Sometimes you can't beat going for a nice authentic curry. It's all good and well getting a takeaway now and again, but going to a restaurant and taking in the sights and the smells too really adds to the overall effect.
I went with some of the family to Akbar's in Newcastle. (Who just so happen to be the winners of the Asian Curry Awards 2015.) I've been once before, last year and it was probably one of the best curries I've ever had. I'm by no means a curry connoisseur, my specialty reaches no further than a chicken tikka masala (which was my favourite dish) Now I'm laying off the meat though, I was curious to see how well I would get on.
Akbar's have a chain of restaurants in Bradford, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham to name but a few. The one they have in Newcastle is massive.
It's a classic black and white palette with lots of opulent metal tones thrown in throughout. They have huge gilded mirrors making the already grand space seem even bigger. Tapestries and ornaments add to the charm. It's just nicely decorated is what I'm saying. It's posh and elegant, but you don't feel like you have to be any of those things to go and enjoy their amazing grub.
We went quite early on and I managed to get a picture of the place. Half an hour later and there wasn't a spare seat. Definitely a sign of a good restaurant.
We started off with popadoms and dips.
You could tell they were freshly cooked. They had a nice crunch to them and paired up with a bit of mango chutney or some cool yogurt sauce, they really hit the spot.
My mam and I tend to share dishes, just so we can try as many new things as possible, plus we don't always know what we're going to like. (A bit like everyone I guess.)
We went for:
Starters:
paneer tikka
mushroom and potato pori
mains:
balti mushroom paneer
vegetable makhani
pilau rice
garlic naan
The starters alone were incredible. The paneer tikka is Indian cheese dipped in a spicy batter and fried. I've never tried it before and it is so tasty. I'll admit I took a huge bite not realising how spicy it would be. It was probably nothing to someone else, but I just can't get away with any kind of spice basically. I tasted a bit meaty and filling which was great. We kept the dips from the popadoms so that sorted me out.
The vegetables from the other starter mixed in with the sauce and salad on the poori bread was also a winning combination. The herbs and spices really help. I mean I love the coriander, its so strong tasting.
The mains were amazing too. We got mild as like I said, spicy food is a no go. We had the Indian cheese again and it was perfect. Not spicy in the slightest.
The real winner was the vegetable makhani though. Oh my god, I wasn't expecting it to tastes like it did. It was very sweet, almost like coconut and just so mild and creamy. It reminded me of a tikka sauce but just oh so much better. Mixed in with a bit of pilau and a good portion of garlic naan (we got the family sized one. It was probably meant for a family of six not three though.) it was beautiful.
Akbar's is definitely one to check out if you like Indian cuisine. They have an extensive menu with a whole section for vegetable dishes. They have lots of desserts too. I've never had an Indian dessert, but I can't wait to go back and try one. Did I mention they scatter rose petals on the table for you too?
The meal came in just shy of £60 for the three of us. We had so much food and it was all so tasty. It was definitely worth the price tag.
Have any of you been to Akbar's before?
