From popadom to Bombay pizza
– Guest post by Paul Simeon – The Indian meals following Cous Cous Cafe‘s takeouts and dinners at Oxford during his two weeks in England.
Saturday night I went to Mirch Masala. It was an Indian/Pakistani place. I later found out from the servers that the owner was from Pakistan, and the wife was from India. While I was waiting, alone, the server offered to get me some popadom (it has multiple spellings, but this is how their menu says it).
I didn’t know what it was or if it were complimentary, so I just said, “no, that’s alright.” He brought it anyway, and it was quite nice. It was a thin, crisp flatbread, like a cracker, and it had three toppings for it: chutney, chopped onions and coriander, and some green mint sauce. The chutney was quite good.
I didn’t finish all of the popadom by the time the main dish came, Murgh Makhani (Tandoori chicken off the bone cooked in butter, yoghurt, cream, cashew nuts, powder and masala sauces) with a side of paratha (rolled out Indian bread made on tawa, spread with ghee) to eat it with.
Murgh Makhani was the first on the list of house specialties, and I’m inclined to pick from the house special list. I decided to try paratha instead of the more familiar naan. They’re both good. Paratha is just grilled in a skillet rather than baked like naan. It works just as well as the naan at scooping up the main dish, and they are both better than the popadom.
The highlight of the night was the main dish, though. It was simply perfect. It was sweet, spicy, savory all at once, and just the right level of spice (for me) where one doesn’t notice it. It had lots of grilled chicken pieces in it. It was good quality chicken with little charred bits on it.
I barely had enough room to finish it all, except a little bit of popadom. The bill was 9 pounds, and the popadom was indeed complimentary, but perhaps just in my case. Tax is already included in the bill in England, which makes it easier to split the bill with multiple people. The servers noticed I was taking pictures of my food and suggested I should take a picture of the murals on two walls in the place. He said they were specially painted for them. I thought the lights that had shining on them would mess up the picture, but it turned out to be the best picture of the night. The lighting was too low for good pictures with my camera.
My last day in Oxford was spent in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. It was a pretty good museum, with the first dinosaur bones ever identified as a prehistoric reptile. It was also the site of the famous 1860 evolution debate between Huxley and Wilberforce. When it closed at 5, I roamed the tourist-filled streets of Oxford for a place to eat. There wasn’t much by the museum, but I eventually found an area with some more options.
I settled on a place called Fire & Stone. Its theme was international pizza, with their menu divided by continent and filled with bizarre pizzas made from the cuisines of the continent. For example, Africa offers the Marrakech (£8.95 cumin spiced ground lamb, mozzarella, mint yoghurt sauce, green olives, raisins & sliced red onion drizzled with chilli oil) and the Cairo (£7.95 (v) Fire roasted red & yellow peppers, courgettes, aubergines, balsamic roasted red onions, mozzarella and Fire & Stone’s tomato sauce topped with crumbled goat’s cheese & pine nuts). In some cases, it was pretty much insert-your-cuisine fusion food baked onto a pizza. They had a few vegetarian options, but I just got the impression that they didn’t offer as many vegetarian options in England as in the Bay Area, not surprisingly, and there was never a mention of vegan options.
I chose the Bombay (£8.95 Roast tandoori marinated chicken breast, spiced tandoori yoghurt base, broccoli, sliced red onion, mozzarella, spiced mango chutney and cucumber & mint yoghurt) since Indian food is rare on this blog. This was good, but it would be a let-down if you’re expecting good Indian food, especially after eating at Mirch Masala. The chicken was not grilled or very flavorful, and the yoghurt and broccoli didn’t seem to go well with the rest. It was a nice change to have a tandoori base instead of normal pizza sauce. The pizza was 9 inches wide, a decent portion. I ate the whole thing without feeling too stuffed, which is just the right amount, I think. American restaurants tend to give a lot more food, which is good if you want to take home leftovers, but it often causes people to overeat or waste food. 9 pounds (roughly $14) is a little high, but I guess it’s normal (or even reasonable) for eating out in the middle of Oxford. They didn’t cut the pizza. Why not?
The restaurant was pretty big. It was a little early for the dinner crowd, so it was a bit empty. They had many big sliding windows open to air the place out. They also offer pasta, but I saw at least one table leave when the server informed them that the oven just broke, and they wouldn’t have pasta for about 30 minutes.
They had a hand-held credit card reader (as many places in England did) so that she could scan my card right at my table. Then she passed it to me to enter the percentage to add on as tip. I thought it was convenient compared to estimating it by hand, but I could see how some might find that awkward.
Addresses:
Mirch Masala
137-139, Cowley Rd
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 1HU
Telephone: 01865 728581
Fire & Stone Pizza Restaurant
Threeways House, 28-38 George Street
Oxford OX1 2BJ
Other bites in England:
– Oxford dinners – part I and II
– Cous Cous Cafe in Oxford
– Pie and mash at the Ship Inn Upavon and Pieminister
– England’s healthy fastfood chain: Pret A Manger
I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or weblog posts on this sort of house . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this site. Reading this information So i’m satisfied to show that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I such a lot surely will make certain to don’t omit this website and provides it a look regularly.
1I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future. All the best
2익숙한 일상에 새로운 취향을 더하는 여기여. 감각적인 공간과 다채로운 이야기, 오래 기억할 발견을 만나보세요. 나만의 속도로 머물며 당신에게 어울리는 특별한 순간을 찾아갑니다.
3Usually I do not learn article on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very compelled me to try and do it! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thanks, quite great article.
4I have recently started a web site, the information you provide on this website has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work. “So full of artless jealousy is guilt, It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.” by William Shakespeare.
5It is actually a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you just shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
6very nice publish, i definitely love this web site, keep on it
7Hi there, You’ve done an incredible job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this site.
8I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your website?
9Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely comeback.
10주소콘에서 필요한 웹사이트 주소를 쉽고 빠르게 찾아보세요. 분야별 주소모음과 링크모음, 주소찾기 방법부터 변경된 주소 확인, 안전한 링크 확인 방법까지 한눈에 살펴볼 수 있습니다.
11Nice read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch since I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
12Many thanks for posting this wonderful article. I truly enjoy your website. Thank you for allowing me to comment on your blog post. I look forward to more engaging articles from you soon.
13Hiya very cool site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally?KI am glad to find so many useful info here in the submit, we want develop extra techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
14A person essentially help to make seriously posts I would state. This is the very first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I amazed with the research you made to create this particular publish extraordinary. Magnificent job!
15Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I am very glad to see such great info being shared freely out there.
16I just couldn’t depart your website before suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is going to be back often in order to check up on new posts
17You can certainly see your enthusiasm within the work you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.
18I’m impressed, I must say. Really not often do I encounter a blog that’s each educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you’ve got hit the nail on the head. Your thought is excellent; the issue is one thing that not enough individuals are talking intelligently about. I’m very comfortable that I stumbled throughout this in my seek for one thing relating to this.
19It’s really a cool and helpful piece of information. I am glad that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
20The very core of your writing while appearing reasonable originally, did not sit well with me personally after some time. Somewhere within the paragraphs you managed to make me a believer but only for a short while. I nevertheless have got a problem with your jumps in logic and one might do well to help fill in all those breaks. In the event you actually can accomplish that, I could undoubtedly be amazed.
21Someone necessarily assist to make seriously articles I might state. This is the first time I frequented your web page and to this point? I amazed with the research you made to make this particular publish extraordinary. Great activity!
22Excellent site. Plenty of helpful information here. I am sending it to some pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you in your sweat!
23Good blog! I really love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified when a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
24Greetings from Los angeles! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break. I love the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, good blog!
25This design is steller! You most certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
26Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
27Pretty component of content. I simply stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to say that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing for your feeds or even I fulfillment you get entry to consistently quickly.
28This website online can be a stroll-by means of for all of the info you needed about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you’ll definitely discover it.
29After study a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I truly like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my web site as well and let me know what you think.
30I genuinely enjoy examining on this website , it holds great posts. “Sometime they’ll give a war and nobody will come.” by Carl Sandburg.
31With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My website has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either authored myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my authorization. Do you know any methods to help prevent content from being ripped off? I’d definitely appreciate it.
32Great, I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related info ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Excellent task.
33excellent submit, very informative. I’m wondering why the other specialists of this sector do not realize this. You should proceed your writing. I am confident, you have a great readers’ base already!
34Someone essentially help to make seriously articles I would state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I surprised with the research you made to create this particular publish incredible. Wonderful job!
35Hi, Neat post. There is an issue with your web site in internet explorer, would check this?K IE nonetheless is the marketplace leader and a good section of people will miss your wonderful writing because of this problem.
36I do not even understand how I ended up here, but I assumed this post was great. I do not recognise who you might be but certainly you are going to a well-known blogger if you happen to are not already 😉 Cheers!
37Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossips and internet and this is really annoying. A good site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web-site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.
38I’ve been surfing online more than three hours as of late, yet I by no means found any attention-grabbing article like yours. It’s pretty worth sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all webmasters and bloggers made just right content material as you probably did, the internet will be much more useful than ever before.
39Rattling clean web site, regards for this post.
40Regards for this grand post, I am glad I noticed this site on yahoo.
41Hi would you mind letting me know which web host you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most. Can you recommend a good hosting provider at a reasonable price? Kudos, I appreciate it!
42This design is incredible! You obviously know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
43I have been exploring for a little bit for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this kind of house . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i’m satisfied to express that I have a very good uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I such a lot indisputably will make sure to don’t disregard this website and provides it a glance regularly.
44Its superb as your other content : D, appreciate it for putting up. “To be able to look back upon ones life in satisfaction, is to live twice.” by Kahlil Gibran.
45My programmer is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using Movable-type on various websites for about a year and am anxious about switching to another platform. I have heard great things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress posts into it? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!
46Good write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s site, maintain up the nice operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
47We’re a gaggle of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community. Your website provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done an impressive activity and our whole community will likely be grateful to you.
48I have recently started a website, the info you offer on this website has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work. “Marriage love, honor, and negotiate.” by Joe Moore.
49Howdy! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Thank you
50