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“the lion is most handsome when looking for food” ( RUMI)
paraphrase…someone or something is most appealing or attractive when they are pursuing their raison d’etre (their reason of being)
Hey Guys, Ramadan Kareem everyone,
This year I was invited by Omar Ali from @gastronomiqueDXB for a trip like no other, a trip to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
What made this trip unique was that Omar GastronomiqueDXB curated the restaurants to synchronise with the trip thus making a trully amazing and wonderfull trip.
The trip started from Pakistan moving to Saudi Arabia , spacifically Madinah, Mecca and Jeddah for Umrah, then Abu Dhabi and Dubai and finishing in Qatar.
This review will list the most memorable dish from each curated restaurant.
So without further ado lets get started
Butt Karahi…Lahore Pakistan PKR 3000 ( £8.54) 9 out of 10
Our Trip started from Butt Karahi in the walled city of Lahore, They claim to have invented the Karahi. The restaurant started from a single cart in McLoud Road Lahore, in 1923 and has never closed for a single day since then, the funny thing is now there are seven Butt Karahis on the same road, they are all independently owned by the descendants of Boota Butt who first started Butt Karahi in 1923.
As there is no concept of intellectual property or franchising in Pakistan, any member of the Butt clan who worked in Butt Karahi would go on to start his own chapter of Butt Karahi.
We visited the Genesis Butt Karahi, as verified by the molvee of the mosque next door.
The Karahi was a revelation, the lamb is cooked only using butter and spices, and the lamb is so tender it falls off the bone.
Veg Samosa..Soond walla Samosa PKR 200 each (57p) 8 out of 10
Not all the places we ate in were fine dining, these samosas were made by a humble street cart close to our Fruit Orchards in Punjab, the samosas were fresh on the spot and believe me they hit the spot, delicately spiced potato filling in a crispy filo case…so simple yet absolutely delicious.
Spicy Chicken Mandi…Mandi World…Jeddah,Saudi Arabia SAR 85 ( £18) 8.9out of 10
My love of food started from the simple concept of chicken and rice, this combination exisits the world over, biryani in the sub continant, Singapore Chicken and rice, Italian Pollo Risotto, Gumbo in the American deep south and Mandi in southern Arabia.
The Mandi from Mandi world Jeddah was simple, fragrent and oh so delicious
Our next leg of the trip was to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, I visited Madinah and Mecca however it was the most busiest time of the year outside the Hajj so we enjoyed some Saudi street vendors
I tried the Ajwa Ice Cream in Madinah, The Ice Cream is made from Ajwa dates which were the favourite dates of the Prophet Mohammed(pbuh), and camel milk, it was served in a soft serve style, the Ajwa Ice Cream has a very subtle tasting notes of toffee, molasses, coffee and brown butter… absolutely delicious after Isha in Madinah.
Lamb Chops…Crossing Restaurant, H Hotel, Dubai AED 50 (£10) 9 out of 10
Next up we reached the Dubai leg of our Grand Tour, and we were invited by three of the most prominent food influencers in the UAE.
Hani AlMaliki aka @bedouinfoodie , Reza Namazi @ravenousxerxes and Jamal Al husseini @phinickyeater , the lunch was personally curated by the Michelin Star Chef Jitin Joshi @chefjitinjoshi.
This was truly a spectacular treat, the conversation was enlightening and eating with knowledgeable peers was truly amazing and humbling.
Furthermore, Chef Joshi’s passion speaks volumes through his food, the highlight of a truly memorable meal was the double rib lamb cutlets the marination was subtle yet complex, and the lamb was tender with a wonderful nutty fat from the loin.
I am overdoing with the Superlative adjectives but how else can one describe something so good?
BBQ Platter…Big T BBQ AED 250 (£53) 8 out of 10
Next Iftar Omar took me to an authentic Texas BBQ in the middle of Dubai…go figure, It was designed like a Texas Redneck BBQ right down to the Taxas size portions.
Actually, Big T BBQ is a labour of love for the owner Fadel Faour, he fell in love with the 1000-gallon smoker whilst studying at Longhorn University and could not wait to recreate the experience in Dubai.
The BBQ consists of seasoned smoked meats—specifically beef brisket, beef ribs, pastrami and Texas German Beef sausage.
OMG, the Texas German Beef link Sausage was a manna from heaven, the sausage was seasoned spectacularly, along with the smokey taste of the Ghaf tree gave a delicious umami earthy taste… loved it!!
kebab Hamoudi…Bait Maryam Dubai AED 85 (£16) 8 out of 10
Walking into Bait Maryam is like walking into the kitchen of your Jordanian Aunt, Sallam Dakak is a self teach two Michelin Star chef cooking her mum Maryam rustic delicacies, but don’t mistake rustic as peasant food, the food is simple yet fantastic, all the more elevated by the fresh ingredients available in Dubai.
The Kebab Hamoudi is an ode to Maryam’s grandson, the lamb kebab is sheathed in romali roti and rested on a bed of Maryams amazing spicy Tomato shorba and smoked Aubergine Babaganough. the pine nuts give a buttery nuance to cut the richness.
Mix Kebab… khoori Iranian dubai Aed 85 (£18.33) 9 out of 10
If a picture could speak 1000 words… well this speaks a while 1001 stories… Khoori is honest to goodness, salt of the earth Iranian kabab jaga…no pretensions, no faff just salt of the earth kebabs and fresh pebble bread.
It was love at first bite.
Sujook…Al Beiruti Dubai AED 59 (12.73) 8.5 out of 10Lebenon is a melting pot of amazing culinary influences, a case in point is the humble Sujook, Lebanese Sausage in Al Beiruti Dubai, the sausage is initially spoked and then tossed in burnt butter, pomegranate molasses and pine nuts, the sweet tangy sensation cuts through the spiced umami richness of the sausage.
Ceaser Salad…AED 82 (£17.70 Jones the Grocer Abu Dhabi 7 out 0r 10
Sometimes you need to give your system a wee time out…for those occasions, a Caesar Salad hits the spot…tossed with beef bacon a Caesar salad is an underrated timeless classic
Kebab Guldusta…Ashas Doha QR120 (£27) 7.5 out of 100
Ashas is a restaurant chain founded by the Bollywood playback singer, Asha Bhosle who is the sister of Lata “The Nightingale” Mangeshkar.
She is CDO (Chief Decor Officer) and CCO (Chief Cusine Officer), and she contributes to the menu.
She is a great fan of the Moghul school of cooking hence why healthy grilled and tandoori dishes are prominant.
The Kebab Guldusta is made up of malai tikka, murgh tikka and seekh kebab, all were marinated on point and grilled. simple yet delicious.
Tiramisu Biscuit…Koncrete Coffee Dubai AED 30 (£6.45) 7.5 out of 10
As a coffee aficionado, Omar also curated some of the best artisan coffee roasters in Dubai, firstly there is Koncrete Coffee, Coffee is imported from the BArn in Berlin, but it is also a social enterprise founded by progressive young emirates and art gallery.
Espresso Lab, Dubai Design District AED 35 (£7.50) 9 out of 10
The simple pleasure of great coffee and a cigar and amiable company after a great meal is exactly what we enjoyed at Espresso Lab in the Dubai Design District.
Espresso Lab is a coffee roaster founded by a visionary and passionate Emirati, Ibrahim Al Mallouhi, the extent of his passion is evident as he has trailblazed the concept
“seed to cup” where he has bought plantations in Columbia, Ethiopia and Sumatra so he can make sure the coffee supply line is unbroken from the seed to the cup.
In Conclusion
Omar did an amazing job in curating such amazing restaurants, his knowledge of the Dubai restaurant business is unparalleled.
Omar curated artisan eateries rather than falling for the Dubai bling usual suspects.
The trip was not only a revelation in a culinary sense but spiritually and emotionally too.
I met some truly inspirational individuals whose passion shone through yet there was a notable absence of the foodie arrogance.
I humbly thank everyone who made my trip memorable
Halal Rating
All the restaurants visited were alcohol-free and Halal
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.
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook, TIK TOK, and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.
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Furthermore, please let me know if you know of a restaurant I should review.
"hajaaron khokhale shabdon se behatar vah ek shabd hai jo shaanti laata hai."
(Buddha )
“Better than a thousand hollow words… is one word that brings peace.”–
It was the long hot summer of 1987, I was once again on my grandfather’s plantation in Toba Tek Singh, the days were long and hot,,, the perfect mango growing season.
Each morning I would go for a walk with my grandfather to inspect the mango trees.
The Mango orchard was in the honoured position in the marabas (fields) beside the farmhouse.
The mango trees were lined up in a regimental fashion like sepoys in the parade ground, we would walk past each tree and my dadoo would point out just by his expert eye the prime mangoes at the best time of picking.
His munshi (foreman) would follow behind us with a long hockey stick device that plucked the golden mango without bruising or bumping them.
The mango was then washed in a bath of iced rosewater and then wrapped in muslin from my grandfather’s cotton plantation and mill and placed in a polished velvet-lined Thuya wood box, with the plantation name and date embossed in gold.
Each time I asked my grandfather who the box was for, he would mischievously wink and say it’s for peace.
So a couple of days later I was watching the news that tensions between, Pakistan and India had reached a crescendo and there was talk of hostilities.
That is when President Zia ul Haq did a googly and flew to Bombay, in the pretence of attending the India-Pakistan test match and met Rajiv Gandhi with a peace offering, thus earning the monicker…“cricket diplomacy of Pahli Hill”
Wait a moment…That polished Thuya box looked familiar.
This week we were in the deepest darkest Fitzrovia and came across this imaginatively named Bombay speakeasy/ restaurant called Pahli Hill and Bandra Bhai.
Mokee Foodwala and I were intrigued , so we decided to explore further.
The decor of the restaurant was tasteful Bollywood/Irani chic, with loads of dark polished wood and brass and Connolly leather banquette seating.
Since we were famished we ordered.
CRISPY KHAKHRA £7 9/10
The crispy Khakhra were…phenomenal!!!!Khakra is a thin cracker, like poppadom Gujer cousin, common in Gujrat western India, It is made from mung bean and oil.
This Khakra was a wee bit different as it was slathered with spicy mustard and bird eye achar…seriously spicy yet seriously addictive and delish.
HARA KEBAB, £13 8/10
Up next were this delicious, morish palak, Cicoria and Rosevale aloo tikki, accompanied by a sweet and sour tamarind chutney.
the tikkis were moist and light, delicately spiced and balanced, like eating clouds of spinach potato tikis.
CORNISH LAMB BIRYANI £34 8/10
The Lamb Biryani was delightful, with just enough spice to keep the next bite interesting, and the cornish lamb melted in the mouth.
Delicious, why was it, not 10/10… the £34 price tag was a wee bit rich for this scottush lad.
PAHLI HILL TANDOORI CHICKEN TIKKA £21 8/10
The Chicken Tikka was expertly marinated using the light of touch of a master, and the breasts and thighs were moist with no crunchiness of saline-injected chicken. chicken tikka can be the easiest tandoori dish to make or the hardest, it all depends on the master.
The cucumber kimchi accompaniment was tasty and imaginative.
DAL TADKA £10 9/10
The Dal was a revelation!!! the second coming even…it was absolutely delicious, lightly spiced with roasted shallots, it was the closest to my mum’s masoor ki dal…knowing what I know now I would have been happy to just have the dal with the latcha paratha and some steamed rich. I would go back to Pahli Hill just for the dal.
In Conclusion
The Pahli Hill food game is on point. lacking pretentiousness
the food is simple yet elegant and expertly made with quality ingredients, when your team is this good you don’t need gimmicks and sleight of hand.
The service was attentive and unobtrusive.
The Star of the Meal?
The Star of the Meal was definitely the Tadka Dall…. did I mention that it was delicious?
Honourable Mention
Pahli Hill is definitely Michelin standard, they would race in the same thoroughbred with Gymkhana, Jamavar and Veeraswamys.
This is the Champions League of Indian cooking, and London is a different country. Opheem in Birmingham is also in the running.
These restaurants are a busman’s holiday for me.
Halal Rating.
The Chicken and Lamb are halal
however, Pork is served but segregated
Alcohol is served.
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.
1-5 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8ARHey Foodwala Boys and Girls… hope you are all well
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook, TIK TOK, and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.
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“The dump outside a village tells tales about the villagers”(paraphrased)
“Paga valia da pind…roorya to pata lug jund da”
– Ali A. Aslam
It was a stifling hot and dusty summers afternoon in 1946, in the deepest darkest Punjab when out of the shimmering heat a caravan of Morris 8’s emerged alongside a truck carrying troops.
The cars carried Brigadier Smith Dun from the feared 14th Punjab Regiment and the local land administrator called the Zaildar and his underlings the Lumberdars.
Today was an important day, today was the day the Britishers were going to distribute the land that was not theirs to distribute. The male head of each family was called to the Panchayat and told to bring their best horse. The horse was then made to run for 5 minutes and where the horse stopped that was where the line was squared off and that would belong to that family.
On that fateful day, all the families got their tracts of land and much merriment was made, as the land would be the livelihood for many generations. One poor labourer who did not own a buffalo let alone a horse was left with nothing, while the other now Zamindars celebrated he looked on with despair until he could not take it any more and ran in front of the departing Brigadiers’ car, threatening to jump in front of the car and die.
Brigadier Dun asked why the Pagil dared to hold up the Kings” Brigadier and the labourer pleaded that he had five sons and no land…he was destitute, unusually Dun took pity and asked the Lumberdar if there was any land left, the Zaildars and Lumberdars consulted their plot book and eventually after some head scratching and beard scratching a tiny plot was found where the village threw away its rubbish, this was then given to the labourer.
The labourer then sold the plot to his neighbour and paid for passage for his oldest son to come to Glasgow to work…And from that, a multi-million-pound business empire was built.
This story was told by my dad saying luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
1-5 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR
This week I was in the City of London and felt peckish, I was in the Bloomberg Building for some meetings so I ventured to the ground floor where Mr Bloomberg a huge foodie, had personally curated a group of restaurants.
The restaurant which caught my eye was Brigadiers, the sister restaurant of Gymkhana in Mayfair.
I tentatively ventured in, it was all rich wood panelling and burgundy Connolly leather, It recreated the Meat testosterone-filled officers’ mess halls in the British Raj. The position of the restaurant is ironic, as it is now in the 21st-century equivalent of a Meat-driven testosterone-filled International Bank in the City of London.
Pappadums & Chutneys £8.50
I kicked off the proceedings with an assortment of poppadoms and dips, the yellow yoghurt and tamarind dip was absolutely delicious.
Afghani Ribeye Kebab Skewer 13.00
The Afghani Kebab was unusual, the kebab has gone through the Pymallion paradox, The Afghani kebab is usually a crude meaty/fatty affair, however, the chefs at Brigadiers had made it all sophisticated and high class, and the skewer was steak meat and pieces of white fat interlaced with onion just to give it a delicious tasting note.
Tandoori Lamb Chops, Tandoori Onions £17
The Tandoori Lamb chops were Brigadier’s signature dish, plat de prédilection even, however, this is where the record screeches to a halt, the lamb chops were a little under-seasoned and overcooked, and the chops should have been slightly pink inside to enjoy the real meaty flavour. Wee a bit disappointed at the schoolboy error.
Tawa Prawn Biryani £30
The Tawa prawn biryani was tasty, but not exceptional, maybe I did not manage my expectations or maybe the chefs were having a off day, but it was not executed as one would expect at Indian food at this level and price point.
I cannot figure out, if the Brigadier’s chefs were going for the Tahdig effect which is the crispy layer of rice at the base of the pan, which is super expert biryani cooking or was the rice burnt and clumpy due to the lack of proper mixing, this another schoolboy error.
A quick epilogue, this is the fanciest sinks I have come across in a restaurant.
In Conclusion
Brigadiers is a meat-fueled testosterone-charged Raj verse restaurant in exactly the right location.
The Restaurant is from the stable of JKS restaurants, who are the trailblazers of a lot of the hottest restaurants in London at the moment.
However, I personally felt the food was excellent but at the price point and expectations was a slight miss
The price point was however quite expensive, approx £77 per head, so my expectation was heightened.
The Service was friendly and to the point.
The Star of the Meal?
The Star of the meal could have been the Tandoori Lamb Chops but was possibly the Afghani Kebab, well marinaded, delicious and with excellent execution.
The miss of the Meal?
The Tandoori Lamb Chops were the miss of the meal, they were overcooked.
Honourable Mention
Brigadiers are good but could have been exceptional, It has some amazing peers in the Michelin Indian food scene, particularly like Gymkhana and Jamavar in London, or Opheem in Birmingham.
Halal Rating
The Lamb and Chicken are halal.
Pork and Alcohol are 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… I hope you are all safe and well
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook, TIK TOK, and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.
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Furthermore, if you know of a restaurant I should review please let me know.
“That person is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
I was walking down Great Western Road and passing the numerous bakeries and coffee shops and I stopped to ponder, when was the first time you actually eat for pleasure?
We always eat since we were fed by our mums but when did you actually independently make the decision that you were going to eat not because your mum had made it or to satiate hunger?
As I walked past Hillhead Primary School I got my answer, I remember when it must have been the summer of 1981 just before the summer holidays, I was with my friends Shaffiq and Amin, we were inseparable back then.
We were walking past the 727 chippie and the aroma of hot oil and vinegar stopped us in our tracks, we peered in the steamed-up windows and saw mounds of golden fried fish and chips, they looked so delicious, we are captivated, awestruck even.
We plucked the courage to go in, and the huge Italian gentlemen behind the counter loomed ominously over the counter and asked us what we wanted, we audibly gulped and pointed in unison at the golden fried fish.
The Italian Fish and Chipwalla bellowed
“That will be £1.50” and he laughed manically
we pooled our money and gingerly put the coins on the counter…the Italian giant counted the coins
“This ees only 30p?” he loomed menacingly
We were lost for words, we were rooted to the spot and cringing with fright.
Obviously when your 8 years old everything looks big and scary, so actually the Kind Italian gentlemen picked up 3 soft rolls and slathered some butter on each and put hot fluffy chips and liberally sprinkled salt and vinegar and handed one each to us and bade us farewell.
We stood outside the shop and tucked into our chip rolls…OMG, it was a revelation. I had never eaten something so delicious in my life, At that moment my love for food was born, I am a veteran
of many campaigns yet my love for food endures.
Marigold Cafe
This week I was with Doctor Foodwala and we decided to visit the newly opened Marigold Cafe on Park Road, I remember back In the day it was the Bar Bola.
The Marigold Cafe serves Chic contemporary Indian Tapas.
We kicked off the proceedings with the trio of MFC (Marigold Fried Chicken), juicy thighs in a spicy Korean-style batter, it actually worked quite well, if it was breast meat it would not have been so juicy and tender.
The Pulled Lamb Samosa was actually pulled lamb, as opposed to mince, so this was a revelation. the spice was balanced with a crispy batter.
The Prawn Biryani Bons Bons were a play in arancini balls, this actually worked well, moist and spiced but I felt lacked the actual taste of prawn.
Dall Makhani £7.50… 6out 10
Next up was the Dall Makhani and the Bombay Hassleback Aloo.
The Dall Makhani, was of the Black Urid Lentils slow cooked with heavy cream, giving a nutty creamy texture, again well prepared, maybe a little under-seasoned.
The Hasskeback Aloo was half-baked
Jingha Machali £10.50… 8out10
The King Prawns were cut in a butterfly style and sauteed in spiced butter and topped with samphire pakora, delicious and well made, the King Prawns were cooked just right, not rubbery with can happen if cooked too long.
In Conclusion
The Marigold Cafe is definitely a playful take on the Indian Street Food Tapas, the Chef knew his craft well enough to think outside the box and enjoy fusing different elements together, This style should definitely be commended.
The Service was friendly and to the point, unobtrusive yet close.
The Star of the Meal?
The King Prawns and the MFC was the star of the mean, just for the simplicity of its execution, yet the thought in its preparation.
The miss of the Meal?
It would be unfair to name a miss but if pushed I would throw the Dhaal Makhani under the bus purely from the slightly underseasoned.
Honourable Mention
Marigold Cafe is simply put good, on par with Chaaku, and on par even with Dishoom, Marigold executed the ingredients and elements better, It did its thing in an honest and delicious manner
Halal Rating
The Lamb and Chicken are halal, however, there is a Pork dish on the menu but was assured there was no cross-contamination.
Alcohol 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… I hope you are all safe and well
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook, TIK TOK, 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 I should review please let me know.
“Literature is a vast bazaar where customers come to purchase everything except mirrors.”
When I travel I love going to the local Bazaar, I usually shun the big shiny malls to discover the real DNA of a place by visiting the place where the locals buy their most basic ingredients.
I once found myself in Dera Adam Khel at the border of Afghanistan, don’t ask how I got talked into visiting the most bizarre Bazaar in the world.
The whole place was like when Luke Skywalker and Hans Solo walk into Mos Eisley cantina.
The place was full of ne’er-do-wells from all over the region.
We had the Afghan warlords bringing in the newly gifted NATO armaments, and selling them to the shopkeepers, then we had the Pakistani ISI agents keeping an eye on the proceedings in the traditional salwar kameez, the only thing that said they were ISI was the polished mirror boots and the new Ray-Ban aviators.
Next up were the American and British special forces who also wore salwar kameez and dusty combat boots and long ZZ Top beards, the more they tried to blend in the more they stood out.
In the shadows were the RAW agents, they lurked in the shadow like chameleon/gecko-like Randy Boggs or like KAA in the jungle book, trying to influence things by lurking and conniving.
They were all there to buy and sell guns…that’s right guns, the bazaar is the only one in the world that openly trades in guns, you can purchase for the right amount anything from the latest NATO rocket launcher to a Nazi Luger Pistol and everything in between.
So this brings me from a bizarre bazaar to the Cinnamon Bazaar, which is the latest eatery from the armoury of the world-famous Vivek Singh, I have always heard great things about Chef Singh so this was my opportunity to try
The restaurant decor has a whimsical pastel-shade vibe to it a la the Disney movie Khoobsoorat, with Fawad Khan and Sonam Kapoor, It is Mayfair Mary’s interpretation of what an Indian bazaar would look like.
I kicked off the proceedings with something unusual
House Curried Popcorn £3.00 6/10
The House Curried Popcorn was indeed unusual, popcorn tossed in caramelised molasses and powdered with garam masala, gaving a sweet and spicy sensation that certainly left you guessing.
Samosa Chat £7.00 8/10
The Samosa Chat was a flavour bomba!!!! so many different flavour profiles and each mouthful had a different flavour, but the brilliant thing was the flavours did not clash, I was actually looking forward to the next mouthful. Really delish and tasty.
Lamb Rogan Josh Sheppards Pie £18.00 8/10
The playful unusualness continued to the lamb Rogan josh shepherds pie yes you heard it right – it was actually voted as one of Time Out’s 100 Best Dishes in London. so I had to try it, I flew to London for this dish actually. and yes it was delicious, the lamb filling was delicately infused with cinnamon, the filling was lamb and keema so giving a nice depth of flavour, and the mashed aloo was buttery and smooth, served piping hot it was a pleasure to eat tentatively, furtively even.
Lucknow Chicken Biryani £17.50 8/10
I am a biryani fanboy, and I love all things biryani, This biryani did not disappoint, oven cooked in a cast iron skillet it was firstly piping hot, secondly, the rice was fragrant and the chicken was moist, some of the masala and rice had caramelised on the outer edges of the skillet giving a second wind element of crispness. The flavours were balanced the only criticism was that the masala was slightly ever so heavy on the cardamom, which is a personal taste so in no way a failure.
In Conclusion
The Cinnamon Bazaar was in essence precisely what Chef Vivek Singh says on the tin, an unfussy modern take on the traditional Indian menu, The dishes are imaginative and playful without being overbearing and arrogant. The focus is on playful taste and flavours rather than being modern for the sake of Michelin.
The Service was friendly and to the point, not overbearing and stuffy.
The Star of the Meal?
The Samosa Chat and Lamb Rogan Josh Shepards pie in my opinion the star of the show.
The miss of the Meal?
This is like asking which of my 3 children’s my favourite, I usually say in jest I hate them all equally (by the way I love them all equally) so enjoyed all the elements.
Honourable Mention
The Cinnamon Bazaar holds its own in the cutthroat modern Indian restaurant scene in London, I would say it is on par with Bombay Bustle, possibly the biryani at the Bombay Bustle pipped Cinnamon Bazaar at the post,
Halal Rating
The Chicken and Lamb are confirmed 100% Halal, the Game is not
Alcohol 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.
“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 is you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.
Hey Guys…. truth can be stranger than fiction, as they say
“you cannot make this up”
So apparently in the 1920’s the resistance movement against the Englisher colonial rule was being conducted by the Indian resistance led by Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi.
The resistance was being carried out in London as well as India.
The urbane and charismatic barrister turned resistance leader Jinnah was in charge of recruiting sympathetic public figures in the United Kingdom to further the non-violent agenda of the independence movement.
Jinnah would recruit and meet the supporters in secret, Mr. Jinnah is an affluent barrister as well as a dapper young man who stayed in Mayfair, as he wanted to stay close to home and his supporters and he did not want to cramp his style so he would arrange recruitment drives in various locations in Mayfair.
He would hold decadent parties where the who’s who of the English social establishment were invited and from there Jinnah and his band of subversives and Indian Princes would recruit.
One of the venues for the recruitment parties was the Claridges Hotel in Mayfair, Mr. Jinnah’s parties were the talk of the town and he would hold court in his Saville Row tuxedos.
One unlikely recruit from the party was one Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, or as me and you know him…Charlie Chaplin!
Mr. Chaplin was a vocal supporter of the Indian independence movement and used his stature as the leading film star of his time to spearhead the agenda.
Mr. Jinnah being sophisticated and clever
discovered the best recruits came from the world of showbiz and media, as they would then carry out the PR required for the independence movement.
After recruitment the resistance movement would meet in clandestine at the then newly opened Veeraswamy restaurant in Regent Street, this venue was chosen as the owner was sympathetic to the cause and apparently, Charlie Chaplin was a descendant of Indians and loved his Indian food, his particular favorite was Lamb Rogan Josh!
This amazing story of Spies and the resistance movement got me wanting to visit the Veeraswamy as well, who had just won its first Michelin star.
Veeraswamy
The restaurant had recently been refurbished during the lockdown to celebrate the Michelin Star, I particularly loved the quirky display of turbans as wall art and the coloured glass jars as lights, very creative.
Amuse Bouche Dahl and Saib soup
We kicked off the proceedings with this wonderfully quirky Dahl and Saib shorba ( yellow lentil and apple soup) it was a playful concoction of earth-spiced lentils and fresh green apple, imaginative and delicious…definitely a great start.
Wild Tiger Prawn mint and chili
Since I chose the tasting menu, the chef brought out his greatest repertoire, so this was Tiger Prawns with Mint, Corriander, and Chilli. Tiger Prawns are notoriously difficult to get right, cook too little they become soft and mushy, cook too much they become chewy and inedible.
This was en pointe, well marinaded with the hand-ground mint, chili and coriander paste, the masala complimented the delicate prawns rather than overpower.
Murgh Masalum Boti
The boti used chicken thigh to great aplomb, the nutty masala was delicately placed on top and pan-cooked to give tender but flavorsome tasting notes.
The Thali
Next up was the thali consisting of the Lamb Rogan Josh
lamb Rogan Josh
Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken
Prawn Moilee
Prawn Moilee
The Lamb Rogan Josh was rich, pungent, and fragrant, with the right blend of masala, the lamb was tender and cooked until it fell apart on touching with the fork
The butter chicken was mild with a little spicy kick, the spicy kick was more of distant memory after the mildness, the chicken again was cooked to perfection.
The prawn Moilee, paid its due to its Bengal heritage, with tasting notes of cream, mustard and maithee it was smooth and flavorsome.
The Pineapple Quorma was not to my liking, overly sweet and cloyingly clingy to the palate, I would definitely have given it a miss.
Halva Tart
Dessert was the Sojee Halva tart, Halva is a reduction of semolina boiled with milk, almonds, sugar, butter, and cardamom on a tart base.
It was good, but not amazing, the halva did not lend itself to being a tart however the sorbet helped cut the sweet halva.
In Conclusion
I loved the veeraswamy, being a legacy restaurant it did not rest on its laurels, the decor was fresh quirky, and playful and that translated down to its food.
The Michelin Star did not make the food or service stuffy and overbearing.
The service was friendly and efficient
The Star of the Meal?
I would make the trip to Veerasweamy for the Lamb Rogan Josh.
The miss of the Meal?
I would definitely give the Pineapple concoction a miss.
Honorable Mention
So how did Veeraswamy do against its peers?
Definitely on par with Jamavar, Kutir, Kahani, and Indian Accent
but not as good 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
One of the most surprising places I have had Desi food was actually in deepest darkest Nathan Road, Hong Kong.
I was visiting Hong Kong with Benz Foodwalee and Mokee Foodwala and I had a craving for Salan Roti (Desi Food), so I called the Hong Kong Central Mosque and asked them where I can go for some desi food, If you ever want to find out the best places to eat ask the local mosque or a taxi driver, they usually have the finger on the pulse.
The Mosquewala said to go to Karachi Club in Chungking Mansions, Nathen Road, That sounded very grand, I was expecting something like the Gymkhana in London, Colonial elegance with amazing Indian food.
I was staying in the Mandarin Oriental in Central Hong Kong and asked the taxi driver to take me to the Chungking Mansions, the taxi driver did a double-take and asked if I really wanted to go there, I thought that was unusual, maybe it was very grand and I was not dressed appropriately.
The taxi dropped me off close to Chungking Mansions as possible, I asked a passer-by where it was and he pointed at the Rolex sign.
I walked up to the Rolex sign and all I could see was a grubby 60’s concrete building peppered with air conditioning units dripping condensation, the entrance was full of indeterminate African men hustling, It actually looked like Mogadishu or Lagos.
I asked one of the men where Chungking Mansions were and he pointed at the entrance, my heart sank.
I asked another Indian boy where Karachi Club was and he said follow me, I should have turned back then but I followed him into the bowels of the building, it got darker and darker as we went in and became seedier.
The boy/guide then came to an antiquated rusted scissor gate lift and beckoned us to get in, the lift was damp from some unidentifiable liquid, I should have turned back but for some reason, I walked into the lift, then the boy spent ages trying to close the liftgate as the rusted scissor gate kept jamming, that should have been reason enough to go back but I dumbly stood there with my wife and firstborn, I know dumb or what.
We then arrived a pich black floor and the guide beckoned us Gollum like to follow us “my precious” and we started to slowly make our way down the corridor, which was lit by a single flickering lightbulb, It actually reminded me of the corridor scene in the “Shining”
I was at the end of my tether and was turning back when “Gollum” grabbed my wrist, he was surprisingly strong for such a slight frame and I was about to go into the “fight or flight” mode when he showed me the old brass sight, defaced by graffiti and It said “Karachi Club est 1935”
He pushed against the heavy mahogany door and we were greeted with bright lights and a room full of families eating plates heaped with desi food, Lollywood music blared on the loudspeakers and GEO News played on the Screens.
The walls were painted with Lahori cinema characters,
To say I was surprised was an understatement, The food was absolutely delicious too.
The point of my story is that I drive up and down Eglinton Street four times a day and I have never noticed the Desi Dhaba Chaiwala, it is in a car park tucked behind a war wash with mo signage!
Desi Dhaba Chaiwala
I would never have thought it was a place serving food. This place was discovered by my friend and chief scout Shai Foodwala, on this many street food discovery treks.
The Interior is equally Punjabi Pind quirky
They call it “Pind Chic” apparently
The lady behind the counter greeted us with a list of her specials of the day, I asked her to bring one of everything!
Keema and Sabzi Samosa
We kicked off the proceedings with some Keema and sabzi samosas, the shortcrust pastry was a little soft and greasy, I use the samosa yardstick with Benz Foodwalees samosas, her pastry is always crispy and fluffy even when they are cold, the filling was delicious, fresh filling with just enough seasoning. 6 out of 10
Student Biryani
The house specialty was next up…called the “Student Biryani” from Karachi, the cubes of Chicken was a wee bit dry, however, the biryani rice themselves were full of flavour and seasoning, you can tell that the biryani was freshly made without the use of “biryani powder” as it did not have the overpowering cardamom flavour in it. excellent effort if only the chicken was not overcooked
7 out of 10
Keema Mattor
The keema mattor was delicious, the mince was delicately spiced, rather than the overpowering of most restaurants, the green peas were not the cheap ones from Lidl, rather the plump frozen ones from Birds Eye.
Simple no-nonsense Keema Peas is an art in itself, It is like an artist knows when to stop painting a picture before he/she overdoes it 7 out of 10
Lamb Chops
The lamb Chops ware sauteed in some masala and Shallots, the lamb itself was brilliantly tender and soft, the masala was seasoned as not to detract from the hero element, Usually, the Lamb is over seasoned to mask the aroma of the lamb… go figure, however, this was made with panache and skill 8 out of 10
Tarka Dhall
The Dhall was another exercise in restraint, the Moong Dhall was folded on roasted spices and shallots but was not oily or greasy, I prefer my dhall being masoor (orange lentils) but this was an excellent effort 7 out of 10
Aloo Paratha and Roti
To scoop up all the delicious salans (curry) was a decadent Aloo paratha, again not greasy yet with soft pillowy potato staffing, not over maslad, a wee bit crispy and crusty, yummy 8 out of 10
In Conclusion
In conclusion, Desi Dhaba Chaiwala was a revelation, the food was fresh and delicious, even more, remarkable was it was prepared in such humble surroundings. It definitely gave restaurants a run for their money.
the staff was friendly, efficient, and good humor, the wee Dhaba was chilled and quirky, you could tell it was a labour of love.
The Dhaba is full of colour and fun.
The Star of the Meal?
The Lamb Chops and the Aloo Paratha
The Miss of the Meal?
Possibly the Samosas, as everything else was so good.
Honorable Mention
So how did Desi Dhaba Chaiwala do against its peers?
For somewhere so humble and basic, the food punched way above its weight, In my opinion, the food was like the Hazara Dhall in Faisalabad or Ravi’s in Dubai, not the Karama branch but the Original Satwa one.
or closer to home, Yadgar
The food was like “homemade” without the cliche
Halal Rating
The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb is confirmed 100% Halal
Alcohol is served on the Premises
NO Pork is served on the Premises
100% impartial Guarantee
Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not except free meals in return for meals
All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur.
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 under the second lockdown and all restaurants are closed unless you are doing takeaway service.
Last week was the 22nd National Curry Week, which went away largely unnoticed by the Indian and Pakistani restaurants, possibly they were too busy trying to survive rather than taking notice of the patronising PR walla’s
The loudest shouting National Curry Weeks participants were M&S and they were extolling the virtues of their “authentic M&S Indian Food” this got me a little curious.
I decided to review the M&S Indian range and see how well they stack up in the taste department.
Obviously, M&S Indian Food cannot compare with the stalwarts of the Indian Restaurant scene, like the Shish Mahal or Mother India, however, I devised a scoring algorithm that would take into factors like
Price Point
Ingredients
Chefs
expertise
Bulk Preparation
presentation
reheating
health and safety
a non-Indian food eater as control
control dishes
In the interest of fairness and impartiality, the algorithm would essentially give M&S Indian Food a “head start” and secondly the chef will present the M&S food in authentic karahis and reheated according to the instruction on the back of the packets, and we made identical “control” dishes so they were blind tasted for impartiality.
This would mean that when the panel and I taste it, it will be as fair and balanced as possible.
M&S @ Home
We kicked off the proceedings with some starters
Onion Bhajis Sweet Potato and Onion Bhajis
Firstly, the Onion Bhajis were seasoned adequately, however, the basin(chickpea batter) was still raw and stodgy and the onion filling was mushy… 2 out of 10
The Sweet Potato and Onion Bhajis was the same story, I had to read the label to notice there was sweet potato in it 2 out of 10
Veg Samosa Vegetable Pakora
Lets Start with the Veg Samosa, the filling was negligible, we could not identify the veg, secondly, the pastry shell was so soggy it was falling apart, I suspect the oil had infiltrated the pastry shell in the initial cooking in the factory 1 out of 10
The Veg pakora was however seasoned better and the veg content was more decipherable, 3 out of 10
Next Up, we moved on to the mains
the mains were accompanied with nan bread
Nan
The two nan bread were poles apart, one was undercooked and stodgy, with just a bready flavour, the other was a bit too well done with the same dense stodgy flavour 2 out of 10
The pilao rice was under seasoned and a bit too al dente to be al dente, 3 out of 10
Sagg Aloo
The Sagg Aloo was truly offensive, the slimy off green sludge on top of
the diced potatoes were supposed to be spinach, horrible 0 out of 10
Vegetable curry
The Vegetable curry was not as offensive as the previous curry but the potato was undercooked and we could identify and other vegetables 2 out of 10
Tarka Dahl
The Tarka Dahl, the dahl in question was Chana and orange lentils, however, it was just lentils in gravy, no tarka (roasted spices) to be found 3 out of 10
Chicken Tikka Masala
The Chicken Tikka Masala. originally created by Mr. Ali at the Shish Mahal. This version was anything just chicken in a wee bit spiced creamy sauce, no nuance or seasoning. 2 out of 10
King Prawn Chettinad
This was described as King Prawns in a sweet and sour sauce, firstly there were no King Prawns (6/8 +) rather it was size 51/60 prawns on a creamy and mustard seed sauce, not wholly disagreeable 4 out of 10
Chicken korma
The Chicken Korma was…. boring, chicken breast in cream…no redeemable feature 1 out of 10
In Conclusion
In conclusion, The M&S taste test was done as scientifically and fairly as possible, however, what we deduced was if you wanted an urgent lockdown curry fix, please call your local restaurant for a takeaway, we could not recommend substituting the M&S meal for an authentic meal made in a restaurant.
The Star of the Meal?
At an absolute stretch? possibly the King Prawn Chettinad
The miss of the Meal?
Everything else, particularly the “Sagg aloo”
Honorable Mention
So how did M&S do against its peers?
Keep an eye out for future reviews from Waitrose, Asda, Tesco, and Iceland.
Halal Rating
The Chicken was NOT Halal
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.
1-5 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8ARHey Foodwala Boys and Girls… hope you are all well
