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Oct 10, 2000 10:28 AM

Simon and Howler...Back into the ring!!

  • z

Maria has succeeded in defusing the fued between Howler and Simon. While I am enjoying (and learning from) the current discussion, I must confess to missing the animosity-filled (and wonderfully entertaining and informative) posts between Simon and Howler. C'mon guys, get the gloves back on!

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  1. s
    Simon Majumdar

    Now you remind me of the small boy at school who would always try to stir up a fight between two bigger boys and then sit back and watch.

    The fact that Howler and I have differences of opinions about things ( like me knowing that London is God's own country and if they ever give the World an enema, they are going to shove the tube right around 57th St!!!) doesn't mean that there is any animosity.

    Still the next time there is a difference of opinion about something important like the spelling of Beigel/Bagel, I am sure normal service will be resumed

    13 Replies
    1. re: Simon Majumdar

      'if they ever give the World an enema, they are going to shove the tube right around 57th St'

      the actual designated site is in new jersey. by the way, i ate at india club yesterday ... pretty good! i can't believe i ordered dosa the first time i went there. this time, the chicken dopiaza was fresh and the kheema was correctly spiced. small miracle.

      1. re: howler
        Simon Majumdar

        have you tried the bhajia there?

        The chillie ones are sensational. Small freshly prepared and fiery

        I don' think that it is just the food that makes this a special place. I think it is the ex-pat atmosphere and the bar downstairs run by aging hungarian women and the fact that they alays get me a table no matter how packed.

        glad you enjoyed

        1. re: Simon Majumdar

          missed the bhajia at india club, alas. but i'll try them next time, the place is very close to work.

          cafe spice namaste in prescott lane SUCKED. pretty room and all that, but their dhansaak was only faintly remniscent of the real thing. i think they are skipping on the number of daals; also, real dhansaak has aubergines in it. they did make a reasonable chicken tikka kabab, but you can get those anywhere.

          where can i get real parsi food? i know bombay brasserie makes some, but i'm sure it's out of a cook book.

          1. re: howler
            Simon Majumdar

            I could have told you about Cafe Spice Namaste. It ( as Bart Simpson puts it ) breaks the laws of physics in that it both sucks and blows. The spicing is seems to be done with all the gentle touch of Jaws from the Bond films.

            Parsi food is never something I knowingly seek out ( am I really missing that much? ) More something I endure at visits to friends of that persuasion. I would avoid the Bombay Brasserie, overpriced trash for tourists who deserve no better.

            There is a sensational if decidedly low at heel Nepalese place just by Euston station on Eversholt St.
            It is called unpromisingly, The Great Nepalese Tandoori, but is much better that its name and red light district surroundings would make one imagine. They do the usual "curry house crud" but they also have a long list of well prepared Nepalese dishes; Black Dahl, Aloo Bodi Tama(sp?) which is like nothing else I have ever tried, a sort of potato and bamoo shoot salad

            Moving away from Indian. I tried a wonderful North African place called Tajine on Dorset St in Marylebone. Well worth trying and so much better than the much hyped Momo.

            Finally, while in Rome etc, have you tried any London specialities? Jellied eels, Pie and Mash served with a gravy made out of the juices of the eels. Pie and Mash shops are dotted all over the east end of London ( There is a very good one called Manzi's on Exmouth market near Islington ) apart from good cheap food, all human life can be found there.

            1. re: Simon Majumdar

              "Parsi food is never something I knowingly seek out ( am I really missing that much? )"

              indeed you are. parsi food is PHENOMENAL, perhaps one of india's best. it comes at you from a very, very different direction than other north/mid indian food and it feels at times as much inspired by goa as by native iran.

              what the cuisine can't handle very well are vegetables, but thats a different story. if you do have parsi friends who can cook, beg for prawn patia, mutton dhansaak, kitchri kheema.

              thanks for the tip on the nepali - that is something you don't find new york. i'll check it out shortly.

              did you ever make it to mohsen? try the chello kabab.

              1. re: Simon Majumdar

                You guys make me want to jump on a plane TOMORROW to try some of this stuff (not that I ever need much of an excuse to return to London)! Thanks for all the great posts (and humor).

              2. re: howler

                Sorry for the poor recommendation. I guess you can't judge a restaurant by its (book) cover. BTW, you probably wouldn't be amused by their dhansak, it only lists "yellow lentil", although it does have the aubergine along with pumpkin and methi .

              3. re: Simon Majumdar

                Pardon me if I'm being like REALLY ignorant, but I thought bhajia was the name for an ultra slow-cooked Pakistani stew (in fact, alu bhajia is my favorite Pakistani dish).

                Is this a different thing?

                1. re: Jim Leff
                  Simon Majumdar


                  Sometimes these are called Bhaji's but they are quite different from the Pakastani stew which is sublime, I have to admit.

                  These are small slivers of any vegetable ( usually, Ladys finger, Onion and Chilli. Covered in a batter of Chickpea flour and deep fried. They are commonly served here with a dip of coconut and Kalonji.

                  Very easy to make but The ones at The India club are my faves

                  1. re: Simon Majumdar

                    how are they different from pakora?

                    also, "ladys finger" is Brit for okra, right?

                    1. re: Jim Leff
                      Simon Majumdar

                      They are similar. Pakora are more like tempura in texture but bhajia have a more solid coating in the same way good fish ( as in fish and chips) does

                      The only place I have seen similar in NY apart from relatives cooking, is once at the Jackson Diner and once on a street market on Amsterdam where a poor guy was cooking them to little or no interest but a cone of them for $2.00 kept me going for the afternoon.

                      In the UK they tend to be over spiced cricket ball sized lumps of shredded onion and can be quite foul but next time in the UK, try them at the India Club

                      Right on the Okra. It is a Days of the raj term


                      1. re: Simon Majumdar

                        "Right on the Okra. It is a Days of the raj term"

                        "Lady" must have some awfully slimy fingers, no?

                        Jackson Diner's a pale, pale shadow of what it once was, alas. It was actually the first place I ever reviewed (way back in '88), though I must admit I'm kind of sorry I did!

                        1. re: Simon Majumdar

                          the best bhajias in the world are, natch, potato bhajias. you douse them in tomato ketchup (of late, chili garlic sauce) for a little bit of heaven.