Best Curry And Kebab

[smokie36]

That's kind of the point. The majority of "Indian" food in England is influenced from a small subset of the vastness of Indian subcontinent cuisine.

No JT. Walking down one London street can see MANY different styles of curry. From all parts of India.

Same in Manchester. Not been to Bradford so can't comment lol.

[Jingthing]

That's kind of the point. The majority of "Indian" food in England is influenced from a small subset of the vastness of Indian subcontinent cuisine.

No JT. Walking down one London street can see MANY different styles of curry. From all parts of India.

Same in Manchester. Not been to Bradford so can't comment lol.

I'm not buying it! I'm talking mainstream English tastes, not foodies. We know the facts about how many chicken tikkas masalas are sold there. I see the menus here catering to "UK Indian" preferences. The menus are almost identical and you bloody well know it. You can't hide from the truth.

One in seven curries sold in the UK is chicken tikka masala.

Wiki

BTW, yes I have very limited experience eating curry in London. I had balti at a recommended Balti House. I loved it and don't know why balti isn't popular in other countries.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Jingthing

[smokie36]

Yeah I take your point JT but its very similar to you saying the Mexican place in Jomtien is good authentic Mexican food.

In rural India you will find much less choice than small town in the UK.

But yes I will concede most curry houses in provincial towns sell exactly the same menu. You win....

[Jingthing]

Yeah I take your point JT but its very similar to you saying the Mexican place in Jomtien is good authentic Mexican food.

In rural India you will find much less choice than small town in the UK.

But yes I will concede most curry houses in provincial towns sell exactly the same menu. You win....

Well, I'll take the win but I can't let your Mexican food comment stand without comment.

First of all, I never actually described that place in quite that way. Nor is that how I think about that place overall.

Secondly, the UK-Indian connection and the USA-Mexico connection aren't really as similar as you imply. Bottom line, their burritos in an American city (modern burritos are not Mexican) with typical competition, would not be competitive. Their salsas would not be seen as authentic tasting, especially their fruit salsas which have recently turned into sugar fests. For Pattaya, they have the best burritos in town.

That’s because, as Arellano explains, what most of us think of as Mexican food was invented in America, and it has a long history of being co-opted by gabachos (as Mexicans actually call gringos). Chapter by chapter, Arellano painstakingly traces the paths of dishes—tamales, tacos, burritos, tortilla chips, tequila—and shows how they either were born in the United States or changed irreversibly after crossing the border.

http://www.slate.com..._reviewed_.html

Edited May 9, 2012 by Jingthing

[Totster]

I usually stay away from arguing with food snobs as they invariably know better than anyone else, however I wanted to make a comment regarding Indian food in the UK.

Cities, towns and even villages often have multiple Indian restaurants or takeaways. Sure, some sell the usual post beer binge slop, but many are true Indian delights serving a mix of UK indian dishes and authentic dishes, there are some that completely stay away from the UK dishes altogether and pride themselves on their authenticity, although you still may find chips on the menu..

One restaurant that springs to mind (although I haven't had the chance to go yet) is Prashad from Bradford. Some say Bradford is the centre of Indian food in the UK, and it is not uncommon to see Indian families eating in the establishments (yes, real Indians !) so one could argue that the quality/authenticity is proven.

Back to Prashad, runner up in Britain's Best Restaurant (A Gordon Ramsey show) and one look at their menu has the mouth watering - but what do us brits know about indian food...

totster

[smokie36]

Thanks for that Totster. I can think of great Indian restaurants in Manchester and Aberdeen, oh and a great little Iranian restaurant in Bournemouth of all places.

No doubt there are some excellent Mexican restaurants dotted around the US. Probably even one or two where you might least expect.

Even in Jomtien!

[LennyW]

Thanks for that Totster. I can think of great Indian restaurants in Manchester and Aberdeen, oh and a great little Iranian restaurant in Bournemouth of all places.

No doubt there are some excellent Mexican restaurants dotted around the US. Probably even one or two where you might least expect.

Even in Jomtien!

Nazma in Aberdeen is excellent!!!

[smokie36]

Thanks for that Totster. I can think of great Indian restaurants in Manchester and Aberdeen, oh and a great little Iranian restaurant in Bournemouth of all places.

No doubt there are some excellent Mexican restaurants dotted around the US. Probably even one or two where you might least expect.

Even in Jomtien!

Nazma in Aberdeen is excellent!!!

Yes that is excellent as is the Jewel in the Crown. Both very different styles too!

I invite JT to check out their menus.

[marstons]

Im gonna seek out this friendly Turkish chap next month, is he there at certain times only?

Thanks for the heads up.

Dont build your hopes up, if its same as he did in carrefore its a prity basic and small portion chicken kebab. if its lamb doner and you find it let us know, its like the holy grail. lamb is to expensive here. As a brit syle indian or chinese never found one even close yet.

[marstons]

That's kind of the point. The mainstream "Indian" food in England is influenced from a small subset of the vastness of Indian subcontinent cuisine. The English also seem to have this bizarre poppadom fetish which is ever so amusing.

its because when your drunk you can just smack your hand into them and they fly every where, its a ritual to the curry and sauces ending up every where as well.

[crudy21]

Im gonna seek out this friendly Turkish chap next month, is he there at certain times only?

Thanks for the heads up.

Dont build your hopes up, if its same as he did in carrefore its a prity basic and small portion chicken kebab. if its lamb doner and you find it let us know, its like the holy grail. lamb is to expensive here. As a brit syle indian or chinese never found one even close yet.

DANG!

[JusticeFT96]

I surrender. Whatever. It doesn't matter. Hummus is Greek. Hummus is Greek. Hummus is Greek.

Next !!! ...

http://chowhound.cho...m/topics/464713

Hummus is not Greek!

...

is never served in Greece unless it is peculiar to one of the islands.

http://wiki.answers....Is_hummus_Greek

Is Hummus Greek?

No.

http://greekfood.abo...ummustahini.htm

About Hummus and Greek Food: Hummus is a dish that originated in the Middle East, and is not usually found in Greece. Early Greek restaurateurs catering to local tastes outside Greece added hummus to the menu. Here on the site, there is just this one recipe, a tribute to many Greek restaurants around the world that include it on the menu.

Very selective arnet you.

[Jingthing]

Like I said, hummus is Greek.

And sushi is Mexican.

Sushi Burrito

[JusticeFT96]

Like I said, hummus is Greek.

And sushi is Mexican.

Sushi Burrito

Sorry, there I go again, I forgot you are always right and you know everything. You think greeks dont eat hummus, dont make hummus and dont sell hummus? You cant get greek hummus? Hummus can only come from where it originated?

Let me give you an example about how ignorant you sound. Lets say for example curry originated in pakistan, that would mean by your opinion you could only ever have pakistan curry, no other countries could adopt it as their dish.

[Michaelaway]

Like I said, hummus is Greek.

And sushi is Mexican.

Sushi Burrito

Looks like... Sumo Sushi.

[Jingthing]

Like I said, hummus is Greek.

And sushi is Mexican.

Sushi Burrito

Sorry, there I go again, I forgot you are always right and you know everything. You think greeks dont eat hummus, dont make hummus and dont sell hummus? You cant get greek hummus? Hummus can only come from where it originated?

Let me give you an example about how ignorant you sound. Lets say for example curry originated in pakistan, that would mean by your opinion you could only ever have pakistan curry, no other countries could adopt it as their dish.

You're getting overly twisted with the semantics. Has a Greek variation on hummus become mainstream in Greece for Greeks in wide areas of Greece (as opposed to clueless tourists)? I think not. If people in Bolivia are eating Pakistani curries they're eating Pakistani food. If they're eating Japanese curries, they're eating Japanese food. If they're eating UK style chicken tikka masala, they're eating ... British food.

Back to the Mexican example. People eating modern burritos all over the world are eating American food, even though most probably think they're eating Mexican food. People eating a pork pozole soup are eating Mexican food, no matter what country they are eating it in.

That said, each case is different. If it is true that the Greeks had significantly changed the recipe/presentation of hummus to transform it into a modern Greek food, then yes, it would become Greek food. I'm not convinced that has actually happened in Greece. An interesting wrinkle is so called Israeli hummus. It turns out Israelis eat double the amount of hummus as their neighbors. It is considered a national food of Israel. But don't kid yourself, Israelis know perfectly well the origin of hummus is from the Arabic Middle east, labeling notwithstanding, and Israeli foodies often prefer Arabic foods from ... Arabic vendors.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Jingthing

[JusticeFT96]

You're getting overly twisted with the semantics. Has a Greek variation on hummus become mainstream in Greece for Greeks in wide areas of Greece (as opposed to clueless tourists)? I think not. If people in Bolivia are eating Pakistani curries they're eating Pakistani food. If they're eating Japanese curries, they're eating Japanese food. If they're eating UK style chicken tikka masala, they're eating ... British food.

Thats where you are wrong, again..............

[JusticeFT96]

Like I said, hummus is Greek.

And sushi is Mexican.

Sushi Burrito

Sorry, there I go again, I forgot you are always right and you know everything. You think greeks dont eat hummus, dont make hummus and dont sell hummus? You cant get greek hummus? Hummus can only come from where it originated?

Let me give you an example about how ignorant you sound. Lets say for example curry originated in pakistan, that would mean by your opinion you could only ever have pakistan curry, no other countries could adopt it as their dish.

You're getting overly twisted with the semantics. Has a Greek variation on hummus become mainstream in Greece for Greeks in wide areas of Greece (as opposed to clueless tourists)? I think not. If people in Bolivia are eating Pakistani curries they're eating Pakistani food. If they're eating Japanese curries, they're eating Japanese food. If they're eating UK style chicken tikka masala, they're eating ... British food.

Back to the Mexican example. People eating modern burritos all over the world are eating American food, even though most probably think they're eating Mexican food. People eating a pork pozole soup are eating Mexican food, no matter what country they are eating it in.

That said, each case is different. If it is true that the Greeks had significantly changed the recipe/presentation of hummus to transform it into a modern Greek food, then yes, it would become Greek food. I'm not convinced that has actually happened in Greece. An interesting wrinkle is so called Israeli hummus. It turns out Israelis eat double the amount of hummus as their neighbors. It is considered a national food of Israel. But don't kid yourself, Israelis know perfectly well the origin of hummus is from the Arabic Middle east, labeling notwithstanding, and Israeli foodies often prefer Arabic foods from ... Arabic vendors.

You are making one big contradiction. You are saying that if indian people in england cook indian style food its english, if mexican people in america cook mexican style food its american but if people in greece make arabic style food its arabic or if greek people in england make arabic style food its arabic.

[Jingthing]

Like I said, hummus is Greek.

And sushi is Mexican.

Sushi Burrito

Sorry, there I go again, I forgot you are always right and you know everything. You think greeks dont eat hummus, dont make hummus and dont sell hummus? You cant get greek hummus? Hummus can only come from where it originated?

Let me give you an example about how ignorant you sound. Lets say for example curry originated in pakistan, that would mean by your opinion you could only ever have pakistan curry, no other countries could adopt it as their dish.

You're getting overly twisted with the semantics. Has a Greek variation on hummus become mainstream in Greece for Greeks in wide areas of Greece (as opposed to clueless tourists)? I think not. If people in Bolivia are eating Pakistani curries they're eating Pakistani food. If they're eating Japanese curries, they're eating Japanese food. If they're eating UK style chicken tikka masala, they're eating ... British food.

Back to the Mexican example. People eating modern burritos all over the world are eating American food, even though most probably think they're eating Mexican food. People eating a pork pozole soup are eating Mexican food, no matter what country they are eating it in.

That said, each case is different. If it is true that the Greeks had significantly changed the recipe/presentation of hummus to transform it into a modern Greek food, then yes, it would become Greek food. I'm not convinced that has actually happened in Greece. An interesting wrinkle is so called Israeli hummus. It turns out Israelis eat double the amount of hummus as their neighbors. It is considered a national food of Israel. But don't kid yourself, Israelis know perfectly well the origin of hummus is from the Arabic Middle east, labeling notwithstanding, and Israeli foodies often prefer Arabic foods from ... Arabic vendors.

You are making one big contradiction. You are saying that if indian people in england cook indian style food its english, if mexican people in america cook mexican style food its american but if people in greece make arabic style food its arabic or if greek people in england make arabic style food its arabic.

Sorry, you aren't actually following the fine points of my arguments, and you are sloppily claiming I am saying things I have not said. So this is too tedious. How many times and ways do I need to go over these nuances for you? I think you aren't really interested that a burrito is a different animal than a pozole. Eat what you want. Call it what you want. But believe me Greek people know hummus ain't Greek! Favosalata? Yes. Edited May 9, 2012 by Jingthing

[PattayaPhom]

The best Indian Tikka Masala I have had is in Chulia Street Penang, cooked by 4th or 5th generation Indians that were taken there as cheap labour....better than any food I had in India......it really depends on the individuals pallet but most I know prefer chicken breast in a deep red/brown thick sauce that is spicy, complimented by a clay oven cooked nan bread......on a side note, the curry in Penang tasted very much like food I had eaten in the UK..its a myth that curries were changed to suit the pallet of the English, as some ingredients were not available the chefs would use the next best substitute, not deliberatly to changed anything.......And if we start talking about Mexican food, after working there and eating the street food everyday, I can say that Mexican food I have tried anywhere else there just isnt a comparison.

Malaysia of course, a former BRITISH colony.

There actually IS Mexican food in some areas of the USA that is almost exactly like Mexican street food as served in Mexico. You have to know where to go. The modern burrito, the fat mother with rice, beans, lettuce, possible cheese and guac. -- no, that's American.

Yes a former part of The Empire..thats why Indians are there.....reading through this thread it seems that most think tikka masala is an English dish and the national meal, thats poppycock and dribble served up by the PC brigade to make everyone be happy in the multicult melting pot.....It comes from a survey back in 1994...you can gaurantee that there are more Macdonalds burgers sold than tikka masalas, so does that make MacDonalds the national meal....Anyway, for a real authentic Indian meal, try cooking your own!!!..my Mrs does the best ever and only costs about 40 Baht!!!

[Jingthing]

On chicken tikka masala, there is little controversy the British version (tomato saucy, creamy, sugary, mild spices) was originated in England (influenced of course by Indian roots) and is a very popular dish in England and with British people abroad. The dish is not popular in ... India for Indians. In that sense, yes, it is a British dish. In a very similar way that the modern burrito we know today is an American dish. Developed in the USA with Northern Mexican roots, massively popular in the USA, not happening in ... Mexico. Yes in India they have butter chicken (a different dish) and in Northern Mexico they have basic traditional burritos (just a tortilla wrapped meat or beans and that's it), again a different dish. Hamburgers, they're American, yes? So don't see why you even brought up that McD's is popular.

Also note, my understanding is that the Indian subcontinent culinary origin of chicken tikka masala is actually NOT butter chicken but it obviously has some kind of origin from that region. On the other hand the culinary origin of the modern American burrito is clearly from the traditional Northern Mexico burrito, also called burrito.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Jingthing

[JusticeFT96]

You really do not stop waffling a load of contradicting nonsense!

Because a customer once asked for "gravy" with his order a long time ago and the tika masala was born this means its an english dish?

Does that mean if a customer orders hummus in a greek restaurant in england that its an english dish? Or if anyone asks for hummus in a greek restaurant in greece its a greek dish?

[Jingthing]

You really do not stop waffling a load of contradicting nonsense!

Because a customer once asked for "gravy" with his order a long time ago and the tika masala was born this means its an english dish?

Does that mean if a customer orders hummus in a greek restaurant in england that its an english dish? Or if anyone asks for hummus in a greek restaurant in greece its a greek dish?

No, because one person asked for gravy doesn't make CTM an English dish.

I have already explained why it is indeed an English dish and no need to repeat myself.

Customer orders hummus in a Greek restaurant in England? -- Arabic dish

Customer orders hummus in a Greek restaurant in Greece -- Arabic dish

Extra answer bonus points:

Customer orders hummus in an Argentinian restaurant in Canada -- Arabic dish

Any other (silly) questions?

Edited May 10, 2012 by Jingthing

[DrTuner]

Somewhat entertaining. However the origin of a food is of much lesser interest than it's availability in a certain location, in this case Pattaya.

I like to go to dinner with my Thai wife, but being Thai she claims the curries don't fit her palates. Now to extend the question posed by OP, what restaurant would be a good place to take a somewhat reluctant Thai to experience good Indian cousine in Pattaya ?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[Jingthing]

Somewhat entertaining. However the origin of a food is of much lesser interest than it's availability in a certain location, in this case Pattaya.

I like to go to dinner with my Thai wife, but being Thai she claims the curries don't fit her palates. Now to extend the question posed by OP, what restaurant would be a good place to take a somewhat reluctant Thai to experience good Indian cousine in Pattaya ?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

That's a difficult question as you say she doesn't fancy Indian curries! So what difference would it make what style of Indian curry it is for her, unless it's a Thai curry?

BTW, currywurst served in Cambodia. It's German!

[DrTuner]

Somewhat entertaining. However the origin of a food is of much lesser interest than it's availability in a certain location, in this case Pattaya.

I like to go to dinner with my Thai wife, but being Thai she claims the curries don't fit her palates. Now to extend the question posed by OP, what restaurant would be a good place to take a somewhat reluctant Thai to experience good Indian cousine in Pattaya ?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

That's a difficult question as you say she doesn't fancy Indian curries! So what difference would it make what style of Indian curry it is for her, unless it's a Thai curry?

BTW, currywurst served in Cambodia. It's German!

Tried currywurst, didn't hit the spot either (I love it though, usually eat it at Zum Bazi in Naklua). I once took her to a Pakistani restaurant (outside Thailand) which served very spicy curries and those she liked a lot, to me they tasted quite like Indian, perhaps a little bit spicier. Could also well be that it's the actual "Indian" part of it she doesn't like, not the taste of the food. Now to sort that out, where can we get some authentic Greek curry, eh ?

I've seen two restaurants that seem to have Indians going in or coming out all the time, one is next to News Cafe near the intersection of Thepprasit and Thappraya, the other one near a tall condo between Soi Yume and 3rd Road. Can't remember their names, but the one next to News looked a bit more "upscale".

[Jingthing]

The Jomtien one is Indian by Nature.

http://www.indian-by-nature.com/

[dazk]

The Jomtien one is Indian by Nature.

http://www.indian-by-nature.com/

see they have a nice tikka masala on the menu

[dazk]

Somewhat entertaining. However the origin of a food is of much lesser interest than it's availability in a certain location, in this case Pattaya.

I like to go to dinner with my Thai wife, but being Thai she claims the curries don't fit her palates. Now to extend the question posed by OP, what restaurant would be a good place to take a somewhat reluctant Thai to experience good Indian cousine in Pattaya ?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

me and the wife went to alibaba she really enjoyed it, but admitedly the food was paid for with a freeplayo voucher, good food though

[Jingthing]

The Jomtien one is Indian by Nature.

http://www.indian-by-nature.com/

see they have a nice tikka masala on the menu

Yes, a dry lamb preparation. That does sound good.