O perfil de Sanjit Chudha

I’ve read some of the reviews here with frank astonishment – to compare Asha’s to a generic ‘high st’ curry house is to approach this place the wrong way. Wise up.

Real Indian food is not what the standard curry/balti/everything to all people (except Indians) type places serve up. Asha’s makes a perfectly decent attempt at serving real Indian food and does it with style. The flavours were spot on, distinct and enticing with the kitchen displaying professionalism and skill.

We started with a kebab platter and bhel poori – one a North Indian classic the other a Western Indian/Mumbai favourite. We also opted for a Rassam – a South Indian ‘soup’ with a real spice kick. The kebabs were truly ‘melt in the mouth’ with a lovely smoky barbecued flavour mingling with the marinade. The lamb kebabs were delciously spiced and not too hot. Bhel Poori was good as was the Rassam, though both might have benefited from more ‘heat’ – these things are down to personal preference rather than a fault of execution.

Our main course was Bhartha (smoky aubergine mash with ginger and lots of spices), Poori (puffed up fried breads), Bhindi (Okra) and daal. All the dishes were beautifully prepared and flavoured. The smokiness of the aubergine Bhartha was a perfect partner to the slightly sharp daal, The daal’s sharpness and hotness was a perfect foil to the sweetness and crispness of the Bhindi . . . . and the Pooris helped it all down beautifully.

I had a Gin with lime while the other half opted for a traditional G&T, we followed with a Cobra beer during the meal.

Service was marvellous, the food was spot-on, the toilets were pristine. The pricing was justified by the quality – around £70 for two eating well with drinks. What’s not to like?

An interesting business model – Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai and Italian food available from one buffet for a set price. It’s a fun place with a nice vibe, buzzing and busy but relaxed too. I liked it and if in Birmingham again, will look it up. I agree with an earlier reviewer . . . . come to London!

I’d have liked to give Red n Hot four stars, but I couldn’t. Here is why.

Welcome – warm and professional. Menus were offered and drinks orders taken with perfectly pleasant efficiency. Red n Hot is placed in the heart of Birmingham’s Chinatown which, like much of the centre of the city, is dominated by high rise office blocks, flyovers and busy lanes of traffic and bustle.

Food – The starters were delicious. Cucumber with soy, chilli oil and garlic . . . lots of garlic. Delicious and the perfect pairing to the fried fish we had also ordered. The portions were large. The main courses arrived, and the portions were even larger! Szechuan Beef (with chilli, chinese lettuce and oodles of garlic) was lovely, a really warming savoury dish. We also had chicken with peanuts, chilli, basil, ginger and spring onions. A side serving of Chinese lettuce with vinegar provided vegetable fibre. Lots of plain rice was on offer to mop up the delicious sauces. The portions defeated us completely – as the dishes were cleared away we were told that this was the way Red n Hot did things . . . might have been nice to hear that on ordering rather than waste food. No matter, we were happy. This was food you could imagine a few hundred million people happily eating with no ill effects.

Toilets – shocking doesn’t even come close. I’ll spare you the details. There are some sights even hardened Qypers will not want described . . . . an effort at tidying had merely ‘spread’ the problem everywhere, ahem.

The Bill – a healthy £53.50 with drinks (4 bottles of Tsingtao beer). The bill was delivered folded . . . we were asked if we wanted to add a tip . . . “why?”, we asked “it’s in the service charge already isn’t it?” (this we knew having unfolded the bill). A huffy response was all we got and we couldn’t be disposed of fast enough. Come on guys, you already had 10% on top.

The sour note struck by the bill and the unspeakably gross toilets did Red n Hot no favours. A pity, the food is worth going for. I gather Red n Hot has branch in Manchester and one in London too. I’d be interested to compare the London branch with the Brum one.

Disabled access isn’t available. Tables are accessed up several steps as are the aforementioned toilets of shame.

Cafe East is a real treat – Vietnamese food rocks.

I’ll spare you an extensive account of the menu – previous reviews have covered this and made recommendations on what to try. Suffice it to say, you won’t be disappointed. The portions are huge so it might be best to order one starter between two, or opt for a starter each and a ligher main course. Either way, prices are shockingly cheap given the quality and amount of food one gets here.

Cafe East’s popularity is underscored by your having to queue on arrival. It does get very busy here. But service is always good-natured, never clumsy, and there is a general sense of order and cleanliness about this family-run business. Go, you won’t be disappointed; you’ll be delighted you did go.

Deptford Market is a haven for bargain hunters - whether food, antiques and brc-a-brac or household goods - and is open on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

There are three distinct parts to Deptford Market:

Deptford High Street offers market stalls selling food and produce as well as household goods, clothes, jewellery and accessories and is lined with shops of the £1 variety as well as those specialising in Indian, Vietnamese, West African, Chinese, Pakistani, Sri-Lankan, Cambodian and Turkish cuisines - there are at least three bakeries, several butchers and perhaps best of all, the last Goddards Pie Shop to the North of the High Street, beyond the train station, for traditional London fare;
Giffin Square and Douglas Way on the other hand feature everything from fresh fish, to discount designer clothes, shoes, pet products, electronics, plants and unusual gifts with Douglas Way hosting a flea market on Saturdays for antiques, collectibles and unusual second-hand clothes.

This is one of London's last tradional neighbourhood markets. As the area becomes increasingly gentrified - so far - it seems the market remains unaffected. Time will tell. To keep it alive and also to enjoy a sense of London at it's best do visit.

We ate here on a Sunday afternoon, having booked in advance, and were very impressed. Good solid British fare, much locally sourced and of very high quality.

The menu is a a reassuring one-pager. Meat features large on the menu, though liberal vegetarians won't starve. As it was a Sunday we opted for the roast option - two of us chose Beef and the other two Lamb. Drinks were duly ordered and provided, all very pleasant and welcoming.

The food arrived within 10 minutes, which given how busy it was demonstrates solid kitchen management skills. Plates arrived first followed by a large wooden platter containing Lamb and Beef in addition to a selection of vegetables (shredded and al-dente cabbage, roast potatoes, carrot and sweet potato mash, cauliflower cheese, condiments and appropriate sauces). We feel upon the platter with great joy. On seeing that the roast potatoes were disappearing fast we were immediately offered more - gratis. This is a place that enjoys you enjoying the food - how refreshing! The meat, the centrepiece of a high standard meal exceeded expectations of quality . . . . melt in the mouth and flavoursome.

We supped of our fill and enjoyed a further half hour of hospitality with more drinks. Service at each turn was smart and to the point but also approachable and relaxed, in the best way. The bill came to a around £22 each (with drinks) and was worth every penny.

The loos were impeccable, though as these are positioned down some stairs may be problematic for disabled visitors - though generous seating is available on the ground floor level with the pavement and entrance. I gather there is also a weekday lunch menu for around £10 which also majors on quality and features similarly good-natured, welcoming service. The Cowshed was packed when we ate at around 2.30pm. That said, it didn't feel 'busy' or 'crowded' - seating is ample and generous and there is no sense of being part of a herd.

We all loved The Cowshed and will return.

Booking is recommended from Thursday onwards as The Cowshed does get v.busy.

We popped in after a day at Whitstable and en route to London. We were surprised to find a pub in Faversham, the home of Shepherd Neame, not tied to that brewery.

We were pleasantly greeted and served from a wide selection of ales (Harveys, Timothy Taylor, Adnams, Badger, Whitstable, Wells, Fullers, Sharps, Gadds and more!). The fire gently glowed in the fireplace and everyone exuded a sense of wellbeing, especially the various dogs which were (gently) gamboling about. Lunch had clearly satisfied many of the punters present. We weren't in the market for food but perused the menu - impressive without being too fussy, hit the right note.

Loos were clean and functional. Overall ambience was good. The Phoenix Tavern was well lit, without being brassy. Decoration was unfussy yet smart. I'll be back!

A well deserved four stars for Castleton House (bed & breakfast). I'm not a b&b habitué. I prefer hotels, you know what you're getting with a 4/5 star hotel. My prejudice has been challenged by Castleton House and found wanting.

Castleton House gets a 4 star rating from the AA and Enjoy England. It's a well deserved rating and one that is maintained consistently. On arrival we were warmly greeted by Gail Garbutt (the owner). A quick tour of the main areas followed, the dining room and roomy drawing room. Both were furnished in a solidly comfortable and tasteful way. Staying in a b&b can sometimes be challenging as other people's hygiene and taste may differ from one's own - not in this case.

We were given a quick tour of our room - a spotless, twin bedded room with a large en-suite bathroom, fridge and tea and cofee-making facilities. Once we had the room to ourselves I checked under the beds for cleanliness - spotless. Ditto the bathroom in every conceivable nook and cranny - spotless again. The fridge was clean and stocked with a complementary bottle of wine and good local beer. The beds were made-up with crisp, clean linens and there was an additional stock, plus clean blankets and towels if we needed them.

The next morning saw us treated to a (pre-ordered) breakfast of wonderful quality. Cooked breakfasts, continental breakfasts and special dishes like kippers, scrambled eggs or the like were proffered swiftly on good china. Much of the produce served at breakfast was locally sourced. The honey was not only delicious but gathered by Gail and her husband from their own hives (in case bees put you off visiting - these are 4 miles away!). Excellent tea and coffee was also on hand and topped up with minimum fuss. The whole experience was just lovely. Gail served us throughout our stay and was chatty, welcoming and helpful, but never intrusive.

We really could not have asked for more. I thoroughly recommend Castleton House either for a short stay (perhaps a stop-off) or ideally, as a base for a few days walking or cycling in the surrounding countryside. Stourhead is not far away and there are many private estates nearby offering excellent walking, cycling and riding paths and facilities. Try it, you've nothing to lose and everything to enjoy.