Topic: Setting up a restaurant/takeaway

[Garp]

a book that could teach me how to make the BIR curries that I experienced in the 60s and early 70s, on the other hand, would be an absolute God-send.

** Phil.

Do you think the curries back then really were better, Phil? Or is it just memories from times when you were younger and happy times etc. Not having a go...it's a serious question. I sometimes think we look back on times when we were younger and carefree with little responsibilities and everything seems better looking back

[Peripatetic Phil]

Not only am I convinced that they were better then, Garp, I am also certain that they were better where I live only eight years ago.  When I first reviewed my local BIR shortly after moving here, I commented on the unbelievable depth and complexity of flavour that they achieved; sadly that ceased to be the case a few years ago, and I can only agree with the reviewers who now comment "mediocre and nothing special".  But this is not restricted to my local -- I genuinely can't remember the last time I had a meal in an Indian restaurant and thought "this is how it used to be, and how it ought to be".  I am afraid that our government's short-sighted policy on immigration now prevents the majority of BIRs from hiring those who genuinely understand what is needed, and instead they are forced to employ former waiters (etc) who think they have learned enough to be a BIR chef but who lack the real insights that are the hallmark of a true chef worthy of the title.

** Phil.

P.S.  I simply cannot remember the last time I had a "real" chicken bhuna or a "real" chicken chat; these dishes still appear on menus everywhere, but any resemblance between what is served today and what was served in the 60s/70s is purely co-incidental.

[tempest63]

I fully agree with Phil. I first sampled BIR in the late seventies and the dishes served up were banging with flavour, and heat if you wanted it. Over the years the dishes have mellowed, I believe, to become more palatable to a greater number of people.
Every restaurant seems to serve up the same old gloop with no individuality.

And what is this with the same orange coloured chicken in every dish and in every TA?