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Tag: glasgow

santa luc

Santa Lucia, Glasgow

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Hey Foodwala boys and girls… hope you are  all safe and well

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Furthermore is you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.

“Rendere pan per focaccia”

this means to give back the bread or give back to the community.

I am a great fan of celebrating with the community and breaking bread together

One of the most memorable food festivals was on my visit to Naples, I was staying on Via Gaetano Filangieri midway up the Chiaia Staircase overlooking the palazzo Mannajuolo.

it was a beautiful summers morning and I got up for Fajr, and you knew it was going to be a warm day as there was a stillness in the air.

As I looked out of the open  floor to ceiling windows I saw an old man walking up the Chiaia Staircase shouting something, it was as if he was announcing an event

“Santa Lucia sta arrivando nessuno avrà fame”

he kept repeating this every few steps, Which obviously piqued my curiosity, as I did not speak Neoplolitan so I recorded the gentlemen’s mournful cries and translated it.

It translated as

“Saint Lucy is coming…no one will go hungry”

I was even more confused, in the street I was staying was a Louis Vuitton and a Gucci boutique, I doubt the residents of this area would be going hungry.

so I got dressed and decided to investigate this a wee bit more, so I went to the local bar for an espresso and I asked the Barista

The Barista told me to have a seat for a few minutes and all will be revealed.

Sure enough, a few minutes later a procession slowly appeared walking up the street, everyone was dressed in white and were carrying a statue of Santa Lucia.

It was a very cheerful and colourful profession and the participants were handing out candy and cake.

Apparently, every July the people of Naples celebrate the festival of Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia is the patron saint of the blind and the hungry and to commemorate, the feast of Santa Lucia is prepared and food is given out to everyone.

I love this community spirit and more importantly, food being the catalyst to bring people together.

So to celebrate our own festival the Alfie Foodwala family went out to the Santa Lucia restaurant in the Merchant City.

MARGHERITA D.O.C
£11

To kick off the proceeding, we always chose a pizza, the reason being that if the pizza is made properly, using the proper 000 flour

then you know the chef is decent.

The Pizza base should be elastic and chewy without being soggy, the dough should bubble when in the wood-fired oven giving the tell take black bubbles on the crust.

The Pizza ticked all the boxes, the buffalo mozzarella was creamy and the sugo had a sweet tartness.

RISOTTO DI MARE
£17

Carnaroli rice with chillies, mussels, clams, langoustine, squid, king prawns in a shellfish sauce.

This was a revelation, the fresh seafood was perfectly balanced with the al dente rice and the shellfish sauce stock made the rice plump.

I loved this dish, The seafood was prepared with an expert hand.

GNOCCHI AL GORGONZOLA E
PISTACCHIO
£12

The Gnocchi potato dumplings were prepared with creamy blue cheese sauce and crushed pistachios.

WOW! what a paring, blue cheese and cracked Pistachios, who would have thought that two diverse ingredients would make such a delicious combination. The Gnocchi was soft and pillowy, not at all stodgy.

Our taste buds were singing like Pavarotti.

POLLO ALLA MILANESE £15

Cream soaked and then Pan-fried breaded chicken breast with rosemary. The chicken Milanese is a simple dish but difficult to master.

The chicken breast is a notoriously difficult protein to master, Cook it too much and it becomes dry and stringy, cook it too little it leaves it unedible and dangerous.

This was cooked just right, the breast was light and fluffy, the breadcrumbs were golden and crispy.

Penna Arrabiatta
£11

Arrabbiata sauce,

or sugo all’arrabbiata in Italian is a spicy sauce for pasta made from garlic, tomatoes, and dried red chilli peppers cooked in olive oil.

the Sugo was delicious, tart yet sweet, shiny with Olive Oil yet not greasy

 

In Conclusion

Santa Lucia was excellent, they did all the basic things with the proper effort so that the complex elements were made to look effortless.

The  Pizza dough was using the right blend of 000 flour

The seafood was fresh and succulent

The Sugo was made from vine-ripened tomatoes and virgin Olive oil

The service was polite and efficient

 

The Star of the Meal?

My star of the meal was definitely Risotto Di Marre, a complex dish of many elements done right.

The miss of the Meal?

I honestly cannot think of anything, I don’t want to name something just to fill this section.

Honourable Mention

So how did Santa Lucia do against its peers?

Definitely on par with Oro and Cafe Parma

I loved it equally as La Lanterna.

 

Halal Rating

The Chicken served in the restaurant and HALAL

Alcohol is served on the Premises

Pork is served on the Premises

100% impartial Guarantee

Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not accept free meals in return for meals

All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur.

 

dba1

Desi Dhaba Chaiwala

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650 Eglinton St,
Glasgow G5 9RP

Hey, Foodwala’s boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.

Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.

If you would like to “Eat with Alfie Foodwala” please email me at alfiefoodwala@aol.com

One of the most surprising places I have had Desi food was actually in deepest darkest Nathan Road, Hong Kong.

I was visiting Hong Kong with Benz Foodwalee and Mokee Foodwala and I had a craving for Salan Roti (Desi Food), so I called the Hong Kong Central Mosque and asked them where I can go for some desi food, If you ever want to find out the best places to eat ask the local mosque or a taxi driver, they usually have the finger on the pulse.

The Mosquewala said to go to Karachi Club in Chungking Mansions, Nathen Road, That sounded very grand, I was expecting something like the Gymkhana in London, Colonial elegance with amazing Indian food.

I was staying in the Mandarin Oriental in Central Hong Kong and asked the taxi driver to take me to the Chungking Mansions, the taxi driver did a double-take and asked if I really wanted to go there, I thought that was unusual, maybe it was very grand and I was not dressed appropriately.

The taxi dropped me off close to Chungking Mansions as possible, I asked a passer-by where it was and he pointed at the Rolex sign.

I walked up to the Rolex sign and all I could see was a grubby 60’s concrete building peppered with air conditioning units dripping condensation, the entrance was full of indeterminate African men hustling, It actually looked like Mogadishu or Lagos.

I asked one of the men where Chungking Mansions were and he pointed at the entrance, my heart sank.

I asked another Indian boy where Karachi Club was and he said follow me, I should have turned back then but I followed him into the bowels of the building, it got darker and darker as we went in and became seedier.

The boy/guide then came to an antiquated rusted scissor gate lift and beckoned us to get in, the lift was damp from some unidentifiable liquid, I should have turned back but for some reason, I walked into the lift, then the boy spent ages trying to close the liftgate as the rusted scissor gate kept jamming, that should have been reason enough to go back but I dumbly stood there with my wife and firstborn, I know dumb or what.

We then arrived a pich black floor and the guide beckoned us Gollum like to follow us “my precious” and we started to slowly make our way down the corridor, which was lit by a single flickering lightbulb, It actually reminded me of the corridor scene in the “Shining”

I was at the end of my tether and was turning back when “Gollum” grabbed my wrist, he was surprisingly strong for such a slight frame and I was about to go into the “fight or flight” mode when he showed me the old brass sight, defaced by graffiti and It said “Karachi Club est 1935”

He pushed against the heavy mahogany door and we were greeted with bright lights and a room full of families eating plates heaped with desi food, Lollywood music blared on the loudspeakers and GEO News played on the Screens.

The walls were painted with Lahori cinema characters,

To say I was surprised was an understatement, The food was absolutely delicious too.

The point of my story is that I drive up and down Eglinton Street four times a day and I have never noticed the Desi Dhaba Chaiwala, it  is in a car park tucked behind a war wash with mo signage!

Desi Dhaba Chaiwala

I would never have thought it was a place serving food. This place was discovered by my friend and chief scout Shai Foodwala, on this many street food discovery treks.

The Interior is equally Punjabi Pind quirky

They call it “Pind Chic” apparently

The lady behind the counter greeted us with a list of her specials of the day, I asked her to bring one of everything!

Keema and Sabzi Samosa

We kicked off the proceedings with some Keema and sabzi samosas, the shortcrust pastry was a little soft and greasy, I use the samosa yardstick with Benz Foodwalees samosas, her pastry is always crispy and fluffy even when they are cold, the filling was delicious, fresh filling with just enough seasoning. 6 out of 10

Student Biryani

The house specialty was next up…called the “Student Biryani” from Karachi, the cubes of Chicken was a wee bit dry, however, the biryani rice themselves were full of flavour and seasoning, you can tell that the biryani was freshly made without the use of “biryani powder” as it did not have the overpowering cardamom flavour in it. excellent effort if only the chicken was not overcooked

7 out of 10

Keema Mattor

The keema mattor was delicious, the mince was delicately spiced, rather than the overpowering of most restaurants, the green peas were not the cheap ones from Lidl, rather the plump frozen ones from Birds Eye.

Simple no-nonsense Keema Peas is an art in itself, It is like an artist knows when to stop painting a picture before he/she overdoes it 7 out of 10

Lamb Chops

The lamb Chops ware sauteed in some masala and Shallots, the lamb itself was brilliantly tender and soft, the masala was seasoned as not to detract from the hero element, Usually, the Lamb is over seasoned to mask the aroma of the lamb… go figure, however, this was made with panache and skill  8 out of 10

Tarka Dhall

The Dhall was another exercise in restraint, the Moong Dhall was folded on roasted spices and shallots but was not oily or greasy, I prefer my dhall being masoor (orange lentils) but this was an excellent effort 7 out of 10

Aloo Paratha and Roti

To scoop up all the delicious salans (curry) was a decadent Aloo paratha, again not greasy yet with soft pillowy potato staffing, not over maslad, a wee bit crispy and crusty, yummy 8 out of 10

In Conclusion

In conclusion, Desi Dhaba Chaiwala was a revelation, the food was fresh and delicious, even more, remarkable was it was prepared in such humble surroundings. It definitely gave restaurants a run for their money.

the staff was friendly, efficient, and good humor, the wee Dhaba was chilled and quirky, you could tell it was a labour of love.

The Dhaba is full of colour and fun.

The Star of the Meal?

The Lamb Chops and the Aloo Paratha

The Miss of the Meal?

Possibly the Samosas, as everything else was so good.

 

Honorable Mention

So how did Desi Dhaba Chaiwala do against its peers?

For somewhere so humble and basic, the food punched way above its weight, In my opinion, the food was like the Hazara Dhall in Faisalabad or Ravi’s in Dubai, not the Karama branch but the Original Satwa one.

or closer to home, Yadgar

The food was like “homemade” without the cliche

Halal Rating

The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb  is confirmed 100% Halal

Alcohol is served on the Premises

NO Pork is served on the Premises

100% impartial Guarantee

Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not except free meals in return for meals

All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur.

HOME X STA

HOME X STA

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HOME X STA

Hey, Foodwala’s boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.

Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.

If you would like to “Eat with Alfie Foodwala” please email me at alfiefoodwala@aol.com

As you will have gathered, we are still under the second lockdown and all restaurants are closed unless they are doing takeaway service.

 

I love restaurants pure and simple, I love the theatre of restaurants, the sheer buzz of a well-run restaurant.

and I love food, all kinds of food, I have even driven up to Anstruther one lunchtime to try out the amazing fish and chips at the award-winning Anstruther Fish Bar.

I love the experience of food, be it sitting on the Sea Wall in Stonehaven eating Fish and Chips, or an Alley behind the Taj Palace Bombay eating kebabs at Bademiya.

The trilogy of restaurants, food and experience is what fires up my passion, It is what gets me up in the morning…As Mr Ali from the Shish Mahal so eloquently puts it

“you can’t put a price to passion”

So this week I pondered what other avenues of food I can try, I tried out the Supermarket Food last week so this week I decided to try food from an exclusive boutique caterer called Home X STA.

Even the same suggested something out of the ordinary and exclusive, so I called them up and a Moneypenny type voice answered, very cool calm and collected.

I explained what my requirements were and when I needed the home catering.

since caterers cannot come to my home, they packaged the dinner with precise heating and serving instructions.

The package arrived in a refrigerated courier at the time and date promised.

HOME X STA

 

Shrimp dynamiter
8 out of 10

First Up was the curiously named Shrimp Dynamiter, succulent North Atlantic King Prawns, pan-fried and then tossed in a siracha Port Mahon dressing, It was actually very delicious 8 out of 10

Balsamic Spiced Lamb Shanks

The Balsamic Spiced Lamb Shanks was an excellent example of Balanced flavour, the Ayrshire Lamb was sous vide then dipped in a Black Pepper Balsamic Reduction, the Umami of the lamb went perfectly with the firey Talichery Black peppercorns and the sharp sweetness of the Balsamic.  9 out of 10

Oriental Wild Salmon

The certified Wild Scottish Sockeye Salmon is delicious just eaten with some lemon, as the flavour profile is so delicate, the Salmon was then sympathetically brushed with some Soy sauce and reduced sugar cane jus, this gave the salmon a subtle sweet and sour flavour note, again spot on 8 out of 10

Wagyu A5 Slider

This slider was a flavour bomba, the Wagyu was hand diced and then folded with some salt, pepper and shallots and then gently grilled when the Wagyu fat started to run it was then placed in a butter brioche bun topped with mild Asiago Cheese, as not to upset the flavour note of the Wagyu 8 out of 10

Panco Chicken Saccate

The Chicken Saccete, or in other words Baby Chicken Lollypops was marinated for 24 hours in spiced buttermilk and then dipped in ground Tonkatsu bread (Panco) and then cooked in extra virgin sunflower oil, the wings were amazingly crispy on the outside yet so soft and moist inside, very nice indeed. 8 out of 10

Lebanese Fajita Platter

The Lebanese Fajita platter went down a storm, the harissa shawarmaesk chicken was moist and juicy and went perfectly with an assortment of meze filling, something very different and unusual but equally flavoursome. 8 out of 10

 

In Conclusion

In conclusion, The Food by HOME X STA was absolutely delicious, the flavours were put together with expertise and flair, no ingredient was allowed to overpower the “hero” element of the dish.

When ordering, the process was so simple and easy, all kinds od allergies and food intolerances were taken care of.

I would definitely recommend HOME X STA.

The Star of the Meal?

Hard to point out, but my arm was twisted I would go for the Salmon or the Shrimp.

 

The miss of the Meal?

For once I am lost for words in this category.

 

Honourable Mention

So how did HOME X STA compare with the stalwarts of the home catering industry,  likes of Rhubarb Catering and Dirty Lobster in London or 1762 Catering Dubai, It certainly gave then a run for the money in terms of food, menu selection and technical ability.

Keep an eye out for future reviews from home caterers.

 

Halal Rating

The Lamb is Halal

The Chicken is Halal

No alchaol is used

 

 

100% impartial Guarantee

Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not except free meals in return for meals

All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur.

 

MEZ2

Meze Meze, Glasgow

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1032 Argyle St, Finnieston,
Glasgow G3 8LX
www.mezemezeglasgow.co.uk

Hey, Foodwala’s boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.

Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.

If you would like to “Eat with Alfie Foodwala” please email me at alfiefoodwala@aol.com

I hate the word “Foodie” It’s a word that has taken on cliquey connotations, and now “Foodies” have become arrogant and self-congratulatory.

I am definitely not a foodie, I just love food and restaurants.

Someone else who was a food lover was my grandfather, he adored all kinds of food from the most basic and humble pakora to the most complex Haleem, cooked in the Persian way where the grain starch is changed on a molecular level to fuse with the wild goat meat protein after being cooked and hand-ground over 12 hours.

Once I was visiting my grandfather on his plantation, in the deepest darkest Toba Tek Singh and I felt homesick so my grandfather asked me what would I like to eat, I absent-mindedly said chips, anybody else would have taken the frozen chips from the freezer, not my grandfather, he did not know how to make basic chips, he only made the most amazing and delicious chips.

First, he called his friend who owned the biggest Potato Cold Store in Pakistan and requested that he send someone with a sack of Maris Piper potato’s from the fields next to the flood plains of the Ravi river (apparently the soil has the best nutrients)

Then he called his moonshee (foreman) and told him to open up storage godown 23 (warehouse 23) and Extract oil from Palm Kernals harvested in summer 1984.

Then he called his friend the Chief Minister of Punjab who had just left Islamabad on the pay to visit my grandfather if he could stop on his way to at Khewra Salt Mines ( salt has been harvested in Khewra since biblical times and is the best salt in the world) and pick up some flaked Khewra Rock Salt.

He then personally supervised the preparation and thrice frying the chips to make the most delicious chips I had ever eaten, they were golden and crispy on the outside and moist and fluffy in the inside.

My point being, this is the level my grandfather took to make a humble plate of chips, would he call himself a foodie, definitely not!!

Miah Foodwala and I visited Meze Meze, they call themselves a Turkish and Persian Ocakbaşi, That definitely piqued my curiosity, that is like describing a French and Russian restaurant, they are completely different kinds of food.

Meze Meze
Meze Meze

We entered the rustic yet welcoming diner, there was a nice buzz about the restaurant and the staff was nice and friendly. After getting the COVID 19 track and trace formalities over with we sat down, absolutely famished.

Hummus
£4.95
Mixed Donner
£4.95
Chicken Wings
£4.95
We ordered a collection of hot and cold meze, the Chicken Wings were absolutely divine, smokey and chargrilled on the outside and soft and moist inside, a nice start.
The Hummus was again a great effort, a nice grainy texture, and just enough virgin olive oil not to make it oily or greasy.
The mixed doner was made the authentic way, not your usual late-night takeaway fat fest.

The thin layers of lamb and chicken were spit-roasted so that the burnt ends were perfectly caramelized without drying it out, perfect for being scooped up in the warm bread along with hummus and enjoyed.

Iskender Kebab
£11.00

Next up was the Lamb Iskender, chunks of roasted lamb on buttered Turkish bread and then topped with spicy Tomato Iskender sauce, thick creamy Turkish yogurt, and then drizzled with hot Anatolian butter.

The Iskender Kebab was phenomenal, the lamb was so soft and tender, it virtually melted in my mouth, It would be pedantic of me if i was to point out that an authentic Iskender kebab is made of slivers of lamb rather than chunks of lamb.

Kobideh Kebab
£11.00

Unfortunately, at this point the meal took a turn down, The Kobideh Kebab was dry and flimsy, not the usual meaty and succulent Kobideh Kebab.

Adana Kebab
£11.00

The Adana Kebab was slightly better than the Kobideh, The texture of the kebab was more of a minced kebab rather than a finely chopped lamb and tail fat kebab, In my opinion, the kebabs were under seasoned.

The Trilogy of Kebabs

 

In Conclusion

In conclusion, Meze Meze was quite adequate, the Meze was fresh, well-executed and delicious, however, the main course kebabs were still tasty but not carried out with the flair or panache is expected.

the staff was friendly and efficient and the restaurant had a nice chilled atmosphere.

 

The Star of the Meal?

The iskender Kebab and the Chicken Wings too the gong in my opinion.

 

The miss of the Meal?

I would probably say the Kobideh Kebab, but there was not much in it.

 

Honorable Mention

So how did Meze Meze do against its peers?

The Patogh in London definitely did a better Kobideh kebab, Paradise on Great Western Road also does a decent Kobideh

For the Turkish half of the meal, the Gokyuzo and Hala on Grand Parade do a mean Adana, closer to home, the Eda in Glasgow have a nice Adana nd Iskender Kebabs.

 

Halal Rating

The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb  is confirmed 100% Halal

Alcohol is served on the Premises

NO Pork is served on the Premises

 

100% impartial Guarantee

Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not except free meals in return for meals

All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur.

SH2

Shawarma King, Glasgow

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Hey, Foodwala’s boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.

Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.

If you would like to “Eat with Alfie Foodwala” please message me.

Not so long ago I had to go to Beirut on Business, everyone I spoke to told me stories of how dangerous Beirut was, the civil war, the bombings, the kidnappings, and the list went on.

So the day came for my trip and I was anxious, to say the least, as I boarded my Emirates flight from Dubai, the Business Class section was empty, this felt even more ominous.

We landed in Rafiq Hariri International Airport I saw an SUV with armed guards, this did not bode well.

While I was collecting my luggage the electricity cut out and for a few minutes, we stood in pitch darkness waiting for the old decrepit generators to kick in.

The airport staff looked really shifty, they sat drinking tea and observed us coldly, honestly, it was like the most cliched Hollywood Middle Eastern movie.

When I cleared customs I was in the arrivals lounge and a guy approached me in tight ripped jeans and a T-shirt that struggled to hold his ample belly and asked if I needed a taxi, the word taxi was used in its loosest term, old battered  Mercedes cars from the 1970s were de rigour, and then the drivers started to fight amongst themselves as who would take the fare.

This got me more and more anxious, I chose the least bashed up a taxi with the oldest driver, if I had to make a run for it at least I could outrun an old guy rather a than a young fit driver.

The airport road was lined by shanty towns, makeshift housing with bullet holes and scars from the years-old civil war, the brickwork was scorched with fire and I started to regret the whole endeavor.

We entered a road tunnel with every other tube light shot out and there was literally no light at the end of the tunnel

But when we exited the tunnel, it was as if we had been teleported back to Dubai, there were smart new buildings everywhere, the roads were spotless and the verges were immaculate.

The driver dropped me off at an area called Mar Micheal, the shops were like Bond Street, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Lora Piana, Armani etc

I was staying a the Four Seasons at Zeituna Bay and that was like a page out of Archtuicetural Digest. There were hips bars and boutiques everywhere and the local Lebanese were dressed as if they were fashion photoshoot.

The point to my story was If I had taken Beirut at my initial impression, I would have turned back and missed this amazing cosmopolitan and fun city.

This is exactly what Shawarma King is like, it is located outside the old Barras Market under an old railway bridge, in a hole in the wall, its easy to drive past it.

Shawarma King

I went there with Mokee and Shai Foodwala’s, I was not expecting great things but I moved past me misgivings.

There are only two old tables and chairs so we ordered and we fashioned a table by putting a table cloth on the boot of my car

 

Hummus & Falafal
£4.50

First up we went for the Falafal and Hummus, this was served with hot Lavash bread fresh from the tandoor like oven, The falafals were crispy on the outside and pillow soft in the inside, and the Hummus was lovely and creamy and with just enough viscosoty to make it delicious.

Turkish Kebab
£7.50

The Turkish Kebab was a hybrid Adana kebab, it was smokey and spicy, absulutely delicious with the fresh bread

and onions sprinkled with harissa, such delisiousness from humbleness

Hummus Shawarma
£5.50

We decided to go off menu and ask for Hummus with burnt ends shawarma, what a combination, the burnt ends of lamb Shawarma were juicy and intence and combined with the creamy hummus it was a master stroke

Chicken Shawarma
£8.50

The Chicken Shawarma was what i can only descibe as delicious, the chicken was well seasoned and parts were nice and crispy and parts were soft and juicy, served on the nan like bread and what a combination, the juices of the chicken soaked into the bread and what a flavour bomb!!

Lamb Shawarma
£8.50

We decided to take the lamb Shawarma with rice, and yet again it did not disapoint, the lamb Shawarma was burnt and crispy in parts and soft in others, again absulutely deloicious.

 

In Conclusion

The Shawarma King was delicious, each elemant was fresh and made with true passion.

The Shawarma was simple yet delicious , the Turkish/Adana Kebab was spot on  the Kebab was not mined but chopped finely and was a perfect consistency.

The Service was perfunctory, neither excellent nor poor, it was just functional and friendly.

We fashioned the boot of the Mercedes as a table and Glasgow evening was perfect, the chill was just decending and standing and eating the delicious Shawarma as amazing.

 

The Star of the Meal?

TheTurkish/Adana Kebab and the chicken and lamb shawarma were definately stars

 

The miss of the Meal?

I would be pedantic if i was to choose.

 

Honorable Mention

So how did Shawarma peers?

It definately held its own against Allo Beirut in Dubai, Pita Shawarma in Baku Azerbijan and SUD in Mar Micheal Beirut

Halal Rating

The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb  is confirmed 100% Halal

NO Alcohol is served on the Premises

NO Pork is served on the Premises

100% impartial Guarantee

Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not except free meals in return for meals

All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur.

 

brasserie

Mamasan, Glasgow

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222, 224 Ingram St, Glasgow
G1 3BX

Hey, Foodwala’s boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.

Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag and share if you like this review.

When Alfie Foodwala was a wee nipper, and we used to go on our annual summer trip to the ranch in deepest darkest Punjab, one of the treats we used to look forward to was the trips to restaurants with our grandparents, the highlight of our trip to Faislabad and Lahore was the when we used to go out for a Chinese, much the way going out for an “Indian” is in blighty.

We used to go to restaurants with exotic names as Dynasty, Nam Wa and the most exclusive of them all was the China Town, The China Town was with a resplendent seven-foot doorman (when you are wee they all look like giants) china man dressed like a Han warrior, how he handled the heat was beyond me.

We would sit in hushed silence as the server would bring steaming platters of Chinese sounding delicacies like Sweet and Hot chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Peking mutton. Sichuan Shrimp and the and the old favourite, Chicken Corn Soup.

We used to dig into the delights of the Orient and imagine we were eating a banquet in the court of Ghengis Khan (I know wrong era and nationality, but humour me) and we loved the different flavours and textures, but what I remembered the most was how spicy the food was.

After that, it was hard-wired into my pre-adolescent brain that Chinese food was decadent and flavoursome and Spicy.

Now fast forward a few years when I actually visit China, we went for a meal in Hong Kong, we went into a typical Chinese restaurant in the Central  Hong Kong next to the Mandarin Oriantal where we were staying.

I was absolutely famished due to travelling and flight delays, we walked into the nearest restaurant and much to my surprise the menu was in Cantonese, so after a few pointing at dishes being eaten by other diners we got our food, I was expecting the spice-laden Chinese food of China Town, but much to my confusion the food was bland, soupy and full of ingredients i definitely did not recognise.

I found out the hard way that the Chinese food we had in Pakistan and Mumbai was actually Indian food with Oriental names!!!!

Mamasan
Mamasan

This brings me to my visit to the newly opened Manasan, it is an Oriental Tapas Brasserie (possible identity confusion?)

It is an Instagram friendly Chinese/Thai restaurant housed in a bankrupt Steak restaurant, most of the “Industrial” style

fittings from the steak restaurant is still these with some Instagram friendly flowers added to the decor.

Cod & Haddock Spring Rolls
£8.00

I kicked off the proceedings with some Cod and Haddock spring rolls. The spring rolls were delicious, the crispy pastry case held the generous fish filling, the filling was slightly spicy yet could still taste the delicate Cod and smoked Haddock.

Korean Fried Chicken
£7.50

Next up was the delightful nut and wasabi crusted Korean fried chicken, The thighs of chicken were fabulous, the crispy nutty batter gave a satisfying crunch as I bit down

into the succulent chicken thigh. proper delicious.

Thai Crab Cakes
£8.00

The Thai crab cakes were beautifully presented, however, it was more style over substance, the cakes were a little under seasoned and the light flavoured crab failed to shine through, but the lemongrass sauce and the oriental coleslaw was a lovely touch.

Green Monkfish Curry
£18.00

The Thai Green Monkfish Tail and Tiger Prawn was again presented artistically, the lemongrass-infused jus was punchy and flavoursome, the prawns were grilled on point,

however the Monkfish was cold in the centre, possibly they had pre-cooked it or did not cook it long enough, a slight disappointment in otherwise an excellent, fun effort.

In Conclusion.

Mamasan is an Oriental Thai Brasserie using some excellent Scottish produce, the menu was imaginative and delicious, If you are expecting some authentic Chinese food then this is definitely NOT

your cup of tea, It has been finessed for the Scottish palate

The decor was a little industrial, with some Instagram friendly lighting and foliage.

The Service was friendly and efficient, possibly they were a wee bit busy thus forgot some instructions and items, overall a good effort.

The Star of the Meal?

Definitely a close run between the Cod and Haddock Spring Rolls and the Korean Fried Chicken.

The miss of the Meal?

Not exactly a miss, but the Monkfish tail could have done with a little more attention, especially if you are paying £18.

Honourable Mention

So how did Mamasan compare with its Hybrid Oriental peers?

Bamboo Union and Gaia in Lahore definitely up there with the best, If not better due to there location and environment.

Buddha-Bar was amazing due to the brilliant food and Music

Mamasan is a brilliant addition to the Glasgow restaurant scene. brought to you by the veterans of Bar Soba.

Halal Rating

The Chicken is confirmed Halal

Alcohol is served on the Premises

Pork is served but segregated.

 

FAL6

Mrs Falafal, Glasgow

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1 Ashley St,
Glasgow
G3 6DR

Hey, Foodwala’s boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.

Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag and share if you like this review.

Have you ever listened to a song and have been transported back to a specific time and place?

you can remember it like yesterday?,

you can remember the sights and smells?

the feelings?

I am not one to reminisce or wallow in nostalgia but the feeling was so strong and poignant.

The song in question is the Desert Rose by Sting and particularly the bit where he sings with a background of hauntingly entrancing Arab Ululating. and the lyrics

This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

And he sings the song while sitting in a Jaguar S Type, which coincidently what my brothers and I were driving at the time as well.

I was listening to Desert Rose, in my newly Delivered Mercedes and was reminiscing,

I all of a sudden felt like some of the cuisine of the Desert, so like a mirage of an Oasis,

I stumbled upon Mrs Falafal, a street food stand next to the Sainsburys petrol pump on Woodlands Road.

My curiosity was piqued so I decided to have a wee try

Mrs Falafal
Mrs Falafal
Haloumi Bowl
£3.50

I kicked off the proceedings with some Robata Grilled Haloumi on a bed of Tabouleh, Humous and Baba Ganoush.

The Haloumi was soft and buttery with a delicious char on the outside, If the Haloumi is not cooked properly it can taste rubbery and devoid of flavour, this, however, was delicious and had a lovely salty zing to it.

I was not overly thrilled by the Tabouleh, but that is a not a shortcoming of Mrs Falafal Tabouleh but my own preference, however, the houmas was smooth and zesty and topped with pine nuts(a nice touch)

and the Baba Ganoush had an earthy lemony Aubergine meatness.

Falafel Bowl
£4.50

Next up was the Mrs Falafal signature Falafel bowl, the freshly made falafel was quite simply a revelation, they were pillowy soft herby centre with a delicious crispy crust, they were expertly made so they were not greasy nor were they stodgy… Top marks

The Falafel too were accompanied with some Humus, Tabouleh, Baba Ganoush and some salad, I would give the salad a miss if I as to order the bowls again.

Lamb Kofta Wrap
£6.50

The Lamb Kofta wrap was equally delicious, the koftas were cooked on the Robata grill and placed in the flatbread with some house chilli sauce and Iceberg lettuce and Buffalo tomatoes, The lamb Kofta was nicely spiced and with a bbq smokiness made a great addition to the wrap…definitely my star of the meal.

The Star of the Meal?

Definitely the Lamb Kofta Wrap, and closely followed with the Falafel.

The miss of the Meal?

The Tabouleh Salad and the bland house salad.

In Conclusion.

Mrs Falafal hit the right spot with fresh delicious Falafel and freshly made Lamb Kofta, The food was cooked in a cramp food cart with limited equipment and ingredients, by Syrian refugees who did not have chef training, but it definitely gave some restaurants a run for the Dirham.

the service was cheerful and informative, with a proper Arabic welcome and cheeriness.

Top marks for effort and authenticity.

Honourable Mention

So how did Mrs Falafal compare with the best of Marouch,  on Londons Edgeware Road, or Abd El Wahab, Achrafieh,  Beirut or  Allo Beirut Dubai?

It was definitely a good effort, for a street food stand it punched above its weight

Halal Rating

Everything is Halal

Alcahol is not served

 

 

SUG9

Sugo, Glasgow

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70 Mitchell St,
Glasgow
G1 3LX

Hey, Foodwala’s… Welcome to another tale of the gastronomic trials and tribulations of Alfie Foodwala.

As you well know I am a passionate walla, I am passionate about restaurants, Cars, and movies.

As an 80’s child, I grew up watching Spaghetti Westerns on the VHS video cassette with my Chacha Foodwala. I used to look forward to Wednesdays when my uncle would be off and we would watch Clint Eastwood do his silent hero thing or Lee Van Kleef doing his squinty-eyed stare.

Our favorite was a Fist Full Of Dollars, and my favorite scene was when our steely-eyed hero  Cline Eastwood walks into the dusty town square and squares up to the oily baddies.

The boss baddiewala takes exception to Clint raining on his and his baddie pals parade and shoots Clint in the heart… like what the hell!!!

But Clint staggers but gets up, the baddiewala shoots him again, and he gets up again, he does that six times and Clint gets up seven times, so the old baddiewala is a little perturbed, to say the least. Not only that, he is losing face in front of his posse and that is itself is big-time baistee (embarrassment)

So Clint calmly as you please walks up to the baddiewala and utters the iconic words

“When a man with .45 meets a man with a rifle, you said, the man with a pistol’s a dead man. Let’s see if that’s true. Go ahead, load up and shoot.”

while all this is going on the tension is ratcheted up by the Ennio Morricone’s mournful music…. absolutely seminal.

We used to rewind this scene and watch it again and again.

Furthermore, this climactic scene further ingrained the sense of right and wrong and justice in me, more than lectures from school teachers and elders, who said movies were not educational.

As a fan of Spaghetti Westerns, I was over the moon when Sugo Pasta opened up.

We visited the restaurant on a cold wet January on the eve of blue Monday, the restaurant was packed and had a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

My fellow foodwala’s on this visit was Bakree Foodwalee and Montana Foddwalee

Spicy Cannelini beans with sunblush tomato
£3.50

We placed our pasta order with our friendly Italian waiter, and while the freshly cooked pasta was prepared we kicked off the proceedings with some sourdough bread dipped with Olive Oil and balsamic vinegar, and Spicy Cannelini beans, the bread was delicious and chewy.

The Cannelini went well with the sun-dried tomatoes and the bread.

Definitely a good start.

Tagliolini with pesto, green beans, and potato
£6.00

 

Next up was the pesto Tagliolini, Tagliolini is a thin version of Tagliteli

The Pasta Tagliolini was absolutely delicious, the creamy pesto with potatoes and green beans was a revelation, the pasta was cooked al dente and the pesto sauce was a masterpiece.

Spinach and ricotta ravioli with sage butter
£9.00

The Ravioli was fabulous, little pillows of cheesy spinach with a thin pasta casing, the hot sage butter was poured over the ravioli.

It was outstandingly delicious in its simplicity.

Rigatoni with san marzano & fresh baby plum tomato sugo
£6.00

In other words, Margherita Pasta, but I am not doing it justice, the Tomato Sauce (Sugo) was tangily sweet with a hue of fresh olive oil (Evoo), simple and again delicious, the Rigatoni was lovely and chewy.

 

Squid ink Spaghetti with baby squid ragu and lemon pangrattato
£9.00

 

The squid ink spaghetti was subtle yet bursting with flavour, the baby squid ragu was wonderfully crafted with sun-dried tomatoes and evoo, the Lemon pangrattato is basically lemon-infused breadcrumbs.

Overall the dish had a very subtle flavour of the sea but no one ingredient was overpowering.

Tagliarini with olive oil, garlic, chilli & pangrattato
£5.00

This was the simplest dish on the menu, it had a slight hint of chill

 

In Conclusion.

The pasta at Sugo was simply delicious, the menu was innovative and highlighted each area of Italy, each dish was executed with care and finesse

The service was efficient and friendly. The waiter was Italian and added to the enjoyment of the experience, the chefs were also Italian.

Top marks for the effort

A carb lovers Paradiso

Honorable Mention

In my opinion, Sugo was above excellent, yet slightly behind the superstar pasta restaurants likes of  Padella in Borough Market, London   and Enoteca de Luca in Old Street London and Officina 00

Halal Rating

The Beef is  certified NOT HALAL,

Alcohol is served at the restaurant

Pork is on the menu

 

 

HANK1

Hankies Brasserie @ The Montcalm Hotel, London

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61 Upper Berkeley St, Marylebone, London W1H 7PP

Hey Foodwala’s… welcome to another episode of the trials and tribulations of Alfie Foodwala

Hankie

[ han-kee ]

noun

IVY1

The IVY, Glasgow

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106 Buchanan St,
Glasgow
G1 2NB

Hey, Foodwala’s… Welcome to another tale of the trials and escapades of yours truly, Alfie Foodwala

Last week Rarri Foodwalee suggested I watch the much-lauded Top Boy on Netflix, This is the show that Drake loved so much that he collab with Netflix to produce the show, much like Victor Kiam and his Remington Shavers.

Basically the premise of the series is the trials and tribulations of Dushane and Jaime’s battle to become top boy in the world of recreational pharmaceuticals in the present prohibition era.

This got me reminiscing, in the ’70s and 80’s the Top Boy in the Indian restaurant scene  was the Shish Mahal, everyday owners of the other restaurants in “Curry Ally” used to send out waiters to stand outside the Shish Mahal, when the Shish Mahal was full and the queue was formed the waiter from the Koh i Noor would run back to his restaurant and tell Uncle Russel that the overflow customers are coming, Mr. Russell would then tell the chefs

“Get ready Chaps…fire up the cookers the customers are coming”

When the Koh i Noor filled up the waiter from the Shalimar would run to Uncle Rehmat and tell them the customers are coming and Mr. Rehmat will cry…

“listen up Old Boys… the customers are coming so crank up the old cookers”

When the Shalimar filled up the last remaining waiter would amble down Park Road to the Taj Mahal and tell Momoo Tariq that the great unwashed would be descending soon and get his uncle the chef to heat up the pot of gravy, lamb, and chicken.

This battle for Top Boy has just heated up in Glasgow, The IVY has just opened in Buchanan Street and is vying for the Glaswegian  nouveau riche pound also sought after by 29 on Royal exchange square, Anchor Line around the corner and Rogano close by, so you can just imagine shadowy figures standing outside the IVY waiting to see if it is busy.

We visited the IVY on a Thursday afternoon to celebrate Rarri Foodwala’s sweet 16th birthday and the Glasgow Instagram crowd was just getting started, fashionistas in their disposable Boohoo dresses and wannabe Top Boys were descending on the restaurant.

2ND FLOOR

The IVY menu is wide-ranging Bistro style dining, from dishes ranging from Fish and Chips to Monkfish and Prawn curry.

IVY Fish and Chips
£15.50

We kicked off the proceedings with the famous IVY fish and chips, the Cod was smothered in the signature bubbly batter and was accompanied with thick-cut fries and mushy peas, the batter just as I

liked it, a cross between a crispy shell and soft interior and the pearly white cod flakes was cooked just right.

Chicken Milanese
£16.95

The Chicken Milanese was decadent, the Brioche crumb coated the buttermilk chicken breast and was topped with a fried egg and then showered with parmesan flakes and with a truffle cream jus.

The chicken was lovely and tender and the parmesan flakes gave it umami tasting note and when dipped into the Truffle Cream sauce, all three elements worked well together.

Blackened cod fillet
£17.95

The oriental style sesame and soy marinade Cod was subtle in its tasting notes, It can easily be too sweet with a  cloying aftertaste can be like a clingy friend, but this was cooked well and the Yuzu mayonnaise, The Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit like a tangerine and using that to flavour the mayonnaise was very creative.

Frozen Berries and White Chocolate
£8.95

We opted for dessert instead of starters so next up was the IVY signature dessert, Frozen berries with limoncello sorbet and topped with Hot White Chocolate, this was summed up in one word…WOW!!!!!!

The limoncello sorbet with the hot chocolate sauce and the berries was a taste sensation, the different textures, and temperatures played havoc with the old taste buds, but havoc in a fresh playful and zesty sensation, I would return to the IVY just for this magnificent dessert.

Crème brûlée
£6.95

The classic Crème brûlée is such a simple dessert but can easily be a hit or miss affair, gladly the IVY  Crème brûlée vanilla custard was creamy as it was dreamy and topped with a nice layer of caramalised sugar.

 

In Conclusion

 

The IVY is a welcome addition to the Glasgow restaurant scene, however, the debate has started that the IVY in Edinburgh is more classy than the Glasgow one, but that’s the way Glasgow likes it, we are non-pretentious and definitely not like Edinburghs “fur coat and nae knickers”

The IVY looks splendid in its 1930’s theme cruise ship/Downton manor chic and it feels like the IVY has always been there.

The food in the IVY is bistro style and all the elements are presented in the correct manner, the service was cheerful and non-obtrusive.

However, in my humble opinion, it lacked a certain “je ne sais quoi” after all the IVY is just an upmarket chain restaurant and it was slightly clinical, it lacked owners personal touch, much like great car companies are started by obsessive individuals like Ferrari and Honda as opposed to  large corporations like Toyota and Cadillac.

The frozen berries dessert was just sensational.

 

Halal Rating

The IVY serves alcohol.

The Chicken was certified Halal by the management.

 

 

 

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