Food review: Huge portions on the menu at Walsall desi-pub

Just being able to meet a make over a few pints in a pub which sells curries, mixed grills and other Indian delights.

It wasn't always this way, generations before us had to go to the pub, and then go for a curry. And never the two did meet the twain,

But then in the late 1990s, a landlord in the Black Country had a brainwave, why not put the chefs from the curry house into the pub kitchen and serve curries in the pub, instead of the chicken in a basket and scampi and fries which had been pub fare for years.

Now, 30 years later and every town in the Black Country has its own desi-pub, if not more. And there seems nothing more normal than ringing an old mate, going to the pub, watching the football and sharing a mixed grill of fine tandoori meat.

The desi-pub is the only positive thing to happen to pubs in years, with droves closing down due to high rents, higher costs of beer and frankly because youngsters do not drink half as much as their parents did, even students don't seem to drink anymore.

But the desi-pub has saved many a pub from being turned into a Spar, McDonalds or something else not half as much fun as a pub.

The Broadway bar and grill, Broadway, Walsall, used to be the swanky bar of a hotel where business deals were clinched and a room for a night was a treat.

Now, after the onward march of time the ground floor is now the Broadway Bar and Grill.

The bar did not feel homely and a few out of date posters adorned the walls. We had two pints to start, Aspall cider and Madri lager came to £9.50 and entertainment was watching a customer and barman trying to find the football on Sky.

It did not look promising, especially when I saw a cobweb the size of Manchester in the toilets, but when we were taken into the lounge the place became more impressive.

There were plenty of customers which is always a good sigh, families, friends and couples all enjoying themselves, which gave the place a great atmosphere for a Friday night.

Normally, if I was not reviewing the place, my friend and I would have had a big mixed grill without giving it a second thought and shared whatever was brought out. It is like second nature now for so many people who like desi-pubs.

Pint, chat, order mixed grill, another pint. And then eat mixed grill throughout the night.

However, this time we went for starters, I had lamb chops, £8.50, and my mate had sheekh kebab £7.25, and a main, lamb curry and rice for him and chicken claypot, with a naan, for me.

Now, I admit I was not concentrating when I ordered the food, and did not realise I was meant to get the plates and cutlery myself, and I did not realise all the food would come at once, instead of starters first, then the mains, but perhaps I should have specified I did not want a tapas mix and match kind of meal. And my mate certainly did not, his food is his food, there would be strictly no reaching over and grabbing any of his food, that's for sure.

But my mind was on the order, not plates or cutlery, there were some great dishes on the menu, including several seafood menu, including fish curry (£8.95) and a king prawn balti (£10.50) and a noodle menu, including chicken and fish haaka noodles (£7.50) as well as a sizzling menu where all the grills were. Knowing I've got a teenage boy at home, I could not pass by the chance of getting a mixed grill to take home, so also ordered a large mixed grill but more about that later.

My lamb chops, were huge, and had plenty of meat on the bone, this was not a knife and fork affair as best tackled with my hands. Looking at the prices of the starters and the mains, there is not much difference, so it might have been a case of our eyes being to big for our belly. My friends's sheekh kebab was the biggest I'd ever seen, each piece glistened under the lights and though I tried puppy dog eyes, heavy hints, offering a chop for a piece of kebab and outright asking, I could not get my friend to give me one.

However, due to the sheer size of the starters I reckon if I had asked him for his last piece of sheekh kebab he would have relented.

Then it was time for the mains, which were already on the table. Lamb curry (£8.50) and plain rice for him (£2.50) and chicken claypot (£8.95) and naan (£2.25) for me. Both were served in a pot, which was deep enough to easily contain two portions.

My friend seemed satisfied with his lamb curry, and he knows his curry, but his giant starter meant he could not enjoy his main with as much gusto. I always get anxiety choosing a curry, I know on the menu is something I love, but can never remember it, but so often choose something I don't like,

But thankfully, I'd chosen well, the claypot chicken which has pieces of chicken tikka served in a green herbs, cashew nut and claypot sauce. I knew it was not hot enough to make me uncomfortable but spicy enough to banish any chance of blandness.

However, I knew I would enjoy it more at a later date. And I knew I had the large mixed grill to take home with me, for £18.95 it had chicken tikka, lamb chops, chicken wings, sheekh kebab and fish pakoras. I returned home like the conquering hero.

And finally got to have some sheekh kebab, which was as delightful as it looked on my friend's plate.