It's time to exact my revenge on all those revolting bowls of gravy I've been served in the 'curry' houses of Queensland. For all the soft poppadoms, raw meat starters and insipid spices, I'm going to get my own back... or a libel suit maybe.
Firstly, let me start by saying that most restaurant experiences in South East Queensland are really good. Whatever restaurant you choose will offer well cooked, interesting food and plenty of it, served by friendly staff. Now try going to an Indian restaurant.
If, as a pom, you wanted to be able recreate those exuberent Friday nights out in the local balti hut, forget it. For a start, they're usually all shut by 10pm, having been trying to waft you out of the door since 9pm. And secondly, the dining experience itself is grim to say the least.
Coming from a nation whose favourite national dish is chicken tikka masala (ok, I know it was invented in Glasgow with a tin of tomato soup), whose Indian and Bangladeshi populations provide the most competitively yummy curry and balti houses in the world and whose favourite Friday night activity is to go down the local and order a madras with half and half, it's all a bit disappointing. Having spent my formative years frequenting the curry houses of Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Rusholme in Manchester and the Wellingborough Road in Northampton (yes, Northampton - go and see for yourselves!), I feel suitably qualified to judge.
Indulge me for a minute while I have a full blown whinge right now: WHY OH WHY DO INDIAN RESTAURANT OWNERS IN SE QUEENSLAND THINK THAT AUSTRALIANS DESERVE SUB STANDARD FOOD? AND WHY OH WHY DO AUSTRALIANS LIKE IT???!!!!
The situation is so dire on the Sunshine Coast that a group of us -all poms - have got together an informal curry club to seek out the best curry house in the area. Every couple of weeks we meet up in a local restaurant to see what we all think. And fair dos, we always give it a second chance in case they were having an off night. So here are the results so far, in no particular order:
(1) Magic of India, Thomas Street, Noosaville - good service, reasonable food, bit salty, provided minced chilli on the side to make the dish hotter (!), would go back with moderate enthusiasm. Winner of an award, apparently. Maybe the best Indian restaurant in Thomas Street award? It wouldn't be difficult because the other restaurant there is... (cue dastardly music)...
(2) Chutney Mary's, Thomas Street, Noosaville - DO NOT repeat DO NOT GO HERE! The poppadoms were microwaved, the kebab starter wasn't cooked properly, the vindaloo tasted like bad bisto, in fact the food was so bad I had to pop my head round the kitchen door to make sure there were Indian/Bangladeshi people 'cooking it'. And there were. The only saving grace was the service, provided by a team of young girls who all seemed to know what they were doing. This place is packed out on weekends - we can't understand it. It was truly vile.
(3) India Today, Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore - looks amazing with all the saris, ornaments and dangly bits everywhere. But the service was not brilliant and food pretty average - again with the bowl of minced chilli to make it hotter! The second time we went we had the courage to question the service and some of the food (question mind, not complain), and a very unpleasant woman (the owner?) appeared from nowhere to confront us about it and more or less told us it was our own fault we hadn't got the service we were looking for. Not just that, but she then clearly forced a poor unfortunate member of staff come out to apologise for the service which she had just told us had been our fault. We resolved never to go back.
(4) Hathi, Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore - best one so far but don't go for the all you can eat buffet. It's not good. And don't bother ordering poppadoms - they're disgusting. On our second visit we chose off the menu and it was all pretty good. Hot seemed to mean hot (although not British Indian hot!) and no additional chilli was required.
To be fair on the restaurant chefs here, they aren't helped by the average aussie's aversion to spicy food. A mild korma would cause an Australian to flap his hand frantically in front of his open mouth and drink a ton of 'warda'. But, equally, it's no excuse for rubbish food. Especially when you consider how many poms are moving over here. So restaurant owners need to sharpen up their act.
Based on this report, here are my recommendations:
(1) All curry house owners in SE Queensland need to know that poppadoms should be deep fried in ghee to make them crispy and buttery. In fact,
(2) All curry house owners in SE Queensland need to go to Bradford for a residential cookery course.
(3) Try eating Thai on a Friday night instead - there are lots of them and they're usually very good.
(4) Eat your last good curry in Southall before you catch the plane to oz from Heathrow.
(5) Forget all that foreign muck and get an excellent, wholesome, organic, aussie feed at Modern Primitive in Eumundi.
Sooner or later I'm going to have to tell them I keep mentioning them in ma blog. Maybe I'll get a free pud!
9.10.2008 - And I did get a free pud - what a great place!! AND they've just won best newcomer restaurant award for the Sunshine Coast. What can I get for mentioning that do you think?
Firstly, let me start by saying that most restaurant experiences in South East Queensland are really good. Whatever restaurant you choose will offer well cooked, interesting food and plenty of it, served by friendly staff. Now try going to an Indian restaurant.
If, as a pom, you wanted to be able recreate those exuberent Friday nights out in the local balti hut, forget it. For a start, they're usually all shut by 10pm, having been trying to waft you out of the door since 9pm. And secondly, the dining experience itself is grim to say the least.
Coming from a nation whose favourite national dish is chicken tikka masala (ok, I know it was invented in Glasgow with a tin of tomato soup), whose Indian and Bangladeshi populations provide the most competitively yummy curry and balti houses in the world and whose favourite Friday night activity is to go down the local and order a madras with half and half, it's all a bit disappointing. Having spent my formative years frequenting the curry houses of Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Rusholme in Manchester and the Wellingborough Road in Northampton (yes, Northampton - go and see for yourselves!), I feel suitably qualified to judge.
Indulge me for a minute while I have a full blown whinge right now: WHY OH WHY DO INDIAN RESTAURANT OWNERS IN SE QUEENSLAND THINK THAT AUSTRALIANS DESERVE SUB STANDARD FOOD? AND WHY OH WHY DO AUSTRALIANS LIKE IT???!!!!
The situation is so dire on the Sunshine Coast that a group of us -all poms - have got together an informal curry club to seek out the best curry house in the area. Every couple of weeks we meet up in a local restaurant to see what we all think. And fair dos, we always give it a second chance in case they were having an off night. So here are the results so far, in no particular order:
(1) Magic of India, Thomas Street, Noosaville - good service, reasonable food, bit salty, provided minced chilli on the side to make the dish hotter (!), would go back with moderate enthusiasm. Winner of an award, apparently. Maybe the best Indian restaurant in Thomas Street award? It wouldn't be difficult because the other restaurant there is... (cue dastardly music)...
(2) Chutney Mary's, Thomas Street, Noosaville - DO NOT repeat DO NOT GO HERE! The poppadoms were microwaved, the kebab starter wasn't cooked properly, the vindaloo tasted like bad bisto, in fact the food was so bad I had to pop my head round the kitchen door to make sure there were Indian/Bangladeshi people 'cooking it'. And there were. The only saving grace was the service, provided by a team of young girls who all seemed to know what they were doing. This place is packed out on weekends - we can't understand it. It was truly vile.
(3) India Today, Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore - looks amazing with all the saris, ornaments and dangly bits everywhere. But the service was not brilliant and food pretty average - again with the bowl of minced chilli to make it hotter! The second time we went we had the courage to question the service and some of the food (question mind, not complain), and a very unpleasant woman (the owner?) appeared from nowhere to confront us about it and more or less told us it was our own fault we hadn't got the service we were looking for. Not just that, but she then clearly forced a poor unfortunate member of staff come out to apologise for the service which she had just told us had been our fault. We resolved never to go back.
(4) Hathi, Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore - best one so far but don't go for the all you can eat buffet. It's not good. And don't bother ordering poppadoms - they're disgusting. On our second visit we chose off the menu and it was all pretty good. Hot seemed to mean hot (although not British Indian hot!) and no additional chilli was required.
To be fair on the restaurant chefs here, they aren't helped by the average aussie's aversion to spicy food. A mild korma would cause an Australian to flap his hand frantically in front of his open mouth and drink a ton of 'warda'. But, equally, it's no excuse for rubbish food. Especially when you consider how many poms are moving over here. So restaurant owners need to sharpen up their act.
Based on this report, here are my recommendations:
(1) All curry house owners in SE Queensland need to know that poppadoms should be deep fried in ghee to make them crispy and buttery. In fact,
(2) All curry house owners in SE Queensland need to go to Bradford for a residential cookery course.
(3) Try eating Thai on a Friday night instead - there are lots of them and they're usually very good.
(4) Eat your last good curry in Southall before you catch the plane to oz from Heathrow.
(5) Forget all that foreign muck and get an excellent, wholesome, organic, aussie feed at Modern Primitive in Eumundi.
Sooner or later I'm going to have to tell them I keep mentioning them in ma blog. Maybe I'll get a free pud!
9.10.2008 - And I did get a free pud - what a great place!! AND they've just won best newcomer restaurant award for the Sunshine Coast. What can I get for mentioning that do you think?
Must be a SE QLD thing. This pommie expat has found good Indian food in his travels of the southern states. Everything cultural drops orf as you head north.
ReplyDeleteHaving left the UK in 1983 I have continuously searched throughout my travels for a good Indian feed.There is no such place to compare with The Raj in Highcross St.Leicester. If you find somewhere that is almost palitable let me know.
ReplyDeleteGravy is a fair description,it made me laugh.
Alf.
If you find somewhere that is almost palitable let me know.
ReplyDeleteGravy is a fair description,it made me laugh.
Alf.
I agree with your description of so-called curry houses in Queensland. I also agree with your best rating. The Hathi in Maroochydore is by far the best and cheapest feed around and the serves are plenty.
ReplyDelete