Scarlet Dot, London. (29th June 2012)

Lee made a second London curry in less than 24 hours with a lunchtime trip to Scarlets, in the old Spitalfields Market, with the wife. To quote Nick Fifer from 2009, there is nothing more decadent than a lunchtime curry!

To start the chosen dishes were both chickpea based, with Pani Puri, a dough filled with chickpeas served with a tamarind sauce and Chani Patti, a spiced chickpea dish served in a sweeter yogurt, mint and tamarind sauce. Both dishes were full of flavour, the Chani Patti having more of a heat kick!

For main, Lee, unsurprisingly, chose Paneer, in a tomato, red chilli and onion sauce, which again was full of flavour, good spice served with a crisp fresh nan bread. Emma chose lamb Dansak, less spicy but very tasty.

With the addition of a non alcoholic cocktail, made a lovely lunchtime stop off, one definitely worth the visit.

St Crispins Place
London
E1 6DW.

Tel: 020 7375 0880

Website: http://www.scarletdot.co.uk/

Moti Mahal, Covent Garden. (28th June 2012)

Lee's latest evening was at Moti Mahal, Covent Garden. And to set the scene, maybe the best Indian meal Lee has ever had, well in the top 3!

The open kitchen is a nice touch and the atmosphere was relaxed for this top end Indian restaurant. In the party of 8, 5 choose the tasting menu and 3 from the al-a-cart. Lee went for the vegetarian taster menu.

Popodoms were served with 4 pickles, a mango chutney and mint sauce and 2 Lee had not encountered before, mushroom chutney and chicken chutney. The mushroom chutney was lovely.

To compliment the popodoms and starters a plate of salad was bought to the table. Interestingly, the salad was uncut and a knife was provided to 'self serve'.

The starter consisted of:

- malai saunfia paneer, paneer with fennel. Amazing flavour and texture, ashame was only one piece, could have eaten that all night!

- bhalla papadi chaat, a chickpea dish served with yogurt, tamarind and mint chutney. Served cold with a fresh taste, lacking a little bit of flavour

- katli, stuffed aubergine steak, full of flavour and a nice kick of spice, another amazing dish!

Mains followed, consisting of:

-wild mushroom kofta. The mushroom kofta had a firm texture in a sweet sauce which worked very well

- saag paneer, chunks of paneer is a dry sauce

-dal makhani, was the star of the show, full of complex flavours with a smooth consistency was beautiful, by far the best flavour on the table and that was amongst some amazing dishes.

-kararee bhyein, fried lotus stem with peanut and coriander, again tremendous flavours on this crispy little offering, eaten with the raita added to the flavour

The extra green chilli added the extra zing to bring everything alive (except George with his rather delicate southern palet). Served with raita, nan bread and saffron baked rice.

Price, well, prices were good for a top end London restaurant, but a different league to the boys usual establishment, but as my nan used to say, you get what you pay for and if you enjoy it, price doesn't matter - it was definitely one of those meals (to be fair, the veggie taster menu listed above was a reasonable £43 a head).

Overall, an amazing meal, plenty of food and a great atmosphere. Very highly recommend for a special night out or as a well deserved treat!

45 Great Queen Street
London.
WC2B 5AA

Tel: 020 7240 9329

Website: http://www.motimahal-uk.com/

Dunstable Cricket Club (27th June 2012)

Simon's solo curry followed a competetive game of cricket between the PCT and the GPs in Luton.  A trip to Sports Direct the previous night meant i looked every part a cricketer.  Would love to say I starred in the game, but only managed 7 not out, I was the last man standing as my last 4 batting partners lost their wickets in 4 balls!

The post match curry consisted of a red kidney bean and sweetcorn curry, very tasty and quite a kick to it as well.  Alternative veggie dish of veg curry with extra aloo was a milder curry yet flavoursome, the non- veggie option consisted of a madras hot chicken curry.  Served with rice and nan, sides of onion barji, samosas and kebabs.

Later found out that the food came from one of Luton's local restaurants, The Alankar, one which the boys have scored before.

All in all a good evening, close game an excellent food.

Humaira Restaurant, Kings Cross (22nd June 2012)

Lee's latest outing was in London, at the Humaira near kings cross station. Due to a recent self imposed diet, Lee had a lighter than normal meal this evening, with only popodoms and a main course, electing to pass on the starter, albeit they served his favourite, Paneer Shashlick, oh what will power. Lee also skipped a side order too!

2 popodoms served with onion salad and 3 chutneys well presented. The mango chutney and mint sauce had a twist on the tradition serving which made a pleasant change.

For main, Lee went for Vegetable Madras with plain rice, a healthier than average choice. The curry had a bit of a kick due to the additional chillis. Lee missed the nan accompanyment, but he saved on the calories!

Overall a convenient stop off if you are around Kings Cross, maybe a better alternative to pass the time than the concourse chain restaurants!

112 Judd Street,
King's Cross,
London.
WC1H 9NT

Tel: 020 7278 6183

Dalia Spice, Cromer (5th June 2012)

Latest curry outing for Lee was Dalia Spice, Cromer in Norfolk along with the family.

Popodoms to start with large bowls of pickles, onion salad, mango chutney, mint sauce and lime pickle, all were well received and quickly demolished!

Mains followed. Veg balti vinda for Lee, lamb balti for Emma and veg biriani for the girls along with nan breads, rice, vegetable sag and aloo gobi. All dishes were tasty and all were finished. Only criticism would be over the use of frozen veg!

Nice restaurant if in the area, not one to go to far out of your way to visit!

36 Prince of Wales Road

Cromer

Norfolk

NR27 9HS

Tel: 01263 519700