Curry.

Where do you go for a good curry ?

In TST I'd recommend Branto's (Tel: 2366 8171) in Lock Rd, introduced by MrT. It's vegetarian only, and the number of Indian diners there show they are doing something right.

In Causeway Bay there's a cheap and cheerful Indian Restaurant on the corner of Russel St & Percival St - the corner closest to Sogo. I can't remember the name, but look up at the signs and you'll see it, up on the first or second floor. They don't have a liquor licence, so BYOB.

In Wanchai, the International Curry House seems to be slipping, so Jo Jo's Mess on Johnston Rd is probably the safest bet.

Any other suggestions ?

Mr B.

Re:Curry.

Try the Shalimar Club in Causeway Bay. Used to live in Dragon Rise building about 5 years ago and ordered from there frequently.

Shalimar Club, Flat B4, 1/F., Dragon Rise, 9-11 Pennington Street, Causeway Bay

more good curry

Considering that most of my experience with club food in Hong Kong has been indifferent at best, I was very surprised recently when having lunch at the United Services Recreation Club (on Gascoigne Road in Jordan) to find that they've got really excellent south Indian food on offer -- including dhosas, idlis, and so on. If you know anyone who's a member, try to wangle an invite!

there is one in tst

called afghanistan cafe, think it's on tonk's road, could be wrong.

you have to take the teeny elevator to get to it but the butter chicken is the best i've had in hong kong.

Curry

Mr B - The CWB one is called Aladdins. Quite good but they confuse things by asking when you ask for, say, a madras, whether you want it mild or hot. I mean, madras id madras and part of the fun is finding out if the place is a hot curry place or not.

But I always go to JoJos in Wanchai or, for lunch, a hole in the wall place called Shokra Kebab or something like that just down from the walkway between Lockhart and Hennessey ($35 for a chicken curry and rice).

Re:Curry.

Thanks for the tips, Jack -- I agree, a Vindaloo should just be a Vindaloo, and then let's see how many trips to the loo!

Oh, that's unforgiveable . . . .

Re: Curry

[quote="Jack"]Mr B - The CWB one is called Aladdins. Quite good but they confuse things by asking when you ask for, say, a madras, whether you want it mild or hot. I mean, madras id madras and part of the fun is finding out if the place is a hot curry place or not.

But I always go to JoJos in Wanchai or, for lunch, a hole in the wall place called Shokra Kebab or something like that just down from the walkway between Lockhart and Hennessey ($35 for a chicken curry and rice).[/quote]

I've walked past there a couple of times & the smell has been appealling. How's the curry taste though :?:

Re:Curry.

I'm not sure which of those three you mean, but they're all good. I haven't tried the curries from the hole-in-the wall yet, but they do a great kebab.

Mr B.

Re:Curry.

Yesterday the Batgung Editorial committee met for lunch at a new curry restaurant, the "Bhet Ghat" at 151 Jaffe Rd in Wanchai. Well, new to us anyhow, though they say they have been open there for 9 months, and previously had a restaurant in Stanley.

Their signs says they serve Nepalese and Indian curries so, thrill-seekers that we are, we stuck to the Nepalese selection. The fact that the menu item for one of the dishes we chose wouldn't be any more specific than "Red meat", and ended with the description that it would "exercise your gums" should have warned us off. But that time the curry-house bravado had set in ... "How hot do we want it ? Ho, ho, ho...."

I won't be ordering it again, though it was definitely interesting to have tried. Not so interesting that you need to try it - you can just take my word. Turns out the main constituent was dried water-buffalo meat. We wondered if it was part of a government campaign to stop traffic jams on Lantau, but it had been flown in specially for us from Nepal.

I'll happily eat there again, afetr all I guess that is how dried water-buffalo is meant to taste. Though next time we'll stick to the tried and tested Indian favourites, maybe adding just one from the Nepalese list for the story-telling opportunities it provides.

MrB

meat

Well, I liked the dish in question a little more than Mr B did, and I must admonish him for neglecting to mention that it was *sun*-dried water buffalo meat. That adds a touch of class, if you ask me. I agree, however, that once is quite enough.

Fun little place, though, and the other two dishes we had were excellent.

Mr T

Re:Curry.

my best friend is nepalese and i LOVE that dried buffalo meat....i've not had it in a curry merely presented in dried state with a sticky sort of marinade? deeeeeeeeeeelicious

i still like good ole Gunga Din on Wyndham Street....

Woodlands & Tandoor

There's a good Indian vegetarian restaurant called Woodlands on Mody Road in TST (close to the new KCR station). The address is Room 5-6, G/F, Mirror Tower, 61 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East. It's basic but cheap!

More upmarket is the Tandoor, close to Lan Kwai Fong (3/F On Hing Building, 18-20 Wyndham Street, Central - Tel: 28452299).

Re:Curry.

Quite like The Curry Pot in Wanchai/Stanley. Also a fan of Bombay Dreams in Hollywood Road.

Veda is great but more nouvelle cuisiney than trad curry house. Still can't beat my old 1989 fave of the worryingly named 'Deep Mess' in Chungking Mansions though. Not sure if its still around.

Curry in Wanchai - Khana Khazana

Just received an email from the Batpoh:

Branto's has now opened a restaurant in WanChai called

Khana Khazana
1/F Dannies House
20 Luard Road

Somewhere near Joe Bananas.

That'll have to be tried asap - I'm hoping it is as good as their TST branch.

MrB

Re:Curry.

By the way, I tried to go to the JOJO's in Causewaybay and it is down for remodel and the one in wan chai has closed. I think it moved somewhere else. Anyone know where? the web site has no clues.

Jo Jo's in Wanchai

I saw a new JoJo's sign on the floor above the Groovy Mule on Fenwick St. I guess to be closer to the "post-beer curry" customer base.

MrB

Khana Khazana's is great -

Khana Khazana's is great - particularly the buffet, which includes Masala Dosa.

Not sure about spelling of Shokra Kebab, but it's all great there - been eating once a week for four years. Owners are delightful Pakistani brothers, so help a brother out.

:P

Khana Khazana is good

Had a tasty veggie curry set-meal for two there last night - both of us stuffed for about $100 a head.

I ate there shortly after it opened, and wasn't very impressed. The service was slow, dishes arrived in the wrong order, and the food wasn't that great.

Last night was the first time we've been back since, and there's been a big improvement. I'd say that Branto's in TST still has the edge, but I'll be happy to pay a return visit.

MrB

PS Their website has a map.

Curry surprise

Last week I was in Stanley on the restaurant strip. Went into a western looking restaurant called Bayview.. or Bay shore... haha.. anyways, right at the very end of the strip. I had a red duck curry which was just sensational. I was very surprised because I'm always doubtful of places which serve a whole bunch of different cuisine under one roof - but this one's a keeper.

____________________________
- CityDweller -

Delhi Club - a bit whiffy

We had a burst of nostalgia and headed over to the Delhi Club in Chungking Mansions last night (3/F, Block C. From the main entrance off Nathan Rd walk to the back and it's the last lift on the left).

I went there quite regularly in 89-90, when the 'Members Only' sign was actually enforced. (Though all it meant was that everyone who entered was immediately issued a membership card!) It's been a long time since we've been back, but it looks as though business is good. They've expanded into another flat on the same floor, and even then there was a queue outside.

The big change was that it was packed with 20-something year-old local Chinese, and I was the only gweilo there. 15 years ago it was a mix of gweilo and south Asian diners, with maybe just one table of intrepid locals braving the depths of Chungking Mansions. A friend that was with us last night said that the restaurant appears fairly regularly in the local press when they are listing restaurants that are "something a bit different".

Food was standar Indian restaurant fare, and cheap too ($5 a samosa). But... several times during the meal we got a strong blast of pure sewer smell. I guess one of the pipes in the shaft outside the 'window' was leaking. It's a problem that can be easily fixed, so we were probably just unlucky to catch it on a bad day. Still, it will be several more years before I'll be going back.

MrB

Khana Khazana is great

There was a change of management at Khana Khazana recently and the food, service and the ambiance has greatly improved.

They keep the restaurant as vegetarian but added some nice Tandoori dishes (exotic names: Paneer Afgani, Paneer Ajwaini, Vegetable Hungama and so on) which go very well with beer and wine.

They now also have a decent selection of draught beers (Carlsberg, Boddingtons and San Miguel) and wines.

Good food and quite reasonably priced. South Indian fare is as great as ever.

:A

Indian curry

I know one new indian restaurant "ASRA Indian restaurant" tried good food & friendly atmosphere.This is veg friendly place,even not too pricy.Paneer pakora,mix veg kebab,mix pakora,diwani handi & some others are my favourite there.VEDA & TANDOOR are also very best.

ASRA Indian restaurant (1/fl.Shatin galleria,18-24 han mei st,fotan,shatin- Tel:31880852, www.asra.com.hk)

Masala

Try Masala, a very nice little place in Sheung Wan. Sorry I don't have the address, but it's on the road behind the Wing Lok Street MTR exit. The couple that own and operate the restaurant are a pleasure.

Shalimar is very nice too - particularly the decor, which makes you feel as though you're in someone's home (faux brick walls, white shutters, ceiling fans).

chiken tikka kebab

I tried chicken tikka kebab & biryani in lunch time at ASRA.Very delicious.I saw lot of customers were chinese,oh they really like indian food.

Hi, Any current

Hi, Any current recommendations for Indian restaurants in Causeway Bay? Thanks.

Causeway Bay curry

Not exactly a restaurant, but I like the Dickens Bar's curry lunch buffet in the Excelsior hotel. Only problem is it's easy to over indulge, so best to have it when nothing major needs to be achieved in the afternoon!

MrB

Thanks MrB. I am aware of

Thanks MrB. I am aware of the curry buffet, however, it is a bit pricey, I made some research over the internet and found out that Mirsch Masala and Aladin Mess are in the vicinity of Causeway Bay. Any idea if they are good for me to bring customers there to eat? Thanks.

Aladin Mess

I've had lunch there a couple of times, but not in the last 12 months or so. They did a good value set lunch.

The decoration is cheap & cheerful, and it's in an old building (can't remember if it had a lift, but I walked up stairs). So I'd keep it for customers you know well, and who are a bit adventurous in trying out food 'where the locals eat'. Probably best to try it yourself to judge whether it's ok for your customers or not - let us know what you think.

I went for lunch at the Excelsior a couple of times with a business partner. They had a membership card that gave good discounts. I've seen them for other hotels too, where the cardholder gets the meal for free when eating with someone else (so 50% off in a party of 2, 33% off in a party of 3, etc.) Could be worth you looking at something like that if you expect to be entertaining guests regularly in an area with a hotel you like.

Regards, MrB

Hi MrB, Thanks for your

Hi MrB, Thanks for your advice again. Would select the venue base on the suggestion above! Thanks.

Curry, Wan Chai

I have been eating lunches and dinners at Himalaya in Wan Chai. There is a big range of curries, breads and all things Indian / Nepalese. They do a good lassi and plenty of Kingfisher beer to wash it all down with. Highly Recommended, very authentic.

http://himalayarestaurant.com.hk/home.htm

It's located at 1/F A 22-30 Taiwong Street, East Wanchai Hong Kong, Tel:2527-5899. Just across the little Street where The Pawn pub is.

Brendan

 

Aladin Mess

Had a FAB lunch at Aladin Mess today.

 

Was a real surprise. I'll be going back (again and again). Samosas were spectacular.

 

Basic place, but the food is good, and portions generous. Also didn't feel bloated or tired afterwards. Mango Lassi also good.

 

Unbelievable value for money (standard set lunch is $32!)