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: 
Sonargaon's management accept their award
Sonargaon was established in 1988 but in the last year or so has had a massive renovation and expansion. What was a pretty old-school restaurant has become a much more modern kind of place.
For someone who loves retro curry houses, this modernisation may not have been a good thing but Sonargaon have got it spot on. The surroundings are smart, up-to-date and stylish but never 'generic contemporary'. Some restaurants rebrand and turn into nondescript blandness where you could imagine any type of cuisine being served up. The atmosphere here is lively and fun with an unmistakeable South Asian vibe.
Sonargaon isn't style over substance though. The chefs have put together a sophisticated menu based on the curry house classics. They throw in plenty of surprises which they're very keen for you to try though. At our last visit they brought us an awesome fish platter called ‘Boal Mas’, a Bangladeshi speciality from the Bay of Bengal.
The service is slick and ultra-professional but also welcoming. It really is hard to find fault with Sonargaon.
'The CCB Award' - Kosturi, Hayes
The curry connoisseurs were split when it came to naming the borough's number one, so the other main award goes to Kosturi in Hayes. They win the curry club award mostly thanks to head chef Sarawar Uddin Khan who is not only a warm and convivial host but also tries to provide dishes that are tailor-made to peoples individual tastes. Khan held the title of Bromley Council's Curry Chef of the Year in 2003 & 2005. Kosturi also scored points for its stylish surroundings and welcoming laid back atmosphere.
Boiler Bag presents Khan with his award.
Perhaps not on the radar for laddish, down-to-earth curry lovers but the award for the best high-end Indian restaurant in Bromley goes to Tamasha. They probably won't thank me for referring to them as a 'curry house' but I absolutely mean it as a compliment because although it is fancy, it still has loads of character. Tamasha serve sophisticated cuisine in classy, colonial Indian style surroundings.
Although they didn't quite do enough to win the grand-final, Rajdoot still topped the score board due to their great showing when we visited in October. We love their fantastic, 'old-school curry house' style. This is the sort of place that made Britain fall in love with curry!
Appearing on the site of the old 'Café East' restaurant on Masons Hill, Bromley Masala scored points for their strong menu. When our correspondents visited, the restaurant was newly opened and a little quiet but the overwhelming opinion was that Bromley Masala deserves to firmly establish itself amongst Bromley's curry scene.
Credit where it's due, Bengal Butler had been in decline for a number of years but with so much competition on their doorstep, 'the Bengal' have raised their game. A new chef and an updated menu featuring over twenty new dishes has seen a huge improvement.
Oh my god. I ordered my curry 'vindaloo hot' and they almost destroyed me. Absolutely packed full of chilli's. It was ridiculous but brilliant!
And the award for outstanding value for money goes to ...Raj Palace in Bromley. For a town centre venue, it is always startlingly cheap. Even on a Saturday night, we've always been pleasantly surprised when the bill arrives and not because of chocolate mints!
At the other end of the scale, New India in Bromley 'win' the wooden spoon for being the worst restaurant we've visited. This unwelcoming and cramped restaurant had all the atmosphere of a child's wake. Must try harder!
SCORES ON THE TANDOORS
Although Sonargaon walk away with the big prize, it was actually Rajdoot in Petts Wood who notched up the highest score of season. See below for confirmation of Bromley's curry house score board;
1. Rajdoot, Petts Wood 84%
2. Sonargaon, West Wickham 83%
3. Tamasha, Bromley 82%
4. Kosturi, Hayes 80%
5. Shampan II, Bromley 79%
6. Diwana, West Wickham 78%
7. Bengal Butler, Biggin Hill 77%
8. Indian Ocean, Bromley 73%
9. Raj Doot, Downe 72%
10. Spice Fusion, Biggin Hill 71%
11. I Naga, Coney Hall 70%
12. Taste of India, Beckenham 70%
13. Raj Palace, Bromley 68%
14. Ginger, Hayes 66%
15. Bromley Masala 64%
16. Shimla Pink, Orpington 63%
17. Bengal Lancer, Chislehurst 58%
18. Tiranga, Bromley 55%
19. New India, Bromley 51%
KEY:
80%+ = Phaaltastic!
70-79% = Vindalicious
50-69% = Madraverage
35-49% = Poorma
34-% = Aloo-ser
So that's 2012 over and done with, onwards and upwards for another curry season!
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