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
Excellent post. I used to be checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Very helpful info specifically the remaining part 🙂 I maintain such information a lot. I was looking for this particular info for a very lengthy time. Thank you and good luck.
1I’ve recently started a web site, the info you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work. “Quit worrying about your health. It’ll go away.” by Robert Orben.
2I like this site very much, Its a rattling nice position to read and incur information.
3I’ve learn some just right stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how a lot effort you put to create one of these great informative site.
4Hi, i think that i saw you visited my web site so i got here to “go back the choose”.I’m trying to to find things to improve my web site!I guess its ok to make use of some of your ideas!!
5Merely a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw great layout.
6Usually I do not learn article on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, quite nice article.
7Absolutely pent written content, appreciate it for entropy. “He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.” by Michel de Montaigne.
8Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
9I’ve read several good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much effort you put to create such a wonderful informative web site.
10Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this website wants much more consideration. I’ll in all probability be again to learn much more, thanks for that info.
11Its excellent as your other blog posts : D, regards for putting up.
12I regard something truly interesting about your web site so I bookmarked.
13Great post, I believe people should learn a lot from this site its rattling user friendly.
14When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
15I gotta bookmark this internet site it seems invaluable very useful
16Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.
17There is visibly a bunch to realize about this. I believe you made various nice points in features also.
18Nice post. I learn something more challenging on different blogs everyday. It will always be stimulating to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their store. I’d prefer to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a link on your web blog. Thanks for sharing.
19Hi, i think that i noticed you visited my site so i got here to “return the desire”.I’m attempting to find things to enhance my site!I guess its good enough to use some of your ideas!!
20Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thanks Nonetheless I’m experiencing challenge with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting equivalent rss downside? Anyone who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx
21With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any ways to help protect against content from being ripped off? I’d definitely appreciate it.
22Undeniably imagine that that you stated. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the net the easiest thing to remember of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed even as folks think about worries that they just don’t recognise about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as outlined out the whole thing without having side effect , folks can take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thanks
23I relish, result in I discovered exactly what I used to be having a look for. You’ve ended my four day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
24I really appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thank you again
25Thanks a lot for providing individuals with an exceptionally brilliant chance to read from this website. It is often so great and also full of a good time for me and my office peers to search your blog more than thrice a week to find out the latest stuff you will have. Not to mention, I’m just always impressed for the magnificent strategies served by you. Certain 3 facts in this posting are particularly the most impressive we have had.
26Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your webpage? My blog site is in the very same area of interest as yours and my users would really benefit from a lot of the information you present here. Please let me know if this alright with you. Regards!
27I’m also writing to let you be aware of what a beneficial experience my friend’s daughter obtained visiting the blog. She even learned numerous pieces, which include how it is like to have an amazing coaching character to let other folks without hassle learn about several extremely tough issues. You actually did more than our own expectations. Thanks for coming up with the productive, trusted, explanatory and also unique tips about your topic to Lizeth.
28Excellent site. Plenty of useful info here. I’m sending it to a few pals ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks in your sweat!
29I simply couldn’t depart your web site before suggesting that I really loved the standard info a person supply on your guests? Is gonna be again regularly to check out new posts.
30Most of what you say is astonishingly appropriate and it makes me ponder the reason why I hadn’t looked at this in this light before. Your piece really did turn the light on for me personally as far as this specific subject matter goes. However there is actually one factor I am not necessarily too comfy with and whilst I attempt to reconcile that with the core theme of your position, allow me observe what all the rest of your subscribers have to point out.Well done.
31I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your blog. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Great work!
32Together with the whole thing that seems to be developing within this specific area, your points of view are generally fairly radical. Having said that, I appologize, because I can not give credence to your entire plan, all be it radical none the less. It seems to me that your commentary are actually not completely rationalized and in actuality you are yourself not really wholly confident of the point. In any case I did take pleasure in examining it.
33It’s actually a cool and helpful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
34Great line up. We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
35Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!
36We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our whole community will be grateful to you.
37Keep working ,terrific job!
38I was very pleased to find this web-site.I wanted to thanks for your time for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
39Very interesting details you have remarked, regards for putting up. “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.” by Richard Buckminster Fuller.
40