and truly whetted by the general nibbling.  Also, Shimla Spice is BYO - happy days.  Top marks so far.

For starters it had to be the epic Mixed Grill.  It was well received by all who sampled it.  A piled high sizzling platter stuffed with the usual chops, kebabs, chicken tikka, and fish.  All this was intertwined with a mass of tangled sweet onions.  Excellent.  Even my daughter, who's usual line of "I don't like curry", commented on the Grill with a "that fish was lovely!"  Great stuff.

Lamb Achari

My main was Lamb Achari.  This again was brilliant. It managed to be both nicely hot and lip smackingly sour.  It attacked my head straight from the first mouth full, and sent me into a spin of huffing and puffing a little with the heat and facial contortions from the sourness.  Amazing!  Although my fellow dinners must have wondered what was going on!  It was also high quality with good and plentiful meat and minimal oil.  The Achari was off the Specials Menu, and was also tagged with 'Award Winning Dish', so guess it should have been something special... It was.

After all this I was in heaven, and had had a wonderful Birthday*

*Well Birthday Eve to be completely honest!

World Curry Festival 2013

The 2013 World Curry Festival returned to City Park, Bradford, and the whole shebang has got bigger!

A similar set up to last year is as much as stall holders occupy the periphery of the park, with picnic tables and chairs in the middle.  Different from last year was the addition of a large out door theatre - very posh - as opposed to the stage set up in a vacant unit of Centenary Squarer.  This gave the proceedings a much more cohesive feel I thought, and also looked darn impressive.  Also a very good programme was produced for this years event, including some yummy sounding recipes to try yourself.

Due to my hectic diary - always the same at this time of year - I was on a flying visit.  First impressions were of busyness!  Excellent to see so many people supporting the Festival but, from a purely selfish point of view, the prospect of joining some of the vendor queues snaking their ways around the Festival site, seemed daunting!  However, once a few minutes had been spent wandering around, it became clear there were 'popular' stalls, and some perhaps less so?

With this in mind, nestled away was Deespice, and promised Sri Lankan fodder.  Not much Sri Lankan cuisine around these parts I thought so seemed like the perfect opportunity to try something new.  And, to be honest, looking around some of the other stalls, there are only so many Chicken Tikka Wraps you can eat.

So to Deespice it was.  The stall holders were very friendly and offered a 'Festival Special' for £6.  The Special comprised essentially a number of taster portions on a plate, the main draw I guess being Seeni Sambol.  The Seeni Sambol was a very rich dark curry with dried fish.  It was sweet - almost like a chutney - with a sauce comprising abundant onions, which must have been cooked and cooked and cooked, to produce the rich flavour.  The fish appeared to have almost disintegrated into the sauce, providing a quite strong fishy taste, and it was also pretty hot!  The dish was quite different and quite delightful.  Worth seeking out I promise, but I understand Sri Lankan food difficult to come by up north.  The Sambol was served on a bed of very sticky coconut rice - referred to as Milk Rice - and provided the perfect cooling accompaniment to the spicy Sambol.  With all the excitement, the addition tasters on the platter went a little by the by.  I don't think I even noticed the curried mince!  Likewise the aubergines and peppers!  The chickpea with coconut, onions etc was a refreshing little side garnish/salad an offered texture, zing and freshness to the sweet and spicy Sambol.  I enjoyed the whole plate of food and was pleasantly full afterwards.

Deespice Festival Special inc Seeni Sambol (Middle)

Tauntaun Giblets anyone?  Don't worry its Falooda!

However, there was still room for a trip to the Falooda stall.  I'm not quite sure what Falooda is but it's like a dessert/beverage comprising noodles with thin pink milky sauce, basil seeds(??) and a blob of ice cream.  It sort of resembles a Tauntauns giblets! It has a unique taste (in a good way) which is difficult for me to put my finger on, is not overly sweet and is very refreshing.

So that was it - I hit the road.  Another very excellent and seemingly very successful World Curry Festival.  One observation I made was that all the stalls seemed to have 'Festival Specials' on for £5/£6 and seemed to all provide a substantial meal.  Now, that might prove good value but, if like me, you'd like to trawl all the stalls and sample a bit of everything, you were a little short on option.

Overall excellent day out and really worth a trip next year.

Fathers Day at Pakeezah

Even though a dinner time Bradford Curry of MY choice was to be MY Fathers Day treat, the Mrs saying "I fancy Samosa Chaat at Cafe Pakeezah", kind of loosely translates to "we are going to Cafe Pakeezah!"*

Not grumbling - I consider Cafe Pakeezah to be a little bit of a hidden gem.  Not quite as plush as it once was, now the large booths have been removed, and you defo feel a little bit more like you are sitting in the corner of a supermarket now.  Oh and the service can be a little hit and miss - basically don't expect restaurant quality service.  But the food served up for the price is excellent.

The cafe was quiet when we arrived and we did sit for quite a while, and were contemplating having to go and bring to the attention of staff our presence, when a waiter turned up.  Orders taken, and everything was soon winging it's way to our table.  Once the cogs were in motion, food came quickly.

Mrs Bradford Curry Blogger (MBCB) did indeed order the Samosa Chaat.  And from what I understand it was brill.  The crushed up meaty samosas smothered in yoghurty chickpea sauce and tamarind, and garnished with fresh chilli, is a fantastic dish.  It attacks all the taste buds, has varying textural notes, hot/cold elements and cooling/spicy aspects that swirl around the mouth.  It is great.

Although I was temped with the Chaat, MBCB wouldn't commit to allowing me two curries in one day, so I opted for for the safety of ensuring one a full blown curry!  And ordered a full blown curry - a Meat and Spinach (no distinction between balti/handi/karahi/etc at Pakeezah).  I also had a Garlic Naan.

Soon I was munching away.  My Lamb and Spinach was a little on the oily side, but other than that it was meaty, flavorsome and generally splendid.  My Naan was in a league of its own, and was super fresh, soft and crispy, and perfectly garlicy.

I was more than satisfied, and full to the point of not even having tea later on!  That's a fair old portion!  So Cafe Pakeezah is excellent but not really a full on restaurant experience.  Keep up the good work.3

*Just in case you are reading my dear... I'm only teasing for the benefit of the readers - I loved my Fathers Day treat.

Birthday Breakfast at Mughals

What better way to start my birthday day off than with a chickpea curry breakfast.

Ever since trying this early morning traditional breakfast many years ago on the Curry Mile in Manchester, I have been a big fan.

Back then the delicacy seemed hard to come by here in Bradford, but not any more. A trad brekkie can be found all over - probably most popularly the Sweet Center on Lumb Lane.

Mughals breakfast, by comparison, was far more robust in texture, and sat thick and proud on a small plate. It was nice and mild and had the zing of a little lime pickle. It was good.  Served with three wonderfully chewy and greasy puris, it's the perfect way to start the day.

Ambala

Ambala on Great Horton Road

If you travel up Great Horton Road (GHR), above the University there, you'll spot a little curry house called Ambala.  Blink and you may miss it.

It is a place I have been aware of but never ever really felt like popping in.  However, at a loose end up GHR the other day - and it being about dinner time, I stopped for something to eat.  Small and unassuming, I  actually found Ambala a little daunting to enter - I don't know why?  Probably just because it was to be a totally new experience, and I was alone.  The initial small sweet counter had a few punters clustered around, but the cafe section, off to the right, was deserted.  A quick query to the bloke behind the counter was responded to with a nod, mutter and waving hand inviting me to sit.

Taking pictures of yourself whilst alone in a retaurant
is a little bit of s funny thing to be doing isn't it?

Plain tables and chairs are all that are needed and I was soon joined by more diners, and the waiter arrived and took my order.  Things were livening up.  My order of Lamb Karahi and Tandoori Roti was whisked to the kitchen, and I settled to have a go at the crossword in the paper.  No sooner had I penned the answers to a couple of clues, my dish arrived!  I was impressed and surprised at the speed, it must be said.

Now to the curry.  The bog standard Lamb Karahi was pleasing to the palate,  with refreshing zing from flavours of fresh ginger, chilli and coriander.  Indeed,  abundant coriander stalks and green chilli could be seem as flecks of colour running through the the dark, rich and meat laden Karahi.  Some heat was there - but not too much - certainly a lip tingler though!  

Lamb Karahi

All very nice, and the whole lot was consumed in a matter of minutes!  Few negatives really, but, to be overly critical, it was noted the serving dish was a little cold, which ultimately aided in the Karahi loosing temperature a little quicker than expected.  The Tandoori roti was fine - ideal for mopping up all the juices.

Overall Ambala was fine - good in fact.  Whether it had enough about it for me to rush back though I'm not sure.  You see, many of my favourite haunts are just down the road.  I certainly would not quibble at a return visit and, indeed, as the self proclaimed No1. Bradford Curry Blogger, I have duty to do so... And I will enjoy it too I'm sure.  Breakfast next time.

Cafe de Akbar

New Akbars opened up at the top of Leeds Road. The original cafe has now been closed down. Will visit soon I'm sure.

Mughals

Well it doesn't seem like 2.5 years since last time we ventured to Mughals!  See here.  Amazing how time flies when you're having fun.

Lamb Karahi and Chicken Karahi

Way back then I remember a dark and wintry November night, but Mughals was excellent - even if the service was a little laboured and hap hazard, due to our large party - and provided me a fabulous Karahi.  Today's supposed 'spring' visit exhibited very similar wintry conditions - strangely?  A hail storm ensued as we more or less fell through the door, at just gone midday.

The menus seem to may be have had a little revamp since our last visit, and now offers a variety of options including such things as a few burgers and pasta dishes.  An increasingly common addition to many of the cafe style eateries about the city.  It was also noted that Mughals does breakfast from 8am - we'll defo be back for that I'm sure.  Sadly the decor had yet to be treated to a revamp, but it didn't really matter as everything was serviceable, and the center of attention sweet counter was to die for with it's vast array of colourful, sweet and sticky treats.  Obviously we stuck to the curry options... but could we resist the sweets?

Lamb Karahi for me and Chicken Karahi for Big Tone.  Izzy wanted chips!  Ggrrrr!  She'll learn one day I'm sure?  But we did get her some fish pakora too.  The Karahis were very meaty with a nice tingle of heat, and the perfect kind of 'middle of the road' blend of spices that make it a sort of all curry to all men.  Healthy portion too!  It was on the incredibly rich side of things and, between the Karahi and my accompanying garlic naan, there was an over whelming sour buttery ghee flavour.  Not in a bad way - just the kind of thing that stands out saying things are being done properly - but just prepare yourselves!

Jalebi

Could we resist the the sweets?  Er... no!  Although stuffed, a couple of Jalebi were savored.  These were very fresh and syrupy sweet.  when I've tried these in the past at other places, there has been a stale fatty taste associated with them - not at Mughals.  Super fresh.  Excellent - I could have eaten a full bag!

So all in all a thoroughly enjoyable experience, and just goes to show the depth of expertise all over the city of Bradford.