Tufnell Park

Monsoon Indian Cuisine

~ Ginger Cunty Bollox ~ Leave a comment
24 York Rise, Dartmouth Park, NW5 1ST.  28th February 2016

It was the Sunday of Another Winter Of Discontent festival at the Boston Music Rooms / The Dome, so perfect chance for another get together and curry.

We had decided on a curry house about 10 mins walk around the corner, Monsoon, and a few of us had gave it a test run the Monday before, and it’s a Bring Your Own place too (website here)

As usual with meet-ups in that area we meet in the Boston Arms pub, a few guys were over from Belfast for the festival so our numbers swelled to 16!

Boston Arms
Meeting in the Boston Arms

That awkward moment when three dicks wear the same t-shirt….

Same t-shirt? Who's going home to change!
Same t-shirt? Who’s going home to change!

We had a few beers and then headed off to the offie and the restaurant.

Monsoon Front
Monsoon Front

We filed into the just-opened restaurant, in 2s and 4s, filling up about two-thirds of the place, and started on the poppadoms, raita and perusing the menu (check out the prices etc. here)

 

Monsoon 1

There was a good amount of poppadoms and enough time to go through the menu. We ordered and waited for the food to get cooked and served.

A few others came in, a young family of four, a couple of couples, and they filled what was left of the restaurant. We carried on drinking and having fun, but in a generally respectful way – don’t want to give ourselves a bad reputation, now do we? :p

MonsoonRest4

MonsoonRest3 MonsoonRest1 MonsoonRest5

As this was a couple of weeks ago, I can’t remember what the hell I had to eat – I think I had the chana puri starter – yeah I did, it was MASSIVE; and vegetable madras with chana masala and shared some rice.

A huge assortment of dishes were ordered, and I don’t think anyone could finish – Pat and Jen went home with about 8 portions in a carrier bag!

The bill came to £15 each including generous tips… would have been a lot less if our eyes were not too big for our bellies and we actually managed to finish all the food – thing to remember for next time!

We even got free ice-cream at the end!

Afterwards we kinda rolled back to the venue for more silliness…

AWOD3 AWOD2 AWOD1

Everyone had a great time out, great reviews from everyone regarding the food and the night, here’s some quotes off our Facebook group:

The morning after the night before…. What a grand occasion it was last night.
Well enjoyed it. Great food, good craic. Suffered some raging anus revenge this morning, wether that be me not being too orthodox with the heavenly power of the Holy Madras, or the mix of Peculiar IPA, Corona, Cobra and Guiness god only knows.
After the banter last night, should we not be called The North of Ireland Punk Rock Curry Club?
Bout ye

 

Thanks for the invite …it was so good to meet yas and catch up with aule chums :)) …really enjoyed the grub an the crack! :)) xx

 

10/10 all round from me.

And me.

9/10 from me

couldn’t finish me nosh, not bad though good portions, had a curry coma

Was well yum :))

Great company, food and craic, couldn’t fault it. Portions were enormous and all for 15 nicker a head! Oh and the free ice cream was a nice touch 10/10

Chillis in the jalfrezi were quare hot!

 

Can’t be arguing with that lot, now can you?

9/10 would definitely recommend!

Food hygiene rating 5. Very Good
(8 June 2012)

 

The Spice

~ Ginger Cunty Bollox ~ Leave a comment
161 Fortess Road, Tufnell Park , London. NW5 2HR. 22nd November 2015

After the debacle of the previous PRCC, we (well, Gonk) flipped a coin for the next venue and informed people a good week in advance. We had a decent turn-out and a few hangers-on to boot – the more the merrier!

We met up in the Boston Arms around half past six and then had a couple of pints whilst waiting for others to drift in. From the club proper there was Jack, Gary, Gonk and myself; the others included Kylie, Dick Sacs, Graham and Pus.

We walked the 20 yards or so from the pub to the restaurant, which was just under half full, and got three tables pushed together in an area near the door. The decor was well lit, high ceilings, well upholstered chairs etc. A better than average standard.

The menu has all the standard and basics you’d expect in most curry houses (have a look here), but the best thing was a special on the board – £9.95 for a starter, main, rice and bread – it wasn’t everything on the menu, but a huge percentage of it!

We all went for the deal – it would be stupid not to – and beers and wine was ordered. As we sat waiting the usual banter around the table started, and a couple of the staff, all good natured and relaxed. Nearly everyone had onion bhajis for starter, I tried the aloo (something, I can’t recall exactly). Good reception all round – the bhajis were compared equally with Bangalore Brasserie’s mammoth bhajis, but instead of 2 huge bhajis, The Spice did 4 smaller ones. The potato starter was good also.

The mains arrived with rice and bread. Good sized portions of all and again everyone was pleased with the quality and quantity of ingredients.

The atmosphere was relaxed and jovial – from the table as well as the staff and patrons, everyone seemed to be enjoying the meal and company they had – a fair few people filed in during the night. We paid up and got a free shot of port at the end of the meal – nice touch.

Prices with beers came to about £135, so we threw in £20 each as we couldn’t be arsed to mess around, and people were happy with that.

Solid 8’s all around and 3 8.5s, so 65.5/80.

Recommended and would visit there again.

(3rd September 2014)