Indian Tiffin Room - decent street food

ITR on First Street, Manchester

Outside of Manchester's Curry Mile there have been a couple of attempts to lift Indian/Desi street food up a notch by transplanting it to a swanky city centre location, use of rustic cutlery and that bold promise to deliver "authenticity".

Sadly I've been disappointed and let down twice.

First there was Scene Dining - the less said the better, you can read my previous review.

Secondly there was Mowgli, which offered some glimmer of hope but still left me wanting more.

It's a case of third time lucky as I've finally found what I've been looking for, Indian Tiffin Room or ITR on First Street near Deansgate Locks.

I am however late to the party as ITR has been trading for several years now in Cheadle just a stone's throw from my house, yet I've never visited. That's because their small premises has always been jam packed and a reservation, made weeks in advance, is essential if you want to eat at a sensible time. Having finally got round to trying their food, I can now see what the fuss is about and why it's always packed.

From the moment we sat down and were served a 'grazing platter' amuse bouche of Dahi Puri and Paani Puri (aka Gol Gappay) - hollowed out pastry puffs with a sweet and sour filling of chickpeas, yoghurt, tamarind and spices - I knew we were in for a treat.

Some of our party, whilst familiar with Indian food, had never come across these little morsels. After a quick tutorial that the entire Puri should be placed in the mouth as opposed to taking a small bite the apprehensive facial expressions soon gave way to looks of surprise and amazement followed by an expression of "oh wow!"

The flavour combo was bang on, cool yoghurt followed by fiery heat which was then extinguished by the sweet and sour tamarind. My only negative comment is that I had to share these with my group,  I could have easily mopped up the lot on my own. I didn't even have time to take snap!

Goat Keema Pav

For starters I had the Goat Keema Pav, based on that popular Mumbai Street Snack Pav Bhaji which is usually a vegetarian currry. The Keema was moist with peas running through it and topped with raw onion for a sharp crunch. It packed a nice punch of heat and was served with buttered and fried bread roll (the Pav) that I used to scoop up the beautiful Keema. I could have maybe done with an extra Pav, I didn't ask for one, and instead finished off the remaining Keema with a spoon. An excellent starter to whet my appetite.

Masala Dosa

The Mrs had the Masala Dosa, which despite it's gargantuan size was beautifully delicate and flaky and filled with a spicy potato masala filling served with an accompaniment of chutneys some sweet, some hot and some tangy. Sadly there aren't enough places in Manchester serving this South Indian staple and it's a real shame, thankfully ITR not only serves Masala Dosa but also other varieties such as Rava Dosa, which I plan on trying as I make my way through their menu on future visits.

Keralan Fish Curry and Rice

Lamb Kashmiri with Garlic Naan

For mains we had the Keralan Fish Curry and Lamb Kashmiri both of which were very pleasant and mild, but not bland, so should be suitable for the less adventurous. I'm not sure what type of fish was used but it wasn't very strong and flaked away beautifully and not mushy which is how some places tend to serve a fish curry. Others in our group who had the Biryani however, raved about it and said it registered much higher on the Scoville scale i.e. hot! On reflection I too should have gone for something hotter however was quite content with my fish curry.

Some of the mains that I've noted for my future visits are Dhaba Style Chicken and Lamb Nalli Nihari. Dishoom in London also serve the latter so it will be good to see how the ITR offering compares.

Real Desi Lassi

We washed down our food with a glass of lassi each and thankfully there is only one entry on the menu for lassi, the original one, and there is no sight of that abomination which calls itself mango lassi, which all Desi joints serve religiously yet is not authentic to the region. ITR's lassi is served in a small metal cup dusted with pistachio and is beautifully sweet, perfect for soothing any heat from the food, albeit a bit pricey at £2.50 a cup! I'd have liked a bigger cup.

There is one other type of lassi that I would have liked to have seen on the menu however, the salty variety, as that too is authentic and would be my one plea to the management to consider adding to the menu.

Creamy Kulfi and warm soft Gulab Jamun

Dessert was a hot and cold affair, cool and intensely creamy Kulfi and warm Gulab Jamun draped with warm sticky and sickly sweet sugar syrup. Both were very good although the Gulab Jamun was probably a tad too sweet and rich for me but suited others down to a tee.

For 3 courses we paid just shy of £25 a head which also included two "softails" (mocktails) so it's not the cheapest but the food is very good and I don't mind the premium when I'm getting quality.

Next time I might even just consider ordering a few starters as a main meal, allowing me to sample a bit of everything and this might be a more economical option for others who want to test the waters first.

All in all I've very little negative to say about ITR, and if you're in the city centre and craving some Desi/Indian street food then walk straight past Mowgli and Scene Dining and make your way to Indian Tiffin Room, for the time being this is the undisputed Badshah/Shahenshah/Raja/King of authentic Indian street food in Manchester City Centre.

A taste of Istanbul in Manchester

On a crisp winter's day in Istanbul in November 2010, whilst walking to the magnificent Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet we stopped off for lunch at a local restaurant to sample some traditional Turkish meatballs or Kofte.

Fast forward 6 years and little did I know that I'd be walking into the first European outlet of the same Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi (Historical Sultanahmet Meatballs Restaurant), and on the curry mile no less.

Occupying one half of the now defunct Al-Bilal restaurant, the interior is tastefully decorated with ornate Turkish lamps, exposed brickwork and beams and cafe style furniture. Photographs celebrating their 96 year history adorn the walls including a visit from Barack Obama.

The interior marks a shift from the usual decor found on the curry mile

Going strong since 1920

I know that some people avoid the curry mile like the plague however once you walk through the doors, the ambience inside is a polar opposite of the 'chaos' outside.

The menu is limited to just 3 starters and 5 mains. For me, this is always a positive as it's a promising sign to the diner that the focus will be on quality and not quantity. The staff were very eager to stress that nothing on site is frozen and all items are made fresh, music to my ears.

We didn't opt for any starters but were presented with a complimentary Piyaz or white bean salad dressed in a sharp vinaigrette and earthy olive oil accompanied by lettuce, tomatoes and slivers of red onions. It tasted fresh and had it featured actual Turkish tomatoes as opposed to the anaemic variety we get in the UK then it would have tasted even better. If you've ever eaten fresh tomatoes in Turkey or the Mediterranean then you'll understand where I'm coming from.

Tangy and fresh Piyaz - white bean salad

For mains I went for the headline Kofte, the Mrs had the Grilled Lamb, both with rice and we got grilled chicken for the kids

The main act - the dish that started it all, traditional meatballs with delicious homemade chilli sauce

Grilled chicken

The Kofte tasted exactly like the ones I had back in Istanbul 6 years ago, very finely minced, well seasoned and delicately spiced. It may not make a huge dent on the scoville scale however if you feel the need for some heat then don't despair because freshly made authentic Turkish chilli sauce is generously offered as soon as your mains arrive and it packs a punch. I didn't get to try the chicken as the kids wolfed it down so that should be taken as a good sign.

Whilst all dishes were excellent, the lamb was the star of the show. Each cutlet was cooked pink and was melt in the mouth tender, if I head back that's what I'm ordering and so should you! If only I had a photo to show you but they were saw delicious that they were cleaned off the plate before we got a chance! Unfortunately almost every other Indo-Pakistani place serves grilled lamb which is incinerated, tough and chewy so having lamb served like this is a rare delight.

At any other restaurant we would have wrapped up and headed home however the staff presented us with yet another complimentary item to try out, Halva made with semolina. It was actually very similar to the Halva that's made in our house and people from the subcontinental heritage will recognise the flavour. The only difference was the absence of raisins and inclusion of pine nuts in their place.

I finished the meal with the Turkish Coffee, I expected a cup to be placed in front of me but instead I was served a beautiful silver platter, a mini cloche hid two pieces of delicious Lokum or Turkish Delight, a glass of water as a palate cleanser and finally an espresso sized cup of Sekerli Kahve or sweet coffee.

Sekerli Turk Kahve - Sweet Turkish Coffee, immaculately presented

When paying the bill we were presented with a Turkish fortune coin (an old Turkish Lira), if you're thinking whether this is the Turkish equivalent of a Chinese fortune cookie then not quite. The staff explained that this is part of Turkish Culture and the coin is given to parting guests to wish them good fortune. Besides being a great gesture and a glimpse into Turkish culture it summed up how we had been treated that entire evening, not as customers but as guests.

This is a fantastic restaurant which serves excellent food, where the staff really look after you and where you experience traditional Turkish hospitality. And to top it off the price is extremely reasonable with the most expensive mains costing just under £9, that's a bargain.

Will I visit again? Without a doubt!

Should you visit? Absolutely!

Dubai - What to do, what to eat, what to see?

That's the question I've been asked by my very good friend and former flatmate who's off to the sun in late October with his wife and young son.

Now admittedly it has been some time since I last visited Dubai, I was in Abu Dhabi in the summer of 2015 during an unexpected 12 hour layover en route to Jordan.  However just for you "Mr S" and for anyone else who's interested, here are some of the things I would do if I was visiting this cosmopolitan city with the family.

Here's the legal bit - use my tips as a starting point for some research of your own before firming up any bookings as activities and prices may have changed.

What to see and do?

• Dolphin Bay @ The Atlantis - granted it's expensive but this was a truly amazing experience to get up close with these magnificent creatures. When I visited, only the person going into the water had to pay, in which case it was just me, and the Mrs observed from the shore albeit it wasn't a great viewing experience for her. I was staying the Atlantis so booked the interaction when I got there. Note - professional photos cost extra.

Some poser with a dolphin - get a room!

• And whilst you're at the Atlantis then definitely check out Aquaventure water park, hours of endless fun and a great way to cool off from the heat. The little one will absolutely love it here. Alternatively there's Wild Wadi which some argue is better.
• Dune Bashing - we did this when we went out back in 2003 and if memory serves me correct we used Alpha Tours. I then did this with the Mrs but this time with Arabian Adventures who were more expensive than Alpha however they had use of the Dubai Desert Reserve unlike other operators so it was a lot less crowded. I've been doing some research to see if there are any operators who don't make you endure the irrelevant and completely inappropriate belly dancer and apparently Platinum Heritage do, so it maybe worth checking them out. 

No shortage of leg room in this gas guzzler

• Falconry - when I stayed at the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa one of the activities included was the falconry display and it was fantastic. Having looked at the Platinum Heritage website they do offer this so perhaps tie it in with a desert safari?

Falconry display at Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa

• Burj Khalifa - people are generally torn about whether the World's tallest building is best viewed from the outside or from within? Either way definitely go there, I have been told by relatives who've visited recently that it pays to pre-book as opposed to buying tickets on arrival.
• Dubai Mall & Dancing Fountains - Once you're done admiring the Burj Khalifa then why not lighten the wallet further with a trip to the adjoining Dubai Mall and then round the evening off with the Dancing Fountain display. Avoid the weekend though (Thursday evening to Saturday evening) as it gets particularly busy which may not suit the Mrs and the little one.
• Bastakiya District - I'm torn as to whether to recommend this or not as it's a great example of heritage preservation and a glimpse into what life in Dubai was like before it joined the fast lane. However it's not really a place for kids as there's little to grab their interest...

Bastakiya District at night

• Dubai Creek - ...that said Bastakiya sits alongside the Creek and the Abra crossing will definitely be more enjoyable for him.
• Malls, malls, malls - too many to list, too many to see regardless of how long you stay in Dubai. However all have something for everyone be it food, entertainment or kids play areas etc. and despite your best efforts you will spend a lot of time in them.
• Big Bus Tour Dubai - If the weather's warm and pleasant then without doubt one of the best (but not the cheapest!) ways to get round all of the key sites of interest and marvel at the wonders that make Dubai is from the top deck of the Big Bus. However a cheaper option might be to take the ultra modern and gleaming Dubai Metro, so maybe do that first and then opt for the bus if you still want the feeling of the warm desert air in your face

These are just some of the things that came to my mind and there are plenty more that I have missed but it should give you a bit of a starting point. I haven't mentioned Burj al Arab, Jumeirah Beach, Madinat Jumeirah, Ski Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Walk etc.

What to eat?

Now there's a question! You're in Dubai and one of the key attractions for me personally is the fact that I can sample cuisine from around the World in one city and almost all of it is Halal. You do have to be careful as there are restaurants that use alcohol in sauces, it should be marked on the menu but the obvious places where this is likely to be the case are contemporary European restaurants.

From my trips to Dubai, if you had to ask where I had my best meal? I'd have to say at the Seafood Market at Le Meridien Dubai. It was the fact that the fish was fresh and selected by me and cooked to order, it was perfection!

Well Mr S, and others reading this blog, I hope that gives you some starters for 10 for planning your itinerary and hope you have a great time!

PS - not jealous at all :-)

Mowgli Manchester - more of a miss than a hit

There is something of a street food craze at the moment and every major eating hotspot boasts about its street cred.

The recently refurbished Corn Exchange in Manchester has been reborn as a foodie's delight and for the Halal diner they can choose from Cabana offering Brazilian cuisine or Mowgli with its 'Indian street food' strap line.

And it was to Mowgli that I paid a trip to with the Mrs and the two young ones in tow. Only the Chicken is Halal but the menu offers quite an extensive array of vegetarian options and couple of seafood mains as well so there's plenty of choice. Steer clear of the sticky wings though as it contains Rum.

We ordered a couple of items from the Street section of the menu and a couple of mains with Roti and Rice on the side.

Starters were the interestingly named 'Yoghurt Chat Bombs' and 'Gunpowder Chicken'.

Yoghurt Chat Bombs - What lies within? A burst of flavour!

Gunpowder Chicken

I have to say that I really enjoyed the Chat (pronounced Chart but without the r sound) bombs, they appeared inconspicuous but lurking behind that thin crispy shell was a burst of tangy yoghurt, sweet tamarind and spices making for a very flavourful and enjoyable starter.

The gunpowder chicken pieces were deep fried in batter and sat on a bed of hot spicy green chutney with a layer of sweet tamarind sauce on top and garnished with hot red chillies and sharp onion. The first mouthful was chicken and the tamarind and I have to say it was a bit underwhelming, however after I stumbled upon the green chutney it became much more enjoyable. I would suggest that the drape the chicken in both chutney and tamarind to give the diner the best combination of hot and sour flavours.

The mains I'm afraid were a bit of a let down, for a start both my wife and I felt that it lacked seasoning and we don't eat much salt in our household. We went for the butter chicken for the kids mainly as we wanted something mild and not too hot and in this respect it was as expected, albeit lacking a pinch of salt. 

Butter Chicken - mild and as expected

Goan Fish Curry - sadly a bit of a let down

I picked the Goan fish curry and was expecting what the menu described as a tangy and fiery curry. There was plenty of tanginess from the tomatoes however I failed to pick up any fiery notes unfortunately. For me the dominant flavour was tomatoes and I wasn't impressed.

We didn't order a massive amount and thanks to a lunchtime offer they had on, the total cost for food was just over £20, which isn't bad I guess however I would rather have paid a bit more for some oomph.

Mowgli was busy enough and clearly does well and if I was judging it purely on the street section of the menu then I'd say this is a good place to eat however the mains just didn't cut it for any of us unfortunately.

If you are in this part of town then I would recommend walking for another five minutes to the Northern Quarter to the old established haunts 'This 'n' That', 'Al Faisal' or 'Kabana' (not to be confused with one in the Corn Exchange) for some truly authentic cuisine from the sub-continent, at a fraction of the cost and with gargantuan portions. The only thing missing will be polished floors of the Corn Exchange, instead you'll have the rustic charms of this historic part of town. 

Dalyan Diary

Think of Turkey these days and you're likely to think of politics, turbulence and somewhere you should avoid.

However, when I think of Turkey I think of a beautiful country steeped in history, blessed with a stunning landscape, amazing coastline, mouthwatering cuisine and without doubt the friendliest and most hospitable people you could meet.

There was a time when I wouldn't have considered Turkey for a holiday at all because my impressions were of a destination dotted with big, ugly package resorts where you have zero interaction with the local culture.

Whilst these resorts can still be found up and down the coast and no doubt they will suit some travellers they are definitely not for me and my family.

We prefer to stay somewhere that offers a glimpse of the real Turkey and if you're brave enough to break free of the package holiday resorts then you will find a Turkey that is more upmarket, intimate and a whole lot more enjoyable.

I have holidayed in Turkey three times now, the first time was a long weekend in Istanbul with my wife. Then two years ago we escaped to the seaside village of Turunc on the Lycian coast with our two young sons in a self catering pool villa in the beautiful mountains overlooking the Bay.

This year we headed to the coast once again but to the popular riverside town of Dalyan, only 30 minutes from Dalaman Airport. Our home for the week was the Aydos Club, a small family run hotel on the banks of the Dalyan river where we were one of only 3 groups of guests in a 20 room hotel, due to the unfortunate slump in demand for travel to Turkey this year. On the positive side it meant that we had free run of the kids pool for the entire week.

Club Aydos - compact and full of character

As our eldest is prone to car sickness we chose Dalyan as it's only a short drive from the airport without any of the twisting mountain roads. We booked with Simpson Travel who offer a choice of boutique hotels or self catering villas, I have already got my eyes set on one of their Dalyan Villas for our next trip!

We flew from Manchester on Monarch and were met at Dalaman by Jess, the lovely Simpson Travel representative who has called Dalaman home for the last 12 years. Whilst other holiday makers piled onto hot stuffy coaches we had a private transfer and were quickly whisked away to our hotel. Simpson Travel are more pricey than other holiday operators but they do offer a more personal service which we had no complaints with and we'd happily book with them again in the future. An example of this is when we told Jess that the kids had watched the DVDs that we brought with us several times, she offered to drop off more from her own kids collection and the next day there were a dozen or so Disney DVDs laid out on our bed after we came back from a day trip. Jess also offered lots of tips on what to see and do including where to find some of the best waffles in town!

As for Dalyan itself, tourism is the backbone of the town and us Brits are the main visitors. The river is the lifeline of the town, on one side you have Koycegiz Lake and downstream the river flows through Dalyan Harbour past the magnificent Lycian Rock Tombs carved into the mountains before reaching the magnificent Iztuzu Beach on the shores of the Mediterranean.

It is quite easy and therapeutic to switch off, sit by the riverside and watch the boats ply up and down the river, but be warned you will come across the odd party boat full of twenty-somethings blaring out trashy dance music off on an excursion. This is only a momentary distraction and they are gone just as quick as they appear leaving you to switch off once more.

Meal with a view at Club Aydos

Boat watching can be quite therapeutic!

The town is centred on the harbour which is teeming with boats of all shapes and sizes offering day trips to the surrounding attractions including the sulphur mud baths along the shores of the lake and Iztuzu beach. You can either join a boat that will take other passengers or arrange to private hire directly with the captain.

The bustling harbour of Dalyan

We were fortunate in that the Aydos club had its own boat and a beautifully ornate one at that decorated in Ottoman stye, which turned heads whenever we were on the river. We took a private BBQ dinner cruise on our penultimate night in Dalyan and it was made all the more beautiful by being on this boat.

The Aydos has its own distinctive boat which is a head turner

Sunset dinner cruise aboard the Aydos boat 

Overlooking the harbour is the simple but beautiful Cami or Mosque built in the traditional Ottoman style, which is typical in Turkey. The main square can be found here and off of this are the numerous restaurants, cafes and, if you're self catering, the local Migros supermarket where you can stock up on all the essentials.

Dalyan Cami - the centre of the town

One thing to bear in mind is that owing to the large number of tourists from the UK, quite a few of the restaurants do serve pork and openly advertise this. That said, as we walked about a lot of restauranteurs approached us to stress that they didn't serve pork in order to get our business.

A collection of some of the beautiful cuisine 

If you want a taste of authentic Turkish food, in other words, food that the locals eat then head to a Lokanta or Turkish canteen. The added bonus is that most Lokantas don't serve pork or alcohol, we found a great place called Pasha's right on the harbour front. The set up in a Lokanta is simple enough, there is no menu, instead you are shown all of the dishes that have been prepared that day and you select what you want, whilst there isn't a huge choice on offer the quality of what is offered is excellent. Truth be told, we had the best and cheapest meal at a Lokanta.

The delicious selection on offer at Pasha's

After your main meal you obviously have to go for dessert, you are on holiday after all! We found two great cafes serving delicious freshly made waffles!

Gerda's  Le Cafe is run by a German lady, called Gerda funnily enough, and is round the corner from the local post office.

A little taste of Germany in Dalyan

Gerda's Waffles

Then there is Cafe Dalyano, both serve home made waffles made to order which are served hot and topped with fresh ice cream. I am salivating as I type!

Cafe Dalyano's Waffles

I've mentioned Iztuzu beach in passing but you can't come all the way to Dalyan and not visit this great unspoilt beach which is a nesting ground for the loggerhead turtle and thanks to the efforts of 93 year old British Environmentalist June Haimoff is protected from development. That doesn't mean to say that there aren't any facilities, there are and they're basic but perfectly acceptable.

You have two modes of transport to choose from, either a boat from the harbour or aboard a Dolmus (minibus) from the Mosque Square.

The beach is set out with sun loungers and parasols which you rent for a flat daily fee which was around TL10 for 2 loungers, a bargain. You simply sit on a lounger and wait for one of the ticket people to approach you and then just sit back and enjoy your day. There are showers, toilets, food stalls and importantly a medic on site at the beach. For me the latter proved very handy as I stood on a blue crab whilst wading in the water and got pinched on my foot .... ouch!

The Boat to Iztuzu Beach will give you uninterrupted views of the Lycian Rock Tombs along the way and will take around 30 minutes. It will drop you on one end of the beach where the Dalyan river meets the Mediterranean Sea.

The stunning Lycian Rock Tombs

If taking a boat to the beach, you'll be part of a flotilla

The Dolmus will take around 20 minutes and cost us TL3.5 per person, it will make its way to the beach taking the mountain roads and offer stunning views of the beach as you make the final descent from the hills. The Dolmus will drop you at the opposite end of the beach to the boat and is the option to take if you want to visit the Turtle hospital and cabin/museum of environmentalist June Haimoff or Kaptan (Captain) June as she is affectionately known over here.

Modern, cheap and frequent, the Dolmus is a great way to get to Iztuzu beach

Iztuzu Beach from the Turtle Hospital

It was back in the 80s when plans were revealed to build a huge 5 star resort on Iztuzu beach threatening the nesting grounds of the loggerhead turtle that prompted June Haimoff to mobilise a campaign to protect their home.

Kaptan June's Hut and VW Beetle!

She won and has lived in Turkey since. She is a passionate environmentalist who has turned her original 80s beach cabin into a museum documenting her campaign. Supported by a team of volunteers the Kaptan has turned her focus to getting the boat owners of Dalyan to install propeller guards to protect the turtles from injury.

Propeller guard to protect the turtles from injury

Despite the propeller guards being free for the boat owners, this has had limited success but is an area that tourists can help. Simply ask any boat owner if they have a propeller guard and only give your business to those that do, they will display a Kaptan June sticker on their boat if they have one.

Only rent a boat that carries the Kaptan's seal of approval

Alongside Kaptan June's hut is the Turtle Hospital which cares for those unfortunate enough to have been injured by propellers back to health. It's open to everyone and allows you to see these magnificent creatures up close, it's free to visit although you should definitely give whatever spare change you have to help them in their efforts.

The turtle hospital and some of the magnificent creatures up close

Turkey hasn't disappointed me so far and this trip was no exception. God willing, this won't be my last trip to Turkey as my wife, kids and I love the country as it ticks all the boxes for us, short flying distance from the UK, great weather, availability of Mosques, delicious food and lots of it, stunning scenery and the fantastic Turkish people. The negative news stories haven't discouraged us one bit.

Next time we'd like to explore a different part of the coast, possibly Kalkan or Islamlar.