Hey Foodwala boys and girls… hope you are all safe and well
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“Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets.”— Leonardo Da Vinci
As you well know, Indian/Pakistani food is the most popular form of eating out in the UK.
However Indian and Pakistani cuisine is going through an exciting period of a renaissance.
The fearless trailblazers who moved from the deepest and darkest India and Pakistan in the late ’50s and early ’60s pioneered the restaurant business, they saved up pennies from working back-breaking jobs in shipbuilding and public transport to buy Italian cafes and turn them into “Indian” restaurants.
They did not have any written recipes, as many could not read or write but literally asked their mums how to cook, then through trial and error, they figured out what suited the western palette and developed dishes to suit.
The indigenous population loved the novelty of it all and the early restaurants were established, a case in hand is the Shish Mahal in Glasgow.
The Renaissance that is happening now is that the Indian and Pakistani restaurant scene is now changing, the grandchildren of the early restaurant pioneers are now bankers, doctors, lawyers, and tech entrapanurs and are no longer interested in restaurants.
In its place are passionate individuals who see restaurants as an Art and chefs as artisans, no longer is the food adapted to the western palette but authenticity is the buzz word, the new Renaissance men are Aktar Aslam of Opheem, Birmingham, Chet Sharma of BiBi Mayfair, Jaf Ali of Khai Khai Newcastle.
They have turned their back on successful careers in banking and science and followed their passion for food and restaurants.
This week we followed one such Renaissance Man and we visited Khai Khai in Newcastle.
KHAI KHAIKHAI KHAI
Khai Khai is the brainchild of the Indian Street Food pioneer Jaf Ali, who owns the Dabbawal chain of street food cafès, he made street food interesting before the likes of Dishoom and Mowgli got into the act.
The Chef is the Michelin-starred Alfred Prasad, so you know which way the restaurant is heading.
Pappad and dips £3.95
We kicked off the proceedings with the Pappad basket, the basket was a mixture of Tapioca furr furr , crackers, and poppadoms, the trilogy of dips was the mint chutney, tamarind sauce, and the smoked tomato
The dips and chutneys went well but we missed the spiced onions.
Beef Shammi Kebab £7.95
Next was the Beef Shami, the wee bite-sized tikkis looked delicious, however, once we delved into the shammis it was a little dense and dry for my liking, usually, the shammis are light and airy as the meat is very finely minced.
Chicken 65 £7.50
The Chicken 65 is once removed cousin of the Korean Fried Chicken, the medallions of chicken breast is marinated with freshly ground masala and cooked in oil, and dusted with chaat masala.
The Chicken was delicious, tender yet crisp and the seasoning was on point, tangy and mirchy at the same time.
Kolkata Chilli Chicken £7.50
The Kolkata Chilli Chicken is a Bengal street food classic, the hand-ground spices, and sun-dried chillis are rubbed into the chicken breast and stir-fried, again well seasoned it was very tasty or should I paraphrase… “Bangin”!!!
Josper Murgh Tikka £14.50
The Josper Oven is a combination of a grill and an oven in a single piece of equipment. It cooks the chicken using charcoal heat only. The Chicken Tikka is extremely tender and moist, which is the “holy grail” of Chicken Breast.
Signature Tandoori Broccoli £7.50
In Indian cuisine, Broccoli is a misunderstood ingredient, usually relegated as an ingredient used in Sagg.
Here the Broccoli has been elevated to hero status, the Broccoli is marinaded in paneer, cream, and masala and then slow-cooked in the tandoor, one word delicious. the Broccoli was soft but not mussy, the masalas did their job.
In Conclusion
Khai Khai promised
“Let’s take a journey back to the way things used to be. To heritage Indian comfort food expertly prepared with fire and smoke.”
In many ways they did exactly what it said on the tin, the meal was expertly prepared using fire and smoke, although the dishes were far from original, what was original was the innovation being used in the ingredients and the cooking.
The Service was professional and business-like best of all friendly without being overfamiliar
The Star of the Meal?
The Signature Tandoori Broccoli and the Josper Chicken Tikka were definitely the stars of the show
The miss of the Meal?
It would be unfair to say the Chicken 65 was the “miss”
Honorable Mention
So how did Khai Khai compare with its Indian Renaissance peers?
The Three best Indian Renaissance restaurants so far have been Opheem, Birmingham, BiBi Mayfair, and Jamovar Mayfair
Khai Khai holds its own against the London Hard hitters
Halal Rating
The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb are 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 accept free meals in return for reviews.
Hey Foodwala 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
Furthermore, if you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.
“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”.
You must think the above quote is a highly odd thing to write in a restaurant and food blog.
But humour me, all will be revealed.
The above quote was uttered by the physicist Robert Oppenheimer as he witnessed the first detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945.
A piece of Hindu scripture ran through the mind of Robert Oppenheimer:
“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”.
It is, perhaps, the most well-known line from the Bhagavad-Gita.
Now what is the point of all this gloom and doom, well I visited BiBi, which is the brainchild of Chef Chet Sharma, he moved from India to Oxford University to train as a Physicist.
however Chef Sharma’s passion was food rather than theoretical Physics, so he made an unbelievably brave decision to leave his profession and go to work in a restaurant kitchen.
That is like saving all your parent’s money and buying a BMW and then trading it in for a Dacia Sandero!
He went on to catch the eye of the visionary owner of the restaurant stable JKS restaurants, Karam Sethi who harnessed Chet’s passion and bankrolled BiBi in Londons Mayfair.
BiBi
London was experiencing an Indian Summer when visiting the restaurant, the restaurant was a hive of activity.
The staff was very friendly, keeping in mind that the restaurant is bang smack in the middle of Mayfair, or in other words Mumbai upon Thames or Londongrad.
The street outside the restaurant was knee-deep in Rolls Royces and Bentleys.
The restaurant interior was a tastefully modern Rajhistani look with warm mango wood and wood kiln tiles.
Wookey-hole Cheese Papad (v) £7
I kicked off the proceedings with the Wookey-hole papad, the papad was what deceptively looked like a green mint chutney, which is standard fayre up and down the country, nothing special in that I hear you say. But this was not any old green mint chutney, under the green sauce was a layer of creamy soft cheese and then a layer of sweet mango.
I was absolutely bowled out, it was delicious exciting, and innovative… loved it
Nashpati Bhel (ve) £14
Next up was the Chaat course, I opted for the Nashpati Bhel Chaat,
Bhelpuri is a savoury Chaat from the beaches of Mumbai, It is made of puffed rice, vegetables, and a tangy tamarind sauce, and has a crunchy texture. Chef Sharma made the Chaat his own by cooking each element individually and constructing it using the finesse and then adding a watermelon granita on top to give the chaat a contrasting sweet frozen element, simple yet clever.
Dahi Aubergine (v) £14
Up next was the Punjabi Dahi Aubergine, the Aubergine is a fiendishly difficult vegetable to master, cook it too much it becomes a mushy glop, and cook it too early the Aubergine becomes rock hard and earthy.
The Aubergine in question was marinaded and then cooked in the Josper oven, resulting in a delicious smoked, meaty slice and topped with spiced whipped yogurt. tasty.
Sharmaji’s Lahori Chicken accompanied with Kaima Yakni Pilao £22
The Awadi Chicken is An integral part of every Royal Moghul banquet this dish portrays the true nuances of the Lahori Nawabs. Light, silky very fragrant, the sauce was constructed with care and passionate expertise.
In Conclusion
BiBi deserves all the accolades it is receiving and Chef Sharmas, audacious career move is definitely being honored, He was cooking in the restaurant when I visited, and it was fascinating to see the master at work.
The food was a labour of love, you could see the care and attention going into each dish.
This is a real passion, where you sacrifice for your art, as opposed to the woke sanitised muttering of snowflakes.
One small cloud in the sky was the chipped plates, I have always been brought up as chipped plates being a big no-no, maybe I am old-fashioned and chipped plates are the new drive to authenticity.
The Star of the Meal?
The Wookey-hole Cheese Papad was a revelation.
The miss of the Meal?
It would be unfair to say but I could have done without the chipped crockery.
Honorable Mention
So how did BiBi compare with its Mayfair peers?
The Two best Mayfair restaurants in London so far have been Gymkhana from the JKS stable and the sublime jamavar
BiBi is in a shoo-in for a Michelin star and it is deserving of the accolade (just watch the crockery)
Halal Rating
The Chicken 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 accept free meals in return for reviews.
All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur
Hey Foodwala 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
Furthermore, if you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.
“The party of the century”
As you might know, Eid has just passed and as usual, we all over-indulged after the blessed month of Ramadhan, We spend time with loved ones and enjoyed a huge range of delicious dishes.
We all love a party, we spend time with friends and family, eat good food and generally, a great time is to be had.
But where was the greatest party of all time, was it thrown by a Roman emperor? or King Solomon? or was it Queen Cleopatra at her inauguration?
Well actually the answer is quite surprising, The party of the century was actually thrown by the Shah of Iran to celebrate 2500 years of the Persian empire, a new city was constructed in the Persian desert, everything was constructed by French artisans and even the food was flown in from France, however, oddly enough no Iranian person was invited and the Shah did not even invite his ministers.
Not surprisingly, that did not sit well with the Iranians, and the small matter that it cost a mere $250m meant that the Shah’s card was marked by Messers Khomani and co.
That brings us to Saffron by Paradise in the Kelvinbridge Quarter, It used to be a run-of-the-mill Iranian restaurant called Paradise and it had a weird waterfall in the windows with always made me pass water for some reason.
The restaurant was taken over by an enterprising Persian chap who reinvented it as a Persian bistro, he made it trendy by adding statues of Perian mythology and the Persian sun-god Mithra.
We walked in at Iftar time and were greeted by a lovely vibe and ambiance, and full of pretty young things.
Mokee Foodwala and I were absolutely famished so we dove right into the Persian Meze.
Red Pepper Hummus £4.95 Moosir £4.95
The Red Pepper Hummus was deliciously creamy with roasted red pepper folded into the tahini and Channa, delicious.
The yogurt Moosir dip was balanced with garlic and walnuts and the perfect viscosity for it to be scooped up with the piping hot nan.
Saib Zamini £3.95
The Persian Batata Harara was triple cooked so it was crispy on the outside and piping hot and fluffy inside, the sumac seasoning was on point without being overpowering.
Koubideh Kebab £14.95
The Koubideh Kabab was up next, Koubideh is made from ground lamb or beef or a mix of both. It simply translates to slammed kabab, because of how it was made traditionally in the past. The meat was placed on a large stone and got smashed with a wooden mallet
If I was honest it was good but definitely not the best, It was well seasoned but a wee bit dry and it was missing the trademark smokiness, possibly because it was made on a gas-fired robata, as opposed to a far more difficult to used coal robata.
Joojeh Kebab £15.95
Joojeh kabab is a quintessential Persian chicken kebab. Chicken pieces are smothered in a delicious saffron and olive oil paste and grilled on a robata, this simple dish separates the cooks from the chefs if the chicken cubes are cooked a few seconds longer and the diced chicken becomes rubbery, cook a few seconds too little then it is a health hazard.
In Conclusion
The Mezze was fresh and flavorsome expertly prepared, could not fault
The Grilled mains were again delicious, the Koubideh would have been even more delicious if it was prepared on a charcoal robata, but that is just a minor point, the Joojeh Kebab was slightly under-seasoned for my taste but was grilled on point.
The Service was perfunctory, neither excellent nor poor, it was just functional.
The Star of the Meal?
The Koubideh Kebab was definitely the star of the show
The miss of the Meal?
It would be unfair to say the Joojeh was the “miss”
Honorable Mention
So how did Saffron compare with its Persian peers?
The Two best Persian restaurants in London so far have been Patogh off Edgware Road and the sublime Berenjak in Soho.
Further afield the best I have visited has been Persopolis in Beijing! and the sublime Special Kebab in Dubai.
While Saffron was excellent for Kelvinbridge Quarter, Glasgow, but way behind its more cosmopolitan brethren.
Halal Rating
The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb are 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 accept free meals in return for reviews.
All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur
Six by Nico 1132 Argyle St, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8TD
Hey Foodwala 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
Furthermore, if you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.
“Never Meet Your Heroes”
I never really understood why people say never meet you, heroes, surely the reason they are your heroes is that you want to meet them…sounds a bit like an Oxymoron.
My brothers and I are great cricket fans, but we love good cricket as opposed to supporting a certain team for jingoistic purposes, so imagine our excitement when we found out India was coming to Scotland to play a one-day international.
At the time the great Sachin Tendulkar was the captain of India and was one of the greatest batsmen ever.
We were giddy with excitement, so I set off with my brothers Goblees and Ralfy Foodwala to track down the elusive Mr. Tendulkar.
We set about the chase like a military operation, we phoned all the hotels until we found out where they were staying, we then went to the hotel to see him but found out he had just left for dinner.
The staff was not forthcoming or the whereabouts of the dinner venue, We eventually found the loose-lipped concierge who told us where he was after a few crisp twenty-pound notes accidentally fell into his pocket.
Sechin was at the Nandos at Springfield Quay… the chase was well and truly on, we piled into our bashed but trusted Toyota Camry and headed for Nandos.
We arrived at Nando’s as he was just finished his meal and was about to leave, imagine our excitement of meeting one of the all-time greatest cricketers.
We gingerly walked up to Sachin
“Sachin Sir…we are your greatest fans”
we breathlessly and nervously chanted in unison
“Can we have an autograph and a photo”
Sachin turns around from the people he was having an animated conversation with and said
“get lost yar…I am busy”
the words hung in the air like a bad smell, maybe we did not hear right or got lost in translation.
“Mr Tandulkar can we atleast shake your hand”
Sachin just looked at us aloofly and brushed our hands away and walked past.
To say that we were disappointed is an understatement, any enthusiasm for messers Sachin Tendulkar drained away from us like shaving foam in a sink.
We found out the hard way to never meet your heroes.
This week I was with Shai Foodwala and we visited one of our culinary heroes, Six by Nico
We walked into the restaurant and it was full of couples reverently sitting at the tables, there was a weird absence of conversation and atmosphere.
as if they were waiting to worship at the altar of Nico Simione.
The menu on this occasion was titled “Guilty Pleasures” and it was described as
“Prepare for 6-courses of pure indulgence, inspired by moments we all long to enjoy…
From staying in pajamas all day to binge-watching your favorite tv shows, or enjoying breakfast for dinner, or even singing cheesy pop songs we all have a secret guilty pleasure that we are not so quick to share…
However, with our next six-course tasting experience we invite you to embrace and celebrate your guiltiest pleasures with a complete disregard for what others may think!”
Croquettes £5
We kicked off the Six-course tasting menu…hence Six by Nico, with an amuse-bouche of potato Croquettes, with a dollop of white grape sauce.
The Croquettes were a little boring but tasted decent, I would not say they were fantastic, not poor, they existed as Croquettes.
Spaghetti Loops
The first official course was the “spaghetti Loops” and my expectations came to a crash, this was bland and boring, I don’t know whose guilty pleasure is spaghetti hoops but certainly not mine.
STRAIGHT FROM THE CAN
Round 2, Straight from the Can, Ceviche Of Tuna, Pickled Watermelon, Tokyo Turnip, Bonito, Dashi Jelly & Avocado Puree.
Sound delicious but in reality, it was not what I was expecting, Ceviche is fish in citrusy “tiger Juice” where the fish is slightly cured by the acidity, In my humble opinion this missed the mark as the dense Tuna needed some acidity to cut it but was lacking, the trace of watermelon did not help.
LAMB KEBAB
Course 3…Thankfully things started to get better, next up was the “Lamb Kebab” the spiced lamb belly kebab was cooked en point and the
Pickled White Cabbage, Rose Harissa Emulsion & Cucumber Chutney was a refreshing and imaginative accompaniment to the lamb.
FISH SUPPER 2.0
Course 4…The mini Fish Supper was a tongue in cheek reference of fish and chips, the Scrabster Cod was delicious and well seasoned, and replacing the chips was
Definitely an imaginative, delicious, and playful take on Fish and Chips.
NICO’S FRIED CHICKEN
Course 5 was Nicos Fried Chicken, I was fried chicken but not as you know it,
Chicken, Nfc Crumb, Leg Roulade, Barbecue Corn, Hen Of The Woods & Black Garlic Emulsion. essentially it was a deconstructed chicken in its elements and cooked in different ways, sounds a bit weird but tasted delicious.
NUTELLA & WAFFLES
Course 6, was my favorite..Chocolate & Praline Cremeux, Sour Cherry, Stroopwafel & Creme Fraiche, simply irresistible and yummy
the Cremeux was creamy and had a smooth chocolate moose, which was accompanied cleverly with sour cherry sorbet, a nice combination.
well-executed.
In Conclusion
The meal started off unsure, it was bland and boring
However by the 3rd course it actually got a lot better, I became a believer in what Six by Nico was trying to achieve.
There was a lot of imagination in the execution and the ingredients.
The temperature of the food was inconsistent, some elements were hot some were cold
The service was a little too efficient and felt a little rushed and conveyor belt-like.
With Six by Nico scaling up and opening numerous restaurants nationwide it has lost its authenticity and quirkiness and becoming an another chain restaurant
The Star of the Meal?
My star of the meal would be the Nicos fried chicken.
The miss of the Meal?
On this occasion, I have two misses, the spaghetti hoops and the straight from the can.
Honorable Mention
So how did Six by Nicos do against its peers?
Well, the peer is actually next door … Crabshak, Crabshak was in my opinion better in its selection of ingredients, service and taste.
Six by Nico, possible takes the imagination and creativity points
all in all, I would go for Crabshak.
Halal Rating
The Chicken served in the restaurant and HALAL
Lamb is not 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.
Hey, Foodwala 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
Furthermore is you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.
“if the train doesn’t stop at your station, it’s not your train”
I love traveling by train but particularly I enjoy observing life around the train station.
You can judge the pulse of a city by watching the ebb and flow of humanity around the station.
In fact, my favorite railway station is the grandly known Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai but known simply to the locals as Bombay Victoria station.
The imposing Colonial Gothic structure was built in 1887 and the interior is like a soaring Gothic Cathedral as opposed to a mass transit point.
I love sitting outside the Leopold Cafe and watching humanity flow in and out like the tide of the Indian Ocean just a couple of blocks away.
We have the locals scurrying out of the station going to work in the morning or wearily scurrying back depending on the time of day.
Then we have the begger class, beggers are classed as an unofficial profession in India and a whole cottage industry has grown around begging.
we have the beggers themselves who often maim themselves to make them more feeble and pathetic so to attract the big bucks from gullible western backpackers.
Next up we have the western backpackers who stick out like a Celtic fan at an Orange parade, they are the easy prey that all the scheming locals target.
The beggers know that backpackers’ misguided sense of “savior complex” will generate big bucks for anyone looking pathetic enough and need a savior from the pradomitaly affluent middle-class gap year saviors.
The most fascinating substrata of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus are the Dhabbawalas, which constitute a tiffin delivery and return system that delivers hot lunches from homes to people at work in the Bombay central business district.
The Dabbawalas deliver 200,000 tiffin boxes a day and the dabbawalas make less than one mistake in every six million deliveries.
The theme of Dabbawalas at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is actually the central premises of this week restaurant, Bombay Bustle
Bombay Bustle is in Maddox Street in Mayfair which soon could be called Curry Alley if they are not careful as the street has three Indian restaurants.
The interior is designed like a luxurious train cabin with quaint period features.
BOHRI LAMB SAMOSA
We kicked off the proceedings with a Bohri keema samosa, the hand-ground Hampshire Mutton was delicately spiced with Kashmiri chili and the pastry was thin and crispy, the chili sauce had a smooth kick yet fruity.
MURGH MALAI KALI MIRCH
The Black Pepper, Cheese, Mace, Green Cardamom marinade chicken tender was delicious, delicate in its make up yet the different elements made themselves known, a definite master’s touch.
PRAWN CALDEEN
The Goan mild Peppercorn, Coriander, Curry Leaves, Coconut Milk based non-spicy shrimp curry was smooth yet surprisingly flavorsome, the prawns were firm without overcooked
Dum Lamb Biryani £28
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Dum Lamb Biryani was a revelation, the second coming, the piece de resistance…I cannot give it the superlative it deserves.
simply put the biryani was absolutely delicious, the lamb was cooked in its spicy stock until it was falling off the bone, it was then added to the rice and sealed and cooked until the rice was fluffy yet individually standing to attention like soldiers on the parade field.
The spice was rich and pungent yet did not overpower the different elements of the meal.
i loved it, a wee bit of cloud in the sky was there was some bone still in the biryani and could cause someone to chip a tooth.
In Conclusion
I loved the Bombay Bustle, its from the stable of the Leela Hotel group and the sister restaurant of the Jamavar, the cooking was top notch as well as the ingredients, the Leela touch could be evident as they have some of the best chefs and the training id industry standard.
The decor was fresh quirky and playful and that translated down to its food.
I was looked after by Rodger from Barcelona, who was knowledgable and friendly, and attentive.
The Star of the Meal?
I would make the 400 mile trip to Bombay Bustle again and again just for the biryani, who cares it costs £28
The miss of the Meal?
The rogue bone in the biryani
Honorable Mention
So how did Bombay Bustle do against its peers?
Definitely on par with Jamavar, Kutir, Kahani, and Indian Accent
I loved it equally as the Gymkhana and Opheem
Halal Rating
The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb is 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.
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 MezeMeze 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 £4.95Mixed Donner £4.95Chicken 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.
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.
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!!!!
MamasanMamasan
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.
Hey Foodwala boys and girls, Alfie Foodwala is back from the COVID 19 hibernation and he is ready to explore the post coronavirus restaurant scene.
On my last visit to Lahore last year with Goblee Foodwala, after lunch with uncle Sarwar who incidentally is the Governer of Punjab, we went for a specialty coffee in Gulberg and we got talking to the barista, we ordered our usual double espresso’s and he remarked that we were definitely not burgers from Lahore, intrigued we asked him to explain, he said only people who ordered a double espresso was coffee lovers from the UK or Italy, the “burgers prefer the lactose and sugar-rich mochas and cappuccinos”
He bemoaned about the spoilt “Burger Kids” what who were his customers, we asked what was this burger kid label or burger he explained that the burger lives in a cocoon of Gulberg or DHA and is enamored by things outside of Pakistan – by the West,they are well-to-do Pakistanis who may have American or British-tinged accents after years spent studying in elite American or British schools in Lahore they feel they entitled and are often soft and arrogant
They were hostile to the Western-born Pakistanis, as the felt envious and insecure which in turn manifested in aggression and hostility.
This was a very interesting social commentary and he further remarked that the “burger” generation is now running the country and the “burger in chief” being the PM…Imran Khan.
So coming back to the present, I was on my first London trip after the lockdown and many restaurants were still closed, I walked the streets of Soho looking for somewhere to eat, I was absolutely famished and was ready to throw in the towel and go to the Mcdonalds on Oxford Street and have a couple of Fillet of Fish when I stumbled on Burgeri, which is a Qatari import aimed at the hoards of Gulfees from the Middle East and the Burgers from Pakistan and India.
It was a Wednesday afternoon and Burgeri was doing a roaring trade, even in the midst of pre/post lockdown.
I was ushered in by a young man wearing a PPE face shield and i promptly went up to the counter to order.
Burgeri
The menu was split int burgers and hot dogs, the burgers are Halal Aberdeen Angus or Halal Waghu, and all the connotations thereafter.
I went for the Angus Mushroom melt
Burgeri Mushroom Melt £8.95
The two Angus patties were a little bit on the dry side, I felt that the fat percentage should have been higher, the mushroom topping was adequate and the cheese was only partially melted, all in all,it was adequate, but I have had better. the brioche bun was soft and buttery. It lacked any Umami flavour
Loaded Dawg £6.95
The Loaded “hot dog” was definitely not to my liking, however,that is more of a personal taste rather than a failing of Burgeri, the steamed sausage had the right amount of “bite” to it however the taste was very processed, again my personal taste, the redeeming feature was the sweet green salsa topping and the melted cheese. I would not be ordering another hot dog in a hurry.
In Conclusion.
Burgeri was a good effort at the Halal Gourmet Burger, however,I felt it fell a little short of its gourmet burger name.
but the prices are reasonable for Soho and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, definitely on to bring your significant other if you are courting.
Honorable Mention
In my opinion, Burgeri was above average and way behind the steller offerings of SALT in Dubai and the Wagyu sliders of Cona in Bradford. Burger King Singapore was definitely an also ran
Hey, Foodwala’s…welcome to another tale of the trials and tribulations of Alfie Foodwala.
I have been busy judging amazing luxury hotels the length and breadth of Scotland for the Prestige Hotel Awards.
It has been a time of absolute wonder, the beauty of the west of Scotland is breathtaking, the mountains are majestic in their winter clothing, the lochs are serene in their elegance.
I have met passionate hoteliers and restauranteurs, who are creating magic with locally sourced ingredients.
I was eating a Halal Angus steak, which a certain hotelier had made a 200 round trip to purchase from a renowned Glasgow butcher and I discovered that the cattle were bred in the farm 300 yards from the hotel.
I appreciate the hospitality shown by the hotelier who not only sourced the Halal steak but also made sure that it was local, thus not compromising their vision of locally sourced ingredients.
I encountered this dedication and vision in the summer of 1984, I was in the darkest deepest Toba Tek Singh and I was with my grandfather and we were visiting his friend who was the local feudal landowner and the Chief Minister of Punjab.
We met at his farmhouse and the Chief Ministerwala showed us around his expansive farm but he lamented that his cattle looked emaciated, their coats were dull and the pin bone protruded from their hindquarters.
The C Mwala asked my grandfather why his imported Australian Brangus cattle looked proud and majestic, their coats shining and their size put local cattle to shame
My grandfather explained that you have to love your beasts, the feed should be the best possible, the cattle must be allowed to dip in their own plunge pool twice a day in the summer.
In the winter nights, the cows must sleep in a heated barn, each cow must be brushed and massaged after their pool dip hence why their coats were shiny.
The beats were allowed to roam without hindrance and he never used barbed wire so that their coats would not be damaged or caused any pain.
This is exactly the same ethos used by the Russian Oligarch, turned cattle farmer turned steak restauranteur, Misha Zelman.
Misha Zelman opened Zelamn meats in Soho so that he can properly honour his beasts who he raised so that they can provide sustenance for rich Londoners, my grandfathers, and Mr. Zelman’s passion and determination put the Vegan argument on its head.
Zelman Meats is a quirky take on the traditional steakhouse and the steak has the pride in place, from the prominent dry-aging cabined to the glass-fronted kitchen so that the cattle are honored for their sacrifice.
Zelman Kitchen
Beef Carpaccio £8.50
Mokkee Foodwala, Freud Foodwala and I kicked off the proceedings with the Beef Carpaccio, This is the acid test for a steak restaurant, the raw beef is cut thin as silk and then dressed with virgin olive oil and parmesan cheese, the carpaccio is an unforgiving dish, the beef has to be the absolute best and the taste actually comes from the marbling.
This was absolutely delicious, the paper-thin beef was melt in the mouth, the crispy shallots, and balsamic gave an additional nuance.
Tiger Prawn Tempura £9.50
The light and crispy Tiger Prawns hit the spot, but what really caught my eye was imaginatively named the “holy f**k” mayo, apparently its the Zelman blended house mayo and it was creamily tangy and hot, an excellent accompaniment with the prawns.
Lobster Croquettes £11.00
The Canadian Lobster Croquettes were morish and tasty, there was actual meaty lobster in them, rather than some substitute which is the case with other establishments, the lobster mayo nailed it!!, I could have a plate of lobster mayo and triple cooked chips all day long.
Rib Eye from Australia (left) £28 Sirloin from Canada (right) £28
The main event did not disappoint, both steaks were cooked medium rare to showcase the meat, the marbling on the Rib Eye was nutty and buttery, the meat itself was juicy.
The sirloin also was cooked medium-rare, the meat was tender and soft and absolutely melt in the mouth, with a gorgeous crust on it.
top marks
Black Truffle and Parmesan Chips £8.00
The steaks were accompanied by the absolutely decadent black truffle chips, the crispy chips were drizzled with rock salt and shaved truffle, what a delicious flavour combination
In Conclusion.
Top marks for Zelman, the starters and steak was simply delicious, the menu was innovative and highlighted each steak area, each dish was executed with care and finesse
The service was efficient and friendly.
Top marks for the effort
the meat sweats are worth it!!
Honorable Mention
In my opinion, Zelman Meats was above excellent, yet slightly behind the superstar steak restaurants likes of Seafire, Dubai but better than Nusr-Et Dubai
Halal Rating
The Australian and Canadian Beef is certified HALAL,
