Spice Guru, Reigate

Thursday 13^th June 2013

was my birthday last week so the missus and I visited Spice Guru in Reigate to celebrate.  The first thing you notice when approaching the restaurant is the funky signage which looks surprisingly old-school for such a posh area.

Jail Time for Curry Con Man

Following on from hair-gate at curry club last week - when curryspondent Murali found a hair in his lamb samosa – a man has been jailed for trying to get a free curry by putting pubic hair on the remains of his lamb bhuna!               
        

Hair-brained scheme: Lee Tyers

The Papadom, Bickley

Wednesday 5^th June 2013

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Though reasonably close to the town centre,  Bickley isn't an area of Bromley that is especially familiar to most of the club and few of us were even aware of this restaurant, so this was definitely uncharted territory.

Asha Tandoori, Hayes

Wednesday 15^th May 2013

Round 5 of the 2013 curry season took place last week at Asha Tandoori, in Hayes.  This quiet area of Bromley is not to be confused with Hayes in Middlesex which strangely enough, also has an Indian restaurant called ‘Asha Tandoori’.

Hayes’ small High Street on Station Approach, has three curry houses and to be blunt, Asha is the poor relation. 

Village Cuisine, Farnborough

Wednesday 24^th April 2013

Submitted by Murali Para

This week saw another successful meeting of the CCB, this time at Village Cuisine, Farnborough. The evening was a very good one and, although only four Connoisseurs were present, by the end of the meal there did seem to be a general opinion among us that the food and service had clearly been above average.

Spice Society, Beckenham

Wednesday 3rd April 2013

Another week, another curry house for the CCB as we visited the highly rated Spice Society in Beckenham.  Established in 2000 and recently expanded, the restaurant has a relaxed ambience and understated glamour.

Blue Bengal, West Wickham

Wednesday 20^th March 2013

 

The latest curry outing fell on a special week for me personally as my wife had just given birth to our son Louis,  so this curry club meeting also served to ‘wet the baby’s head’!

How Clean is Your Curry-House?

After reading a few health inspectors ‘curry house horror stories’ recently, we decided to look into the food hygiene records of local Indian restaurants. 

High Standards: Aspara in India

 

 

Having checked data from the Food Standards Agency’s ratings for Bromley,  we were able to obtain the scores for 60 curry houses in the borough.

The results were surprising and to be honest, disappointing.  Over half of the restaurants we checked were ‘unsatisfactory’.  More than 40% were adjudged to require ‘major improvement’.

It was also a lesson in not judging a book by its cover.  Old-school curry houses,  Belash in Penge  and  Taste of India in Elmers End pulled off impressive 5 out of 5 scores,  while modern, smart looking restaurants Spice Fusion in Biggin Hill  and  Shampan 2 in Bromley fared badly.  They, along with a number of the club’s favourites, scored a meagre 1 out of 5.

Yasmin Tandoori, Locks Bottom

Wednesday 20th February 2013

The new curry season got under way this week at Yasmin in Locks Bottom.  First impressions were that it is a proper curry house.  It actually had flock wallpaper.  A rare nod to the original British curry houses and definitely worth some bonus points!

Chilli Diaries in the News

Not the Naan O'Clock News

Fame at last for the Chilli Diaries and the Curry Connoisseur’s as the Bromley Borough News cover our search for Bromley’s best curry house. 

New Look Blog

07/02/2013 13:53

Bye Bye Balotelli

Sad news this week that England will lose one of the few great characters left in modern football.  On transfer deadline day it was confirmed that Manchester City’s Italian striker, Mario Balotelli is to leave these shores to return to Milan. 
  

Balotelli has constantly hit the headlines for his involvement in a number of crazy stunts, including setting off a firework in his home and causing a fire just 36 hours before a massive derby with local rivals Manchester United.

Fight for your right Chapati: Balotelli (right) at Zouk

The Chilli Diaries Awards 2012

In 2012 The Curry Connoisseurs of Bromley Gentlemen's Club had one mission; to scour the South London Borough's curry houses to find out just who is 'top of the poppadams'  - and finally, here are the results.

THE BIG WINNERS:

'THE CHILLI DIARIES CURRY HOUSE OF THE YEAR' 
SONARGAON, WEST WICKHAM

Sonargaon's management accept their award

The Chilli Diaries Curry House of the Year 2012 - Grand Final

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Amani, Hamsey Green

Submitted by Murali Para

Christmas Day lunch 2012

Amani offered a 4-course meal for Christmas Day lunch this year for £30 per person. This was the second year running I'd been to Amani on Christmas Day with family and I was looking for the restaurant to meet my expectations of high-quality modern Indian food and outstanding service every bit as well as they had done the previous year. As it turned out, I needn't have worried.

Javentri, Biggin Hill

Sunday 11^th November 2012

Submitted By Paul Carey

 

Always hear mixed stories about Javentri.  People will only order a take-away and not sit down and vice versa.  Much like Ronseal I found the restaurant does what it needs to do especially if you're on a budget. 

Bengal Butler, Biggin Hill

Saturday 17^th November 2012

Before attention turns to naming Bromley’s best curry house this year, a few of us decided to squeeze one more review in.  We chose to visit Bengal Butler, a restaurant I’ve been to countless times while living in the area.

Ginger, Hayes

Saturday 10th November 2012

Ginger in Hayes had a visit from an extra-large CCB contingent this week.  Considering most of the 14 strong party had spent the day in various pubs in Bromley town centre, they coped pretty well!

Rajdoot Tandoori, Petts Wood

Tuesday 23rd October 2012

Petts Wood was the destination, as we reviewed this long established restaurant.  I had a good feeling about Rajdoot from its classic curry house appearance. The window frames are shaped like the domes of the Taj Mahal, it has a glowing retro sign and steamed up windows. The façade really shouts ‘old school’!

Sonargaon, West Wickham

Wednesday 26th September 2012

The CCB returned to West Wickham this week to visit the newly renovated Sonargaon restaurant.  Sonargaon stands out among the other Indian restaurants in the area with its smart décor and vibrant atmosphere. 

Taste of India, Beckenham

Wednesday 5^th September 2012

This week, Beckenham was the destination  -  well I would’ve said Elmers End but according to their business card it’s Beckenham  -  they’re probably trying to make it sound posher!  Taste of India was one of the first Indian restaurants in the area and to some, it might seem dated.  As far as I’m concerned though, it’s maintained its old school atmosphere, which is definitely a good thing. 

Indiana Johns

Friday 31^st August 2012
Submitted By 'Boiler Bag'

I know what you’re thinking – Spain and the Spanish islands do paella, not curry right?  Well this place does an excellent curry cooked by Indian chefs so they
know what they’re doing. 

Shampan 2

Saturday 18th August 2012

After the first day of the football season had inflicted the old familiar misery on us, the CCB drowned our sorrows in Bromley before visiting Shampan 2, on Chatterton Rd.

Spice Fusion, Biggin Hill

9^th June 2012

Submitted By 'Boiler Bag'

This weekend the Euros started and Matt, Richey and myself went for a few liveners to watch the Dutch disappoint, and the Germans put in the usual solid performance.

The choice of curry venue was controversial, with some members of the CCB having been refused entry few years back.

Would history repeat itself? Or would Spice Fusion re-establish themselves in the CCB good books?

The A-List Curry House

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie went up in my estimation this week when it was revealed that they went on a curry blow-out to end all curry blow-outs.  The Hollywood couple visited ‘Mogul’ restaurant in Bagshot, Surrey and racked up a bill of almost £3000.

Meet the CCB

In this blog, I often refer to 'the CCB', the group that visits all these curry houses and whose opinions the Chilli Diaries is based on.  Some of the literally several people who read the blog may wonder who these people actually are, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce: ‘The Curry Connoisseurs of Bromley Gentlemen’s Club’

Shimla Pink, Orpington

Wednesday 4th July 2012

On American Independence day, Shimla Pink was next on the to-do-list for the connoisseurs.  I’d heard good things about the place and was keen to see how it ranked with other well-known restaurants in the borough.

Tamasha Hotel and Restaurant, Bromley

Wednesday 13th June 2012

My Birthday this week gave me a chance to review what must be the poshest ‘curry house’ in Bromley, as my Missus, Sarah treated me to dinner at Tamasha.  Set in a lovely three storey Victorian house, it’s obvious very early on that this place is a few cuts above your typical Indian restaurant.  

Spice Fusion, Biggin Hill

9^th June 2012

Submitted By 'Boiler Bag'

This weekend the Euros started and Matt, Richey and myself went for a few liveners to watch the Dutch disappoint, and the Germans put in the usual solid performance.

The choice of curry venue was controversial, with some members of the CCB having been refused entry few years back.

Would history repeat itself? Or would Spice Fusion re-establish themselves in the CCB good books?

Diwana, West Wickham

Wednesday 6th June 2012

This week, West Wickham’s Diwana restaurant played host to ‘the CCB’.  An excellent banquet deal of 5 courses for £12.99 was impressive straight away and when they brought out poppadams with their lovely homemade lime pickle, Diwana were off to a flyer before the starter had even arrived!

'Master Chef', Croydon

Saturday 26th May 2012

Beano and I had been to the ‘Crystal Palace Beer Festival’ at Selhurst Park, where 130-plus beers and ciders were available.  After trying as many as we could, we thought we’d stop for a ruby on our way through Croydon.

RajDoot, Downe

16th May 2012

RajDoot in the sleepy village of Downe, near Orpington was the venue as the CCB welcomed several new members.  The restaurant put on a ‘banquet deal’ during the week which includes a starter,  side dish,  main course  &  rice (or naan) for a set price.  This makes it very good value for what is high quality food.  In fact, this score puts it amongst the top two curry houses that we’ve reviewed in Bromley so far!

Raj Palace, Bromley

5th May 2012

After watching the FA Cup final and necking a few ‘cheeky tequilas’ in the Swan & Mitre, the connoisseurs sauntered into this somewhat under-rated venue.  Although the menu is not what you'd call memorable, it is definitely enjoyable and  the banquet deal they have (even on Saturday nights), make it outstanding value for money.

Rupali, Coventry

25^th April 2012
Submitted by 'Boiler Bag'

During the week commencing 23^rd April 2012, I found myself working at the N.E.C for 1 week. When I found out that Double O (Rich) was also working a short distance away, a midweek meet up for a Midlands style curry was a definite priority.  Double O decided that the Rupali just outside Coventry would be our chosen venue.

I Naga, Coney Hall

14^th April 2012

This weekend, the Bromley curry connoisseurs ventured out of the town centre to nearby Coney Hall.  There are several Indian restaurants along the high street and we ended up in ‘I Naga’, mostly because of the chilli related name. 

Indian Ocean, Bromley

7^th April 2012
(Now Closed Down)

When a few of the usual suspects visited Chatterton Arms in Bromley, we had a choice between two curry houses right across the road - the celebrated ‘Shampan 2’ and the brand new ‘Indian Ocean’.  We chose the lesser known of the neighbours.

Tulsi, Westerham

3^rd March 2012

 

A few of the curry connoisseurs travelled just outside the Bromley borders to posh Westerham.  Tulsi is a colourful restaurant with a 'classic' yet inventive menu. 

'New India', Bromley

Saturday 10th March 2012

After a day on the beers in Bromley, a few of us eventually wandered into ‘New India’.  We found a less than warm welcome. 

Aladin, Brick Lane

Sat 25th February 2012

A few of us has been in East London drinking after watching Palace’s trip to West Ham and decided to visit Brick Lane on the way back.  Aladin is one of the most highly rated restaurants on Brick Lane boasting a string of awards and accolades.

'Masala', Tunbridge Wells

Friday 2^nd March 2012
Submitted by 'Boiler Bag'

When Ed at work announced he was leaving the company after 7 years, we did the only thing you can do to a respected colleague – take him out for a farewell curry!  With Ed moving to Wales and not being sure what standards the Welsh have in curry, this needed to be a good place to give him a send-off. 

Is The Term 'Curry House' Offensive?

Is 'Curry House' really an offensive term?  According to Sejal Sukhadwala from the Guardian, it is!  In an article for the paper, she claims that there's a growing clamour to do away with the term as many restaurateurs feel it's "out-dated and derogatory".  It's the apparent failure to acknowledge that there's more to Indian cuisine than curry that apparently causes offence. 

Golden Curry, Reigate

Saturday 18th February 2012

As a fan of old school Curry Houses, it's the details that count. Straight away Golden Curry was scoring highly just with their poppadum dips!

Kosturi, Hayes

Saturday 11th Feruary 2012

Kosturi is a restaurant competing with two other curry houses on Hayes’ small High Street and they rose to the competition when a group of us turned up on a recent Saturday night. 

Bromley Masala

Tuesday 24th January 2012
(Now Closed Down)

 
After witnessing Palace's heart breaking League Cup Semi-Final defeat to Cardiff in the Brick Layers Arms, Dennis, Richie, Boiler Bag and Crispy went to the newly opened 'Bromley Masala', which is on the site of the old Café East restaurant, Masons Hill. Apparently, what it lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for it in flavour.

Tiranga, Bromley

Saturday 21st January
(Now Closed)

After a mini pub crawl in Bromley we were all worse for wear when we stumbled into Tiranga on the high street. The food was good but it must be said that the service was slow.

 

Kismet, Leamington Spa

Thursday 12th January 2012
Submitted by 'Boiler Bag'

Chilli Diaries curryspondent Boiler Bag was up in the midlands for work a couple of weeks back. He sent us this report on Kismet, Leamington Spa. Clearly rating it highly, he gushed; "awesome is the only word to describe it".

The Curry Capital of Britain

Big news! Well, it's not exactly news, it was announced over a year ago but it still warrants a mention in this blog I think.

Red Leaf, London, EC4R

Saturday 20 Aug
(Now Closed Down)

After a drink near Cannon Street, the Missus and I decided to have a ruby in the City.  With no Yuppie types around on a Saturday night, Red Leaf offer a good discount to get you in there.

Sheba, Brick Lane

Saturday 6th August 2011

 

After suffering another Palace away ‘performance’, a few of us headed over to Brick Lane to try out this well known restaurant.
The highlight was their ‘Bollywood Blast’;  "Lamb cut in small pieces then cooked in chef’s own special sauce with GREEN CHILLI,  MEXICAN CHILLI,  NAGA CHILLI,  AFRICAN CHILLI, spring onion and red kidney bean"

4 kinds of chilli including Naga - it was faaacking hot!!!!!

SCORE:

MENU - Some great new dishes as well as traditional favourites                         8/10

HEAT – Seriously seriously hot. Seriously.                                                              10/10

SURROUNDINGS – Modern but not too poncy                                                         8/10

SPEED – They don’t leave you starving                                                                   8/10

WAITERS – Always there if you need them but don’t hover                                   8/10

BEER – Cobra, bottled and on tap. What else do you want?!                                7/10

PRICE – worked out at about £27 each with tip                                                        7.5/10

DOWN-TO-EARTH? – Yeah, you could roll in half-cut no problem.                       7/10

LATE SERVING? – We went early but they are open ‘til midnight                        7.5/10

EXTRA'S? – Complimentary ½ pint of Cobra was a nice touch                            8/10  

81%

Definitely recommended.

136 Brick Lane
London
E1 6RU
020 7247 7824
http://www.shebabricklane.com/