Swadesh - closed for good?

[DulwichFox]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> "I think I'm just tired of the old/standard/rut

> that's become the 'curry house' way.

> I love the food, but the rest is tired beyond

> belief."

>

> Innit.

> Everest Curry King on Loampit, Lewisham, ditches

> the tablecloth thang - but it ain't trendy.

> However, if you want decent Sri Lankan Tamil food,

> it's the bollox. Also there's a couple of Tamil

> shops ac ouple of doors down, so you can stock up

> /marvel at the stock ! (I've been called

> pretentious for suggesting this place before !).

>

> Foxy:

> "Are there..?

> Curry Cabin.. Tandoori Nights.. Dulwich

> Tandoori... Surma... Mirash...

> Where are the other two ?"

> You want me to start hauling you up too on your

> grammar, spelling and general accuracy ? No?

If you have time to proof read every thread on here, then you have too much time on your hands. :)

What you need is a job.. Init.

Foxy

[Louisa]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> KidKruger Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I'm all for curry sans beer, but that model

> > doesn't work outside central london unless in

> > specific areas like East Ham, Southall, Harrow,

> > Wembley, Basildon etc. where there are the

> > appropriate non-drinking populations to sustain

> > such a restaurant.

> > Pretty naive and wasteful of money / effort to

> try

> > otherwise. The public don't cater to your

> > principles.

>

> I'd like to see a canteen style place, stripped of

> all that tablecloth/restaurant formality thing,

> somewhere fresher and with more of a buzz. A place

> where you could drink fresh juice, tea, beer even.

> Something beyond Kingfisher.

>

> I think I'm just tired of the old/standard/rut

> that's become the 'curry house' way.

>

> I love the food, but the rest is tired beyond

> belief.

There's a fabulous little contemporary Indian restaurant in Cardiff. It ditches the bog standard theme, and goes for a much bolder menu. Think it tries to blend modern European with one or two specific Indian regional cuisines. I'll find the website for you and edit the post.

https://www.moksh.co.uk

Louisa.

[KidKruger]

Looks good Louisa - do they deliver ?

[Louisa]

KK it seems unlikely, but worth a punt if you can get delivery costs waived ;-)

If you ever happen to be down in Cardiff, I would genuinely offer a solid review for this restaurant. Lovely people too. Check out their tri advisor ratings here https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186460-d1425982-Reviews-Moksh-Cardiff_South_Wales_Wales.html

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Have you seen the prices Lou..

?45.00 P.P for a tasing menu.. not including wine.. ?65.00 with wine.

And in Cardiff

Does not seem your thing ?

Foxy

[Louisa]

Foxy, I stayed with friends a few years ago in what used to be called Tiger Bay. They took us out for this lovely meal and I was shocked at just how much of a unique experience it was! The service, the ambience, the food being matched to certain wines. It really was just a unique experience and well worth the 65 quid per head if you're going in a big group. Maybe the EDF Curry Club could do a little weekend away to try it out? Btw the taster menu is 7 courses and you won't leave wanting a kebab, it's filling enough.

Louisa.

[Seabag]

I'm curious why places can't base it on the food first. There's a lack of imagination in the genre I'm afraid.

It's old and done to death, all this silly starchy and out of date service.

The food can be great, but why does it end up with the ridiculous parody of a 'fine dining' experience often. That model is worn out.

I say canteen because the places I ate in India recently are just that. Simple and tasty, no table cloth, but great food. Much of it started in a tandoor, then finished on the oven top. And I'd pay good money for more proper food and less 'faff' action.

Foxter, whats with the Chilli Con Carne gag? I'm talking real Indian, proper soft sour (not difficult to make) dosa. Vegetables, chutney made fresh. Fish and more, so stop with you're silliness please.

Or am I just dreaming?

[DulwichFox]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm curious why places can't base it on the food

> first. There's a lack of imagination in the genre

> I'm afraid.

> It's old and done to death, all this silly starchy

> and out of date service.

> The food can be great, but why does it end up with

> the ridiculous parody of a 'fine dining'

> experience often. That model is worn out.

>

> I say canteen because the places I ate in India

> recently are just that. Simple and tasty, no table

> cloth, but great food. Much of it started in a

> tandoor, then finished on the oven top. And I'd

> pay good money for more proper food and less

> 'faff' action.

>

> Foxter, whats with the Chilli Con Carne gag? I'm

> talking real Indian, proper soft sour (not

> difficult to make) dosa. Vegetables, chutney made

> fresh. Fish and more, so stop with you're

> silliness please.

>

> Or am I just dreaming?

Sorry mate.. It wasn't a gag.. I missintereted the comments on

'I think I'm just tired of the old/standard/rut that's become the 'curry house' way.'

as being tired of Curry in general..

... Cantina food such as Chilli con Carne .. Jacket Potatoes .. Garlic bread.. sprung to mind.

There used to be a great Bistro in Forest Hill oposite Walram pl. Perry Vale. 30+ years ago.

Did all that kind of thing.. Carafes of Red wine.. was all the thing back then... Bees Knees and all that.

Foxy

[Seabag]

Oohh now there's an idea

The Curry Bistro

:))

[KidKruger]

"places I ate in India recently"

Seabags - were any of those places you ate between Madurai and Chennai ?

[Seabag]

Mainly Kochi to Varkala

But this one place was worth seeking out, off the main roads, in a village/town

Chandra Pillai's Hotel (it's deffo NOT a hotel)

http://tastyspots.com/kerala/foodspots/thirumullavaram-kada/

The crab roast, oh Lordy!

[Seabag]

It seems it is a Hotel,(my mistake) but not in the tourist/cab stop-off mould.

In Varkala there's a few places I'd go back to.

[KidKruger]

Yeah Hotel for them is often an eatery.

Number of time I've asked for rooms...

[arturo]

Thats such a shame.. Swadesh was my favourite curry place in ED, with a handful of great options not seen on the standard curry house menu. Yeah, the style of the decor was a bit dated, but to be honest thats pretty far down on my list of priorities when going for a curry!

Slightly further afield, theres a great fast food style curry place on Rye Lane called 'The Grill & Pizza' (somewhat misleadingly..), with authentic Pakistani currys in metal trays at the counter. Its mainly takeaway, but they've got a few tables inside - without a table-cloth in sight!

[DMW23]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm curious why places can't base it on the food

> first. There's a lack of imagination in the genre

> I'm afraid.

> It's old and done to death, all this silly starchy

> and out of date service.

> The food can be great, but why does it end up with

> the ridiculous parody of a 'fine dining'

> experience often. That model is worn out.

>

> I say canteen because the places I ate in India

> recently are just that. Simple and tasty, no table

> cloth, but great food. Much of it started in a

> tandoor, then finished on the oven top. And I'd

> pay good money for more proper food and less

> 'faff' action.

>

> Foxter, whats with the Chilli Con Carne gag? I'm

> talking real Indian, proper soft sour (not

> difficult to make) dosa. Vegetables, chutney made

> fresh. Fish and more, so stop with you're

> silliness please.

>

> Or am I just dreaming?

Have you been to the Indian YMCA?

OK central London but great food http://www.indianymca.org/our-restaurant/

[KidKruger]

Better at YMCA for lunch than evenings as far more choice of dishes.

[arturo]

I would also highly recommend 'Elephant' in Brixton village market. Only four choices (lamb, chicken, veg and keema I think), but they're all incredible, and even better than YHMA IMO..

[Seabag]

Seeing as we're playing 'curry house' poker

I'm saying "Have you tried the place near the back entrance of the eye hospital, in Whitechapel?"

It's the corner canteen place where the doctors eat.

[jimlad48]

Two great alternative Indian restaurants that really buck the trend are Ganapathi in Bellenden Road, which does take out and really pushes south indian food (their Parathas and Lassis are divine), and Gymkhana in the centre. The latter has a lot of awards and is pricey in the evening, but does a reasonably priced (roughly ?25-30) lunch which will leave you fit to explode with food.

Definitely recommend the latter if you want to see what amazing Indian food tastes like, and couldnt be further from the starchy tablecloth if you tried.

[TE44]

DMW23 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Seabag Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I'm curious why places can't base it on the

> food

> > first. There's a lack of imagination in the

> genre

> > I'm afraid.

> > It's old and done to death, all this silly

> starchy

> > and out of date service.

> > The food can be great, but why does it end up

> with

> > the ridiculous parody of a 'fine dining'

> > experience often. That model is worn out.

> >

> > I say canteen because the places I ate in India

> > recently are just that. Simple and tasty, no

> table

> > cloth, but great food. Much of it started in a

> > tandoor, then finished on the oven top. And I'd

> > pay good money for more proper food and less

> > 'faff' action.

> >

> > Foxter, whats with the Chilli Con Carne gag?

> I'm

> > talking real Indian, proper soft sour (not

> > difficult to make) dosa. Vegetables, chutney

> made

> > fresh. Fish and more, so stop with you're

> > silliness please.

> >

> > Or am I just dreaming?

>

> Have you been to the Indian YMCA?

>

> OK central London but great food

> http://www.indianymca.org/our-restaurant/

Love this place, great food, great mix of people and really cheap.

[Michael Palaeologus]

I liked Swadesh but when the zero alcohol policy came in, I lost interest. Jaflong does it by welcoming BYOB and that seems to work well.

Xoco have an interesting take and very good take on Indian food, it would be good to see more people in there.

Interesting to see who takes the Swadesh spot. The active trading area of the Lane has steadily moved southwards with the cinema, ice cream shop, restaurants opening up. Could be a more promising spot than it was a few years ago.

[Phlox]

jimlad48 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Two great alternative Indian restaurants that

> really buck the trend are Ganapathi in Bellenden

> Road, which does take out and really pushes south

> indian food (their Parathas and Lassis are

> divine), and Gymkhana in the centre. The latter

> has a lot of awards and is pricey in the evening,

> but does a reasonably priced (roughly ?25-30)

> lunch which will leave you fit to explode with

> food.

>

> Definitely recommend the latter if you want to see

> what amazing Indian food tastes like, and couldnt

> be further from the starchy tablecloth if you

> tried.

Ganapati takeout is in Maxted Rd.

[DulwichFox]

Michael Palaeologus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I liked Swadesh but when the zero alcohol policy

> came in, I lost interest. Jaflong does it by

> welcoming BYOB and that seems to work well.

>

Xoco have an interesting take and very good take

on Indian food, it would be good to see more

people in there.

>

> Interesting to see who takes the Swadesh spot. The

> active trading area of the Lane has steadily moved

> southwards with the cinema, ice cream shop,

> restaurants opening up. Could be a more promising

> spot than it was a few years ago.

Come on Mr. P. keep up..Xoco is no more.. Gone..

Foxy

[Seabag]

Hoppers in Soho is fun. Bone marrow masala is good.

Srilankan inspired.

[jimlad48]

Maxted road / bellenden road, its about 10m difference and right on the junction so same difference really for me- i always call it Bellenden Road. I shall now hold my head in shame :-)