Sheesh Mahal Quickie

Much has been written regarding the quality of the Sheesh Mahal dining experience, so I shan't go into too much detail again here.  But... essentially..., our early lunch time visit was greeted by an initially empty restaurant, which soon began to fill as peoples bellies began to rumble.  The usual quick and friendly service was in evidence, as was the complimentary popadons and pickle to nibble on whilst deciding.  So what to have?  The Methie is one of my Bradford Curry highlights, but to day felt like a Pathia day...

Pathia - A hot and sour dish cooked using fresh chilli, lemon juice (sic).  Well, it was indeed just that - I went for the mutton variety. The Pathia was super dry in the Sheesh Mahal, and Bradford, way, and deconstructed in appearance, with the major elements visible.  It was a substantially hearty portion, dense with meat -  cut small - with barely any evidence of sauce at all!  The saucy aspect was so minimal that even browned markings on the meat from the fast and hot cooking process were noticeable.  The meat on this occasion was perhaps a little tough but packed, infused even, with the sour lemon juicy zingy hit.  It packed a punch too, with plenty of heat, but not uncomfortably so.  The dish was perfectly seasoned and had added vibrancy from fresh coriander.  It was a great dish.

Sheesh Mahal

Having recently decided to re-visit some of my favourite Bradford Curry Houses, and some of my favourite dishes, a trip to the Sheesh Mahal for their Mutton Methie (sic), was a must.  The Sheesh Mahal produce an excellent and text book Bradford Curry, which is essentially dark and dry. No soupy curries here.

Methi, or fenugreek as it's perhaps more commonly known, is essentially just a bitter herb, and is famed not only for it's taste, but also for medicinal uses.  The Sheesh utilise methi to the max in their Methie dishes and, like all great dishes, it's the flavour and textural balances that I think are key.  The Mutton Methie is always well seasoned and spiced.  The methi herb adds a unique and pleasant bitterness and, therefore, a flavour profile unlike other curries.  The bitterness is subtle, however, and moreish if anything.  I always think there is a sort of 'dusty' taste to the methi also.

The Excellent Mutton Metie, Two Rotis, pickles, side salad and popadom for £6.50

Also, as already mentioned is the texture of the Sheesh Mahal's curry is key to its enjoyment for me.  Being of the typically Bradfordian dry variety, it stays put in the bowl, and does not seep or ooze.  It is ideal when scooping with the included chappatis, rotis or naan.    

As always at the Sheesh Mahal, a small accompaniment of a popadon, side salad and pickles are included and brought with the menus.  So its an all-round proper Bradford Curry eating experience and all for super value for money (all the above for £6.50!) - and that's why the Sheesh rates highly with me. 

Satisfied Customer

Sheesh Mahal - Bradford

As my recent Blogs account, actual, real, Bradford Curry has been a bit thin on the ground for me lately - and I am The Bradford Curry Blogger??  This seriously needed addressing so,  with a hunger for some serious Bradford Curry action, I recruited the long suffering Big Tone and made a date at the excellent Sheesh Mahal.

With much excitement, I opted for the Mutton Dhansak - a dish I regarded as 'the best Dhansak I'd ever had' (here) - was teamed with rotis.  Big Tone went for Mutton Rogan Josh with chapattis (bread is included as is with many places in Bradford).  We shared Onion Bhajis.

A couple of complimentary poppadoms with some yogurt sauce and lime pickle soon arrived with a jug of water.  The Onion Bhajis soon followed.  Now, Sheesh Mahals Onion Bhajis are not my favorite version served in Bradford, but they are still good.  More thin and crispy batter coating quite large chunks of onion.  They are quite plain tasting to be honest but good textually, and when accompanied with the included pickles make for a good starter.

To the Dhansak - supposedly the 'best I have ever tasted'... but not today I'm afraid to say.  a bit bland on this occasion.  Still thick with plenty of meat, but lacked a touch of seasoning and heat, but was sweet.  Just lacked a bit of balance.  It leached a little oil too, witch is unusual for the mighty Sheesh??  Just a little off day for some reason?

Big Tones Rogan Josh was proper Sheesh Mahal fodder and seemed very tasty from the little I sampled.  So not all was lost.  Still a very very good curry eating experience.

St. Patrick's Curry - Sheesh Mahal

Box Fresh Trainers and Rain!  Aarrrggh!

Bradford Irish Center

Now, I'm not Irish, or religious and, to be honest, I don't really know who St. Patrick is/was!  Apart from he was a Saint - what ever one of those is?  Nor, to be totally brutally honest, do I really care!  However, he does seem to like to throw a good party.  

For a good number of years now we have always, in some capacity or another, gone out for a good number of drinks on St. Patrick's Day.  Searching out the 'craic', the best Guinness, and the folk music has become a tradition in this household.  This year St. Pat's fell on a Sunday - a school night - and not ideal.  After intense negotiations with Mrs Bradford Curry Blogger, it was 'decided' we - meaning my Dad 'Big Tone' and me - would celebrate Paddy's Day the day before!  Madness!

Also, this year saw a deviation from the usual raucous shenanigan's in favor of a leisurely gallon or so of the  'black stuff' at the Bradford Irish Center - reputed to serve the best Guinness in town... followed by a curry.  Conveniently the Bradford Irish Center is directly behind the Sheesh Mahal - a coincidence?   No.  This match made in heaven was engineered from the start.

The Remains of my Methi

A mucky night ensued as we alighted the train at Forster Square.  Being dry all day and, indeed, further up the valley when we set off, I'd opted to wear my new, yet to be worn, Christmas present trainers!  Big mistake.  I could almost feel the dirt being sucked up my boot cuts and transferring to the shiny shoes.  It was upsetting me, and I was glad to fall through the doors of the Irish Center.  Troons tucked into socks, to halt anymore necessary damage, the Guinness began to flow.

Pondering Perfection

The Bradford Irish Center itself was pretty large, and comprised a section with snooker tables, another section which was more like a function come dancing room, and a third, where we sat, more your traditional bar area.  There may have been more, but we didn't venture.  This being St. Pat's eve so to speak, the place was a touch quiet, but did slowly fill up during our short stay.  Traditional tunes were spun by a DJ in the next room, and a general air of relaxed 'craic' wafted about the club.  Old, young and family's were all present, and the Guinness was indeed good.  Smooth, bitter and irony.  Nice.  The Bradford Irish Center will be added to our pub crawl that's for sure.

Chicken Jalfrazi

Onto the Sheesh.  We've been there a lot recently - because it's been that good recently - and tonight was no exception.  Busy as usual, we were sat and immediately had popadoms, pickles and menus placed before.  We opted to skip starters and concentrate on the mains.  I selected my usual Lamb Methi and BT Chicken Jalfrazi.  With Rotis and Chappatis respectively.  What we received was as near to perfection as I can imagine ever receiving.  The crisp aroma offered by the fenugreek (the methi) is intoxicating, and the texture of uber dry textbook Bradford Curry is basically what we are all here reading/writing this page for.  The Jalfrazi was equally bone dry and was supplemented with egg and garden peas.  It tasted slightly sweeter and milder, when compared to my Methi, and was remarked as being excellent.

Sheesh Mahal really are on top of their game at the moment.

THE Best Lamb Dhansak I have Ever Eaten....

Yes it is true - quite simply THE best Dhansak I'd ever eaten - this Curry Blogger had an epiphany!

Me on the train

I do like a Dhansak it has to be said.  The generally thick, often gloopy, sauce, created by the dahl, is most agreeable to me, and the sweet and sour accents are a delight.  It was not a surprise that I liked it but...

Here at the Shesh Mahal, the Dhansak was a little different.  Yes the lentils were there, and yes the sweet and sour aspect was there.  However, no gloopyness.  The trade mark bone dry Bradford Curry was much in evidence, with the dahl providing more of a speckled effect within the dry clingy sauce, and offering more bite also.  The seemingly favoured, and welcomed, Sheesh Mahal sourness - evident in many of their curries - was obvious on initial samplings also.  

Me on the street

Then...  BANG!  Little bombs of pineapple sweetness began exploding in my mouth.  Next mouthful... sour meaty lentil curry... Next mouthful  BANG!  And so on.  It appeared here what Sheesh Mahal had achieved, by creating this dry Bradford masterpiece, and avoiding the traditional homogeneous lentil swamp with meat floating in it, was a dish full of surprises.  Hats Off.

And to think, I nearly turned down this curry eating trip!  I would have been mad to do so.

The famous Hector Curry Heute was in town at the Bradford Beer Festival, and had contacted me a couple of days prior to say so.  A date and time was set... Friday at Midnight!  Now, as you, my dear readers, are likely to know, I have a baby daughter.  And as many of you, my dear readers, who may also have baby daughters, will know, a  midnight curry - or midnight anything - is essentially a no no!  These days, little past 9pm ever happens!

Complimentary Starter - Lucky Boys!

Just as I was leaving for the last train into Bradford, the Mrs bided me a fond goodnight with a sly smile and sarcastic "enjoy your curry."  Yes the temptations to slope off to bed with fruit tea, a bag of Mini Eggs and Sky+ was very tempting.

However, a date is a date.

Hector Curry Heute had a 'special' - he doesn't even have to look at the menu!  His account can be read here.  What was brought was a lamb on the bone and spiniach.  I heard no complaints as the bones were relieved of their meat and deposited on a side plate with a resounding clank! 

A great night was had

Hector Curry Heute with curry

Sheesh Mahal Christmas Special

The perks of mixing with the top brass curry eating gliterati - Hector Curry Heute and entourage - are many, and here, during this Christmas time visit to the Sheesh Mahal,  the full blown Sheesh Mahal experience was experienced.  An experience not to be missed.  More of this.... er, experience, lower down.

Hector had been in Yorkshire for a few days already - mainly over Huddersfield way - for New Year, and had already squeezed several Bradford Currry's in (Sheesh and International I think) prior to our arranged lunch time visit.  This guy is seriously dedicated, and I highly recommend checking out his website for all things curry.

Mutton Patia

On arrival, the Sheesh was all shut up?  Contrary to the recent new(ish) 11:30am opening time, this seemed slightly puzzling.  Thankfully, just as we were stood outside formulating a plan B, the staff came jogging round the corner.  Unnecessary apologies for their slight lateness were ushered away, and we ventured inside.

All the usual high standard Sheesh customer service was in evidence, with complimentary poppadoms and pickles, and also the willingness to to prepare dishes off the cuff.  Fish seemed the order of the day amongst a couple of our dining party and, although not strictly offered as an option on the menu, the request was greeted with a 'you only need to ask' expression.  I should perhaps mention here that the Sheesh had unfortunately had a break in overnight, and some of the staff were slightly preoccupied.  Understandable, and in no way effected the service we received.

I decided to try something different from the menu this time, rather than my staple, and gorgeous Methie, and selected a Mutton Pathia.  All our dishes arrived in good time and, as usual, I was not disappointed.  My Pathia was, in all fairness, fairly similar in both appearance and taste to my usual Methie.  It was dark and dry, and flecked with green herbs.  The taste was in the same ball park too, but, as per the menu description, a tad sourer, and also hotter.  All the hallmark Bradford Curry tastes were there, and I felt refreshed post meal from the pummeling my taste buds had received.  With two fresh, soft and crispy at the same time, rotis, ample food was ordered.

Kashmiri Tea

Then the promise of something special - a 'dish of the day' so to speak, was offered to the table.  We had to guess the food!  Not too adventurous me, at the best of times, I was a little nervous, but the dish duly arrived.  I shirked at first, and after hearing from the more gung-ho, that the the dish was in fact tripe, I continued my shirk!  Chicken drumsticks and a partha were brought too - all on the house - and these were very good, but I could not bring myself to try tripe!

All this was finished off with Kashmiri Tea and a small plate of sweets!  I'd never had Kashmiri Tea before, and I am well and truly hooked.  It was lovely.  Slightly pink, delicately spiced, sweet and warm.  Very good.

All this for about £7pp!  You just couldn't make it up!

Wet, cold and miserabl!

But not in the Sheesh Mahal.

Just getting a warm after being soaked to the skin on site, and what better place is there to get my warm but in the Sheesh?

Sheek kebab, lamb methe and rotis. All done to a tee. Magnificent.

The Sheesh Mahal Study Continues...

Right then.  The study of the Sheesh Mahal's Lamb Methi rumbles on.  Another opportunity to sample this splendid dish presented itself just the other day, and was an opportunity not to be turned down. The Sheesh's new early opening times now allows such indulgence with ease.

Being hungry, I thought I would treat myself to a starter - onion bhaji.  It was a fair old portion, and, being a lone diner, with no one to help out, I rather wished I hadn't ordered it!  However, for me at least, the portion size was the only notable attribute to the dish!  Yes readers, I think I may have found a chink in Sheesh Mahal's armor.  Their onion bhaji was not exactly to my taste, to be honest, and comprised large slithers of onion coated in a flimsy, brittle batter.  The batter tended to fall from the onion if handled too vigorously.  However, this did not stop me from eating the whole lot!

On the other hand, the Methi was, without question, another lesson in perfection.  A little more open textured than the super heavy version served on my last visit.  Here, it was possible to identify herbs, veg, etc  within the sauce.  Still thick and sumptuous, it was a delight.

So, another successful Sheesh Mahal visit done and dusted.  No one would ever accuse me of being stuck in a rut!

Sheesh Mahal

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

The Sheesh Mahal is now open from 11:30am daily.  Well, I presume daily?  Top draw.

Not being one to turn down a curry lunch, and on hearing the news of the Sheesh's new opening times, I just had to pop in at my earliest opportunity.

I'm glad I did dear readers.  Because, what I experienced was as near to perfection as I ever thought possible.  From the off, service was excellent, with the complimentary poppadon, pickle and mint sauce.  And even though there was a table taken with a party of approximately 20 people, all receiving their dishes, prompt service was still on the cards for this diner.

My Lamb Methi was verging on perfection.  A little different to the dish I was served late the other night, and was super dry dark and rich.  There was little to see in the dish except the thick sauce clinging the abundant meet.  I opted for the 2 roti's - either 1 naan, 2 rotis or 3 chapatti's are served with each main - and they were not only huge, but also fresh and fluffy.  I was stuffed after this little lot.

I can't wait for my next visit.

Sheesh Mahal

Refurbished Exterior

Location

Sheesh Mahal

6 St. Thomass Road,

Bradford,

BD1 2RW

Tel: 01274 723 999

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheesh-Mahal-Restaurant/101728176557834

Time

11^th August 2012 @ ~21:00

Attendees

Lynda and John (me)

Pre-Curry Watering Holes

 

Tonight, apart from the odd boy racer parked on a side street… banging out distorted happy hardcore from a cheap car stereo… Bradford was a ghost town, and, therefore, the Sparrow Bier Café was a welcome oasis of civilization.  Chapeau to the Sparrow boys, who have pounced on the gap in the Bradford market, and are now providing a sophisticated watering hole to the more discerning Bradford punter. Having said that, although in an Aladdin’s Cave of artisan beers, we still opted for a bottle of the cheapest plonk?  No matter, I’m no connoisseur of alcohol – just like to get tipsy! 

Moving on, we went to the adjacent to the Sheesh Mahal New Beehive.  I’ve never wondered what ever happened to the Old Beehive… perhaps I should?  It’s the kind of place I kind of love, but only from a kind of few visits! It’s been mentioned in the past that it seems a little like a brothel!  Now, I’m not about to go down that road, but I see a fantastic old Yorkshire pub with an actual drinking corridor.  A rarely found these days Yorkshire tradition, so I understand. 

Expectations

My expectations couldn’t be higher.  My Glaswegian friend – Hector Curry Heute – is the man whose opinion I value greatly, and a man to look to when considering curry… literally anywhere… and he is a massive champion of Bradford Curry.  Basically, Sheesh Mahal is his fave – and has been for some time.  So, if Hector Curry Heute says it’s good… it’s good.

The Reality

Lynda considers the mixed grill

When we arrived, the restaurant was pretty busy, and was generally bustling.  Poppadom’s, mint sauce, and an excellently fiery lime pickle were plonked on our table with the menus.  Always a nice touch – something to nibble on whilst selecting ones curry.

Mixed grill – obviously, and the Lamb Methi were my choices.  Lynda went for the Lamb (on the bone) Balti.

In no time at all, our mountainous, sizzling, virtually frothing at the mouth starter arrived.  It had a good selection, which included lamb chops, chicken drumsticks, kebabs, tikka and fish masala.  The sizzler was excellent, with some seriously full flavours.

My Lamb Methi was quite literally Bradford on a Plate.  The thick curry was more or less solid meat, cubed small, with the thick masala clinging to it.  The curry did not ooze or move about on the plate.  No, it sat there in the middle of and white bowl, and left nothing but a brown streak as it steadily maneuvered into my mouth.  It was great.

The Lamb on the bone Balti also tasted great – perhaps slightly better - and again was heavy on the meat, and this time was laced with ginger.

The new face lifted restaurant is now very swish, with dark wood and leatherette.  The staff were also friendly and efficient.  All in all a very good meal.

Drinks Policy and range

Sheesh Mahal is totally dry.  But the New Beehive is adjacent, and there is no place better to enjoy a few pints.

Lamb Methi

Highlights

Although the mixed sizzler was very good, it was the Lamb Methi that was the highlight for me.  Typically Bradfordian in every way – dark, rich and dry, more like meat with a clinging smear of sauce!  If you looked up Bradford Curry in the dictionary, a picture of the Sheesh’s Lamb Methi would be the only description needed.  I also really liked Lynda’s Lamb Balti (on the bone).  Both dishes were top draw to me.

Lowlights

Lynda found her Lamb on the Bone Balti a touch oily, but I thought it was just an aspect of the dish, and did not detract from its wonderfulness in any way for me.  Basically it was a man’s curry!  But apart from that everything was amazing.

The Damage

About £12:50pp.  As with most places in Bradford, the Sheesh offered fantastic value for money.

Aftershock

With full tummies after the meal, we became rather lethargic, and jumped on a slightly earlier train home, and relieved the babysitter.

Overall

Well I can’t believe I have never visited the Sheesh Mahal before.  It is the kind of place I set my stall out to discover.   I wished I’d visited before the facelift, in order to be able to compare and contrast but never mind.  I will certainly be visiting the Sheesh more often from now on.