Topic: No bin balti

[Kashmiri Bob]

Saturday night's Shababs Balti chicken (medium) home delivery.








Thought this was destined for the bin like last time.  Didn't get very far with it (second picture).  However, after 24 h in the fridge and reheated it wasn't too bad.  It's a strange balti though.  Deep and earthy and really not to my taste.  I wouldn't want to make this myself, but if I did would (still) be thinking a shed load of dried methi, mustard oil and a couple of tbsp madras kebab paste.  I've put most of it in the freezer.  May come in handy, if I am really desperate.

The starter I had with this was seekh kebab (sizzler).  This also benefited from reheating.  When tried at first I got a mouthful of undercooked coriander seeds.  Way too hot this time too; black pepper.

You can just about see the complementary mint dip.  I wasn't convinced at first.  It's a mint dip with some kind of mild chilli/tamarind sauce mixed in.  There is also onion salad in it.  A 3 in 1 then.  Actually not bad and unsurprisingly tasted exactly as if loading a poppadum with the salad and dips individually.  Can't complain.  It was free after all.  Not much of this these days.  I see a lot of (not exactly flashy) restaurants charging for the pickle tray items now.   The days of free pickles with your poppadums look numbered.

Ordered a medium balti this time as no real point paying extra for hotter.  Interestingly, the Shababs menu states that (paraphrasing) all dishes are "medium". They can be made hotter, but not milder.  I wonder why?

Overall.  2/10

Rob





 

[Peripatetic Phil]

I see a lot of (not exactly flashy) restaurants charging for the pickle tray items now.   The days of free pickles with your poppadums look numbered.

Worse, many of said "(not exactly flashy) restaurants" a) present the pickle tray automatically, even one has not been ordered; and b) then put it on the bill, even though it has clearly not been touched.  I am afraid that I can be quite assertive in such circumstances ...
--
** Phil.

[foureyes1941]

As one who always loved Adils Balti's in Sparkbrook since the early 80s, was gutted when it closed down for good and many more disappeared too around the same time. We have never been impressed with Shebabs baltis at all and cannot understand the hype they appear to attract from the likes of TV cooks etc. Obviously, when we do go out for a curry now, it tends to be to a local Indian pub that has a restaurant nearby attached which does a far better curry than this overated restaurant.

[Kashmiri Bob]

As one who always loved Adils Balti's in Sparkbrook since the early 80s, was gutted when it closed down for good and many more disappeared too around the same time. We have never been impressed with Shebabs baltis at all and cannot understand the hype they appear to attract from the likes of TV cooks etc. Obviously, when we do go out for a curry now, it tends to be to a local Indian pub that has a restaurant nearby attached which does a far better curry than this overated restaurant.

Yes, I  will be giving Shababs a miss fron now on.  To be fair, what I have had from there doesn't even look particularly appetising.  I will revisit Misty's Shababs balti recipes though. When I made it earlier it was really good.  Came close to MDB's Al Frash clone quality.  Could be I was having a Floydian curry-reheating session though, and mistakenly compared two MDB dishes.  We Shall see

Next TA stop for me will be the Khyber Pass (Alum Rock Road).  Went there many years ago with JerryM.  It was top drawer and I hear on the grapevine that nothing has changed.  Just been looking at the menu and their pricing is a lot more attractive compared to Shababs.  Will get a seekh kebab starter.  Balti chicken (to compare with MDB's).  They also do a Balti chicken pathia.  Reckon to give this a try too.

Adils going is indeed a massive loss.  Would love to find out how they got that weird and wonderful balti aroma. There was nothing else quite like it.

Rob 

[Kashmiri Bob]

I see a lot of (not exactly flashy) restaurants charging for the pickle tray items now.   The days of free pickles with your poppadums look numbered.

Worse, many of said "(not exactly flashy) restaurants" a) present the pickle tray automatically, even one has not been ordered; and b) then put it on the bill, even though it has clearly not been touched.  I am afraid that I can be quite assertive in such circumstances ...
** Phil.

No that's what I call proper up-selling Phil!  I would not be best pleased either.  Recall when a samosa would often have a whole clove stuck into the pastry.  Expect nowadays there would be a button for it on the PoS till.  75 p.

Rob