Food Review: Heights of flavour at the Himalaya, Bridgnorth
Award-winning tandoori restaurant Himalaya is a fine blend of delicious food and polite service. Andy Richardson gives his verdict.
The lights were on but no-one was home. On a chilly midweek evening, Himalaya Tandoori was a beacon of warmth on Bridgnorth’s Whitburn Street. All it needed was a few customers.
As January bites and restaurateurs wonder where there next order is coming from, the Himalaya Tandoori was a sea of empty seats.
It must be soul-destroying to look out across an empty restaurant. Omicron wiped out the Christmas takings for most and customers habitually tighten belts – financially speaking – when January comes. It’s cold, there’s stuff on the TV and supermarkets are punting meal deals for those who can’t be fussed to cook.
Chefs do their prep, waiting for the buzz of service, while front of house staff look forward to providing service, if only there was someone to provide service to.
Perhaps things will change in the weeks and months ahead. We are heading out of Covid restrictions following this week’s announcement by Health Secretary Sajid Javid and can look forward to warming, dryer weather in the months ahead.
Leaving the house will be less foreboding for those who’ve either been sheltering or who simply don’t fancy the cold.
I was customer number one at Himalaya, though others joined as the evening progressed.
Owner Dave Miah, an ever-present, was on hand to marshall his troops.
His restaurant has a good pedigree. It was invited to The Royal Lancaster Hotel in autumn last year to pick up the Curry Life Award for Customer Choice.
The award is based on votes from those who enjoy attentive service and authentic cuisine.
It’s not the only time Himalaya has picked up such accolades. Two years earlier, it was again a winner as the Curry Life Awards conferred its Editors Choice Award.
In a crowded local market, Himalaya does what it can to stand out from the crowd.
The exterior is a cool shade of grey while the interior is a like stepping back in time. While others seek out sleek, modernity, Himalaya is something of a throwback, with paper napkins and tables packed tight.
There are few frills – though plenty of thrills. This is the way curry houses used to be, with a friendly owner, efficient staff and deliciously spicy food.
Two waiters were on hand when I walked in for supper. They were wonderfully polite, asking if I’d like a break between courses, ferrying drinks and making sure food had been well received.
I started with the obligatory poppadoms and pickles.
An onion salad was pleasant, a fruit chutney was not too sweet, though there was nothing to suggest these were anything other than mass-produced accompaniments to the thin, crispy appetisers.
A chicken chaat provided a more substantial starter.
The chicken had been delicately spiced and the river of oil that habitually accompanies that dish was pleasingly absent.
There was no roti beneath – the dish was served instead with finely cut cucumber and tomato.
The cooling salad was a fine counterbalance to the spicy chicken and while the protein was a little overcooked the flavours were spot on.
A delicate spice blend showed skill from the chef and the plate was hastily dispatched.
The Himalaya has a welcome band of regulars and as the evening continued so they arrived.
Couples enjoying a midweek supper and friends congregating for a catch-up started to fill the tables.
Mr Miah greeted them by their names, delighting in the company of locals who support his restaurant.
The buzz started to grow and it became easy to understand why it wins so many votes in annual awards.
My main was a hot, spicy and sour chicken pathia with basmati rice.
It was damn near perfect. The sauce was magnificent. Sweet and tomatoey, the dish originated in Persia and has long been one of the UK’s favourites.
Coriander gave it a fragrant aroma while chillies and curry powder gave it a lip-tingling heat.
Spicier than the average dish, it was another example of good cooking from the kitchen, though once more the protein was cooked just a little too long. The balance of the dish, however, was fine.
The sauce was the thing – and, boy oh boy, that was good.
Local restaurants need our support as much as ever. The past two years have been frankly horrific with many suffering rent increases and facing considerable price hikes on energy costs.
The price of food is spiralling as higher costs feed into the supply chain and that squeezes margins yet further.
Few customers are in the mood to pay higher prices when they go to restaurants – if the prices aren’t frozen, most are staying at home as they calculate the missing pounds from their weekly budget.
Restaurants, therefore, have little option but to take the hit.
Himalaya is the sort of place that most towns have – a regular, no-frills neighbourhood curry house. It knows it’s customers well, provides great value for money and goes the extra mile with good service.
My bill, including a drink, was a little over £20, which represented impressive value from Mr Miah and co.
Bridgnorth has a crowded market with plenty of curry houses and Thai restaurants serving the local population.
Yet Himalaya stands tall and is one of the best. It offers remarkable value for money with low prices.
Himalaya has survived a number of challenges over the years and with a good team in the kitchen allied to caring, efficient staff, it’s well placed to bounce back as Covid restrictions ease and more people go out to eat.
