Calcutta Brasserie Review – February 2017

Six curry clubbers met at The George at 19:30. Always a popular starting point for its beer to satisfy all tastes and general pubiness.

Table at the Calcutta Brasserie for 20:30 and we were shown straight to our table. The restaurant was probably 2/3 full, which is pretty good for a big venue.

Traditional start of one plain/ one spicy poppadum each – the freshness, crispiness and lack of oiliness was commented on. A range of starters was ordered – I chose the Zafrani Murgh Tikka, which was very well cooked, and followed it with Laal Maas, a plain naan and shared  vegetable dishes. I went for the Laal Maas because it is a favourite from other restaurants, despite being warned by the waiter that it was hot (3 chillies marked on the menu). It was very tasty but it was not hot – and I don’t eat very hot curries.

If there was one overriding message from the evening, it was that everything was fine, but you might expect something special, given that the CB is  a ‘classier’ venue than some. The service was very good, the (Gents) toilets were poor. One urinal in place that size would benefit from some maintenance during the evening. I’m glad I had boots on.

Would I go again, yes, maybe with the family for somewhere different. But for food alone, no.

Judge Balti

Summary – Dropped down the table a little, competitors have improved and overtaken them. Food different from the norm and generally good.

Common Curry – The most expensive in town.

Certificate – *** Three star awarded

Web site – http://www.calcuttabrasserie.co.uk/

Other Comments

Positive:

• Very good service, pleasant waiter
• Excellent King prawn puri
• Dosa starter, large portion
• Side dishes very good, tasty saag aloo
• Laal Maas, tender meat
• Kori Gassi, generous chicken and tasty
• Talli Kekra (crab) small whole crab, all of it edible which made it easy to eat

Negative:

• Toilets are poorly maintained
• Murgh Tikka starter, small and dry chicken
• Dosa starter, too much like a regular pancake
• Talli Kekra (crab) three different tastes going on – too many
• Keema naan was poor, filled with small pieces of mince and tasteless
• Chicken Chettinad, overcooked
• Laal Maas not very hot
• Garlic rice, hard, inedible pieces of garlic, annoying