Now the No Nonsense blog is first and foremost a sports blog and will always be so. There are however times when matters in the wider world dictate the reach of the blog must extend to fight global injustice. Recent matters in Denman Street, Piccadilly are of such a cataclysmic proportion that this is one such instance.
Ahmed Faruk has been a veritable doyen of British curry running for many years the World famous Maharaja Tandoori, home of peerless lamp chops and a top meat vindy as well as an unparalleled cellar collection of Mateus Rose including the superb '76.
Before we get to the bones of the issue at hand, it must be clear that this blog holds Faruk blameless for the catastrophic evens that have unfolded.
Faruk is an honest businessman and restaurant owner who has always charged nothing but the fairest prices for his fine cuisine as well as giving away a lot of free zambuca and fine chocolates. He cannot be held accountable for the global financial crisis and the ensuing meltdown in the world of fine British curry.
Alas, the Maharaja is no more. It has been re branded 'Piccadilly Spice' with red carpets replaced by strange white ceiling fittings and fresh curry replacing the vindy from a tin that we all so loved. Mateus Rose (including the NV) was not found to be even on the menu. It is the end of an era, like Maggie leaving No10, Mourinho leaving Chelsea or the Spice Girls breaking up, disaster for all.
Who is to blame for this hideous and heinous crime? Look no further than Channel 5 and a fraud, self publicist and utter charlatan, Fernando Peire.
His name alone should render him ineligible to interfere with a great British vindy. If people want posh nosh they can go to the Ivy, why fix what was not broken? The vindy was not the problem, it's the sub prime crisis that has triggered the sovereign debt crisis in Europe leading to the UK's double dip recession.
When the economy stabilises and people are ready to go forth and spend, proper British vindy will be the cry but who will be there to serve it we ask? Fernando Peire, what you have done is attack the very fabric of society with your crude attempts to tailor curry to your 'delicate palate'. You Sir are responsible for the death of these curry houses and long may it live on your conscience - No Nonsense.
I feel your pain, and am sorry to see this sad turn of events. I used to work round there and had a curry there every Friday lunchtime for many years up until around 2003. Faruk was always a very generous man, and I remember enjoying many free chocolates and sambucas there myself.
ReplyDeleteI particularly remember being invited to the opening of a sister restaurant, the Rajasthan, somewhere in the city, where there was free food and drink for the whole evening - and I believe Nash, his son, gave a breakdancing demonstration there. It was a surreal evening, so maybe I dreamed most of it.
Anyway, when I had my leaving do there one Friday lunchtime in 2003, one of the waiters nipped out to Boots and bought me a bottle of aftershave as a leaving present. Something I'll never forget!
The renowned restaurant expert Steve McBain seems to have missed the rather serious point that the Maharaja Tandoori was losing £5,000 a week...that's FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS A WEEK!while many other Indian restaurants were doing great business.
ReplyDeleteAnd Mr McBain needs to ask "why fix something that was not broken?".
I suspect Mr McBain has no idea what he's talking about!