Curry Club - Thursday 7 March 2019 - venue TBC

[Strawbs]

Wooohooo thank you xxx

[Mick Mac]

Concur on MP's points on GP. Personally I find it uncomfortable and the food basic. The drink is really overpriced too. Unusually for an Indian restaurant the meat is on the bone and therefore cheaper to buy in.

It is ok. I don't understand why it does so well. And it was quite busy given it was a Tuesday.

It sells a litre bottle of beer for, wait for it ?10. That is about ?5.50 a pint...

Really top company though. Roll on February.

[Jeremy]

The Ganapati backlash begins! Not been there in a while, but my experience tallies with yours - quite a lot of money for OK, rustic home-cooking style food. I think it's popular because of the promise of authenticity, which in turn allows them to charge high prices.

[StraferJack]

It's not cheap compared to the more common cury houses but compared to any other restaurant type food it's on a par price-wise

And I always put that down to the fact that, unlike most of the LL curry houses, they don't have 20 staff living upstairs and earning pennies, rather than any promise of authenticity?

[Michael Palaeologus]

Which of the LL restaurants have staff living upstairs and how do we know that the Ganapati staff dont live upstairs themselves?

I have no problems with them differentiating themselves from the rest of the local curry restaurants. However they sell same-same popadoms at close to ?4 a portion (carefully broken up and piled high) and their ingredients are the same as any other curry house. Their rent must be lower and they probably pay minimum wage. I am suggesting that overall, their overheads are on a par with any other curry restaurant.

There is a conceipt in selling authentic street/cafe food in frankly uncomfortable surroundings at a higher price than is nescessary to generate a reasonable margin. People go because it is different. I would go again but probably not for a year or so. People also go because they cant be bothered to walk to the Lane on a cold and wet Tuesday evening.

I think local competition in Bellenden would make a difference. ED Indian/Bangladeshi Restauranteurs are you listening?

[StraferJack]

20 staff? Possible exaggeration for effect on my part there

But I have bumped into staff from some of the LL lane restaurants in the past (in the video shop) and when I asked how come they all came to the shop together they said it was because they all lived above the restaurant and had nothing else to do

So I was only being semi-serious ? but look it, many of the restaurants have an inordinate number of staff serving a very small space, and for food that doesn?t cost very much. Something must account for that

As for same ingredients? Not sure most curry houses are that fussed about where the chicken comes from and Ganapti does appear to promote the more expensive free-range variety. That might be something customers care or don?t about but it is a genuine differentiator

I?m not denying it?s expensive, and possibly over-priced tho? ? just expanding on some reasons why that might be

[georgia]

I agree that Ganapati is overpriced, hence why I didn't go on Tuesday. Went in December and paid ?37. I am up for Swadesh in Feb x

[katie1997]

Unusually for an Indian restaurant the meat is on the bone and therefore cheaper to buy in.

Jeremy and Strafer are right, its very authentic and thats what you are paying for although Chief Bhuna is spot on about lack of competition in that area being a factor.

I wouldn't begin to compare Ganapati to a bog-standard 'British' curry house. Ganapati is authentic to South India where they do mainly eat meat on the bone. I think the ingredients they use are also quite different but then again, how much does a bunch of curry leaves cost? :)

If pushed, I'd say that I do find Ganapati a wee bit pricey but I don't mind paying that once in a while for an authentic South Indian meal if I cannot be bothered to cook it myself...

What I find tends to bump the price up when going with a group to Ganapati is a) the drinks and b) everyone usually wants to try their fantastic desserts too (and lets face it, unless you like frozen lemon sorbet served inside a lemon...you're not gonna order dessert in any of the other places)

Swadesh is my favourite of all the ones on the Lane (although Jaflong gets a huge thumbs up for their friendly, efficient service) so like Georgia, I will be up for going there in Feb too x

PS also, I think a return to the South Indian veggie place on the Lane is in order too if anyone fancies it sometime? (tu)

[Jeremy]

Agreed about desserts - I never understand why the bog-standard places do such terrible desserts. Although checking the Ganapati website, it looks like they've taken gulab jamun off the menu for some reason!!

[katie1997]

They probably ran out of stocks of it after the greedy guts lot that were there on Tuesday eve ;-)

[karter]

Decembers bill was a surprise for all but the food was excellent. Prolly not a curry club regular place i would say (up to the chief that) as the price just mounts up. Jaflong and Swadesh are definitely my faves.

[Laddy Muck]

Oh well, I may as well give my tuppence worth.

Yes, Ganapati is by no means cheap. However, to my mind anyway, it is quite unlike any other Indian restaurant around our parts; and - as some have already pointed out - it is definitely not your standard "curry house". I have found every meal there exquisite. Service has always been absolutely spot on, too.

However, Mr. Pallywotsits' point over competition is an interesting one and, I must admit - as much as I love the place - if another establishment were to spring up locally which served similarly stupendous food at less expense, then I would probably go there instead. As things stand, I don't mind paying Ganapati's food prices purely because I feel I am paying for a unique dining experience. As far as I am aware, the nearest equivalent in terms of dish creativity, taste, presentation, service etc. would be Babur, but that restaurant is a little further away: on Brockley Rise. Having said all of this, I realise this is subjective: i.e. it all boils down to personal taste. Mick Mac is right about the alcoholic drinks being overpriced though: they are that.

Notwithstanding these witterings, I had a fabulous evening at my first Curry Club. The meal was delicious, the service faultless, and the company excellent. So thank you, Mr. Pallywotsits for arranging (and for sparing me the initiation ceremony in respect of no longer being a Curry-Club-Virgin). See you in 2013.

[hibbs]

Yeah yeah, but what were the toilets like? :-)

[Mick Mac]

Shit or piss poor, I can't recall.

[Annette Curtain]

Elephant in Brixton Market.

Very nice for a Saturday lunch.

NETTE

[Laddy Muck]

My word, Nette! The food in the photos looks most appetising. I am now going to have to research that place lol. Is it only open on Saturdays then?

Edited to add: the loos are fine, Hibbsy!

[katie1997]

Toilet(s)? Loo(s)?

I thought there was only one there....

[Michael Palaeologus]

I cant speak to the state of the jakes. I didnt partake. This is very much Hibbs' department and I would not dare to interfere in her business.

I am not sure that the food is quite as superlative as Mucky describes. It is good, one would be disappointed if it were otherwise at these prices. Its not orgasmic. The hygiene is good though. Apparently.

[Mick Mac]

Can you please keep your knife and fork that you have just used for your starter and keep it for your main course. Because we can't be bothered to wash them for you.

No I fuck ing can't.

[legalbeagle]

Well I liked it. I think it's only expensive because of the drinks, which are a bit toppy for me really. Don't begrudge the prices for the very delicious food tho. Knife and fork thing is a bit weird but it's not the worst thing that's ever happened either so, y'know, overall I'd happily go there anytime. I'd just not drink much.

[Mick Mac]

That's a very balanced assessment. For me price is not a big deal either. But its a bit school dinner in terms of comfort which just makes it feel cheap to me. And the knives and forks just reinforces that. The food is good but I would not leave ED for it. Looking forward to Mikes dim sum review tonight though.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Jolly nice Dim Sum and Lucky House last night. BYO booze and great value for money - less than ?10 each.

[legalbeagle]

Oooooh where/when/how is this place?

[Laddy Muck]

Do they serve fried dumplings too? Only, I really don't like the look of the boiled/steamed ones - especially when oval/spherical in shape. Yuk!

[Michael Palaeologus]

They serve fried and steamed dumplings. Its on Bellenden Road, right hand side as you walk from The Victoria toward Ganapati.

Its BYO booze but with no corkage charged.

I love the steamed dumplings, lovely big soft balls; just your thing Mucky.