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Tag: glasgow

October 27 2020

HOME X STA

Food alfiefoodwala, arabic, BBQ, catering, chicken tikka masala, emirates, glasgow, mezze, middleeastern 0

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

October 13 2020

Meze Meze, Glasgow

finnieston, Food alfiefoodwala, arabic, BBQ, chicken tikka, comfort food, glasgow, gourmet, grill, mediterranean, middleeastern, rustic 0

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

October 5 2020

Shawarma King, Glasgow

Food, LEVENT, MEZZE alfiefoodwala, arabic, BBQ, chicken, comfort food, emirates, fast food, glasgow, gourmet, grill, mediterranean, merchantcity, middleeastern, rustic 0

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.

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

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.

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

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

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!!

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.

September 14 2020

Mamasan, Glasgow

ORIENTAL alfiefoodwala, fried chicken, glasgow, gourmet, london, MICHELIN, oriental, tapas, thai 0

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!!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

September 7 2020

Mrs Falafal, Glasgow

emirates, Food, LEVENT alfiefoodwala, arabic, BBQ, emirates, fast food, glasgow, grill, LEVENT, mediterranean, rustic 0

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

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.

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.

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

January 28 2020

Sugo, Glasgow

finnieston, Food, Italian, PASTA alfiefoodwala, comfort food, edinburgh, glasgow, gourmet, italianfood, london, MICHELIN, PASTA, rustic, soho 0

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

January 17 2020

Hankies Brasserie @ The Montcalm Hotel, London

Food, Indian, indian food, london, mayfair, pakistani food alfiefoodwala, business, chicken tikka masala, glasgow, gourmet, london, MICHELIN, rustic 0

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

a gentlemen’s folded handkerchief

2. Hankie Roti also known as Rumali roti also called Manda is a thin flatbread originating from India and Pakistan, popular in Punjab Pakistan and India. It is eaten with tandoori dishes. The word rumal means handkerchief in many north Indian languages, and the name rumali roti means handkerchief bread. In Punjab

Sometimes you can get a most memorable meal in the unlikeliest of locations, I was with my grandfather in the deepest darkest Muridwala and my grandfather had just taken delivery of his latest Toyota Carolla.

The car had a slight defect and we decided to take the car to the closest Toyota dealership, which was in Faisalabad, on the way we picked up Uncle Taj, who had one of the biggest bus companies in Pakistan and was a complete petrolhead.

We arrived at the dealership and in his inimitable way uncle Taj marched up to the dealer principles office, past a protesting secretary and office boys and barged into his office, the startled man looked up and was going to complain when Uncle Taj throws the keys at him and harangues him for selling him such a terrible product.

The manager scurried to his service department and told the engineers to stop all work and give my grandfather’s car priority.

But with the engineers and other staff, he was kind and courteous

He explained that to get the true measure of a person look at the way he treats the waiting staff and other services people.

The staff, in turn, appreciated the way Uncle Taj stood up to the hated dealer principle and invited us to eat lunch at the staff canteen.

As we stepped into the staff canteen we were treated to a cacophony of scraping chairs and animated conversation and the aroma of spices.

The chef brought over some chicken curry and romali roti, honestly, it was one of the best meals I have had, the chicken was lovely and tender and the accompanying broth was thin yet incredibly flavorsome. we dipped the fresh hot romali roti into the gravy and it was sublime.

The chef would keep an eye on our plates and topped up the hot shorba when it was going low and the roti wala would come over with hot roti, the meal was absolutely delicious yet so simple.

The romali roti can only be made by a true artisan and has to be whirled over his head to make it so thin it is like a silk handkerchief.

The Hankies restaurant is situated in the exclusive Montcalm Hotel in Marylebone Village, it was an elegant room with dark woods and leather giving a clubby feel.

The pleasant waitress first brought over the amuse-bouche, which was an intensely flavoursome vegetable soup, it had an incredible depth of flavour for something so small.

The Mantu Chat was first up, steamed chicken momo’s or as Hankies grandly called it chicken ravioli in a chili oil yogurt dressing and topped with lentil salsa.

this was a very unusual and innovative chat, the momo was soft and flavoursome and the chili yogurt was equally smooth and subtle, the lentils in the salsa was on the raw side of Al Dente, but altogether it was pleasant.

The Chili lamb chops are the signature elements of the Hankies Menu as well as the Romali Roti, The lamb chops were marinaded in ajwain and chili, although the marinading was spot on the flavour was not a million miles from the lamb chops from a standard curry shop.

The chop itself was fatty in some bits to a point that it was difficult to bite through.

The main event was the Handi Gosht with Romali Roti, the lamb was cooked in a clay pot (handi), the lamb was cooked to perfection, the lamb was soft and tender and the spices were cooked through without overpowering the lamb.

The thick rich gravy was on the right side of spiciness and was sublime, scooped up with the romali roti it was delicious, the lamb was tender enough for the delicate romali roti to pull apart.

In Conclusion.

The food at Hankies was definitely above average, the menu was innovative without showing, yet the signature lamb chops were average in my humble opinion.

The service was efficient and friendly.

Honorable Mention

In my opinion, Hankies was above average, yet behind the superstar, restaurants likes of Gymkhana and Indian Accent in London and Opheem in Birmingham

Halal Rating

The Lamb and Chicken are both verbally certified HALAL, the Goat is not halal

Alcohol is served at the restaurant

No Pork is on the menu

October 1 2019

The IVY, Glasgow

mayfair, PASTA, Provençal alfiefoodwala, comfort food, glasgow, gourmet, grill, italianfood, mediterranean, PASTA, soho 0

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

September 10 2019

Caffe Parma, Glasgow

Food, Italian, PASTA, Provençal alfiefoodwala, comfort food, glasgow, italianfood, london, mediterranean, PASTA, pizza, rustic 0

Hey, Foodwala’s… Welcome to another tale of Alfie Foodwala

The Summer of 1963… I was a twinkle in Papa Foodwala’s eye yet it was an important year for me… how so you may ask incredulously, let me indulge myself and i will explain all.

It was the summer of 63 when Papa Foodwala saved up enough money from working 2 jobs, 7 days a week, 20 hours a day to open his first restaurant.

One evening he was returning from one of his jobs when he walked past the Fionda Oil Company in Gibson Street, as he walked past he spotted old Mr. Fionda sitting at his desk, so Papa Foodwala decided to pop in and say and pay his respects.

Mr. Fionda was the old school Italian gentlemen, who always wore a waistcoat, shirt, and tie and baggy corduroy trousers, Mr. Fionda started to ask what my dad was doing etc and the conversation turned to their mutual favorite subject…food.

The old man opened a box and offered my dad a freshly baked Cannoli, baked by none other than nonna Fionda that afternoon.

Eating the Cannoli Mr. Fionda regaled dad with tales of the motherland, the passion of the people, the love for their food, the history, the matriarchal mommas and nonnas.

Mr. Ali discovered that the Italians had so much in common with Pakistanis, they also were passionate people who loved to argue, who loved to eat and loved their mommas and held a grudge for a long time.

The unlikely friendship developed and eventually, Mr. Fionda decided to sell his shop to dad and the rest is history.

Another legendary Scottish Italian gentlemen who came to Scotland at the same time as for Fionda was Mr. Giovanazzi who opened the La Parmigiana restaurant on Great Western Road, This week we decided to visit his son’s restaurant, also a seasoned restauranteur in Hyndeland, Caffe Parma.

On this occasion, i was accompanied by Rarri and Bakree Foodwala’s, we visited on a Sunday afternoon and the restaurant was busy with late Sunday lunch crown, a mix of parents with tennis mad children and Hooray Henrietta’s who were braying and laughing a touch too loud, possibly well oiled with Prosecco.

we kicked off the proceeding with Focaccia Rosmarino, the focaccia was delicious and subtly crispy and topped with Italian cheese and rosemary, a promising start.

I opted for the Rissoto with Pan-seared King Prawns, the risotto is a dish that can only be cooked by a master as the tolerances are so fine, The perfect risotto should be al dente yet the consistency should be that when you wriggle the dish the risotto should move yet hold its consistency, In my opinion, the risotto was in the dry side and the rice was a tad north of al dente.

The Spaghetti with prawns was simple in its execution yet full of subtle flavour. Pellegrino Artusi, one of the great cookery writers, wrote that flavourings should not be detected; they should only be a gentle foil.

The Pizza was also simple, roasted peppers with sugo, pesto, and chicken, the crust was thin and crispy, however, the base was slightly soft and soggy, all in all it was pleasant.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, Caffe Parma showed its pedigree, the food was delicious and fresh and the restaurant had a nice relaxed vibe to it, The service was a little distracted and laissez-faire, it would have bothered me if the other parts of the experience were careless.

All in all a pleasant Sunday afternoon with my Foodwalee daughters.

Halal Rating

The Chicken is Halal

August 1 2019

GAMBA, Glasgow

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Hey, Foodwala’s…Welcome to another tale of Alfie Foodwala

On this occasion, I was honored to be joined by a brother from another mother, or specifically Ralfie Foodwala, all the way from the metropolis of Dubai.

I have always loved what mother Acqua has provided us, be it Freshwater clams or Wild Alaskan Salmon or prawns from the depths of the Indian Ocean or Scallops from the wild West Coast of Scotland. I loved the diversity and the fragility of the delicate creatures.

I suspect I got the love of Seafood actually from Papa Foodwala, some of my earliest memories is waiting for my dad to pick me up and us going on our next culinary adventure, I can always remember dad impeccably dressed in his Yves St Laurent shirts and his Saville Row suits and we would fire up his Fuji White Jaguar XV12, which he changed annually!! and we would go to his favorite place, The Danish Food Centre on St Vincent Street.

When dad used to walk in it was like the scene from Goodfellas where he would walk through the restaurant and he knew everyone by name and if there was a line waiting to be seated dad, the manager would take dad in through the side entrance and magically an empty table would appear!

I was always mesmerised by this opera, but dad was always humble and down to earth, he would then take me up to the open seafood display and we would choose which fresh fish was going to be our lunch, the display always looked fresh and shiny, the aroma of the fish was like fresh sea air, none of the fishy smells associated with old fish.

It is the enjoyment of having lunch with dad and the love of the enchantment under the sea that brought me and Ralfie to Gamba

We kicked off the proceedings with six Holy Island, Northumberland Oysters, we gingerly topped the fresh quivering mollusks with tobasco and shallots and downed them all in one…. absolutely amazing the tangy salty jelly tasted of fresh pure ocean…deelish!!

Next up was the Seabass Tartre, fresh raw seabass flavoured by goats cheese and tomato and topped with a chilled tomato and basil sorbet, wow!!

what a combination of textures and flavours, the tomato sorbet added a chilled fresh element to the raw seabass, it was absolutely wonderful.

The slivers of Yellowfin Tuna was next up, Yellowfin tuna lends itself perfectly to the Sashimi style if you cook Yellowfin Tuna it becomes like cardboard, so it lets itself perfectly to be eaten raw, the Tuna was firm and flavorsome, the flavour was enhanced with a touch of wasabi and virgin soy sauce.

The Monkfish was firm light and firm and lobster tasting while the seared scallops were sweet and buttery and the accompanying soy jus was a perfect accompaniment.

The Delicious Freshwater Stone Bass fillet was light in texture and cooked to perfection, the accompanying King Prawns were seared and tossed into the greens, the citrus butter sauce was light and delicious.

In conclusion, The fruits of the sea are notoriously difficult to get right, the margin between cooking it just right and overcooking it is minuscule, it is something a chef with talent and nuance can pull off.

the Chef of Gamba has the talent, the journey of flavours and textures was magnificent, the choice of fish, which were away from the usual suspects was a masterstroke, the blend of temperatures was educational, to say the least.

The Service was equally good, friendly yet not overly familiar, elegant yet not stuffy

I loved Gamba, definitely Enchantment under the Sea.