Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.

[Duke Mantee]

9 hours ago, Toegun said:

Dishoom in Shoreditch is pretty nice and a lovely environment. I think they have another branch in Covent Garden 

 

[pomata]

13 hours ago, fre-co said:

What area of london?

we'll stay near aldgate station, is that considered East London?

thank you very much for your precious advise I'll surely try some of those

[Maynard Friedman]

• Go to Tayyabs in Fieldgate Street for good quality Indian (Pakistani actually) food
• Happy Days in Goulston Street for first class fish & chips. There’s also plenty of street food on this road 
• Beigel Bake in Brick Lane for, erm… beigels
• Laxeiro in Columbia Road used to be great for tapas but I haven’t been there in a while
• Pizza Union on Leman Street if you’re feeling homesick!
• Spitalfields Market for various street food stalls, with some chains mixed in

These are all within walking distance of where you’ll be staying.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Maynard Friedman

[MJF9]

There used to be a very good 'fancy' Indian on Prescot Street iirc, next to the Princess of Prussia pub on the right... was it eaten up during covid?  My last visit there would have been before then

If you're feeling flush, I've only been once but Pollen Street Social was / is great... like everything else now, prices have soared

Coincidentally we're heading down that way this summer... can't beat a good mooch around the smoke

[Maynard Friedman]

That’s Café Spice Namaste. Used to be very good although I haven’t been in there for years. I think it’s still open.

[Talan]

22 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

• Go to Tayyabs in Fieldgate Street for good quality Indian (Pakistani actually) food
• Happy Days in Goulston Street for first class fish & chips. There’s also plenty of street food on this road 
• Beigel Bake in Brick Lane for, erm… beigels
• Laxeiro in Columbia Road used to be great for tapas but I haven’t been there in a while
• Pizza Union on Leman Street if you’re feeling homesick!
• Spitalfields Market for various street food stalls, with some chains mixed in

These are all within walking distance of where you’ll be staying.

One can't mix Indian and Pakistani - veg and meat.

[Maynard Friedman]

My son’s birthday today so we’re off to our local sushi restaurant in Willesden Green.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Maynard Friedman

[MJF9]

Indian folk eat both veg and meat - there are 1.5bn people in India so pretty diverse... ditto in Pakistan

In the UK, south asian restaurants are often termed 'Indian' as Maynard says - incorrectly - but as an umbrella term, used commonly by everyone including the restaurant owners and workers 

[Maynard Friedman]

Thanks for the common sense reply @MJF9. Most, if not all, of the Indian restaurants in Brick Lane are run by Bangladeshis.

[Dr_Heech]

12 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

My son’s birthday today so we’re off to our local sushi restaurant in Willesden Green.

Happy birthday to Maynard Junior. February is an expensive month for poor old Mrs Friedman though.

 

[Maynard Friedman]

Cheers Charlie, my boy’s the expensive one, I’m a cheap date! 

[pomata]

awesome, guys. thanks a lot!

[Talan]

53 minutes ago, MJF9 said:

Indian folk eat both veg and meat - there are 1.5bn people in India so pretty diverse... ditto in Pakistan

In the UK, south asian restaurants are often termed 'Indian' as Maynard says - incorrectly - but as an umbrella term, used commonly by everyone including the restaurant owners and workers 

Not going to get into a discussion at all, but in India it is very difficult to find meat in a traditional eatery run by people of the Hindu religion. First, eating meat will greatly reduce your energies, and second, it will greatly move you back in your upcoming reincarnations line. The other thing is in the West, where no one has trouble discerning and respecting the difference between the Hindu or Pakistani tradition, that is, between Hinduism (about 80% of population) and Islam (15%). 

 

[Maynard Friedman]

24 minutes ago, Talan said:

Not going to get into a discussion at all

Even though you’ve mentioned it twice now?

[Talan]

29 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Even though you’ve mentioned it twice now?

To you once only 

[MJF9]

3 hours ago, Talan said:

 in the West, where no one has trouble discerning and respecting the difference between the Hindu or Pakistani tradition, that is, between Hinduism (about 80% of population) and Islam (15%). 

No one?  I know many who know and respect the differences (if I read your sentence right, of course)

There's a documentary on Modi showing at the moment which has respect at the heart of it... it's worth a watch... (I'm only part way in)

[Talan]

10 hours ago, MJF9 said:

No one?  I know many who know and respect the differences (if I read your sentence right, of course)

There's a documentary on Modi showing at the moment which has respect at the heart of it... it's worth a watch... (I'm only part way in)

I haven't seen the documentary on Modi, I can't know what's in it. To my knowledge, Modi who has been quite aggressive in promoting pro-Hindu agenda in the country, also with language and education, not particularly mindful of the differences in the population in the various states. Also, some ex-pats from the West who have lived in India for many years say that attitude to them have changed from being neutral. Modi's good rapport with Putin does not appear to be coincidental.

Of course, there are people in the West who take into account differences between religions and traditions of the East, pardon the generalization. Nevertheless, I have been to "Indian" restaurants in the West that serve meat, or alcohol. In India, I haven't seen anything like that, unless you count bars and restaurants in the business/tourist part of Mumbai or New Delhi, but those places don't position themselves as "Indian". 

 

[Double 0 Soul]

My wife has Pakistani heritage.. her father came to the UK as a very young man after partition.. she is the youngest of 5 sisters, you get the feeling he wanted a boy

Her mother is half Irish on her fathers side and half English on her mothers side.. her mother used to have to smuggle smokey bakon crisp into the house for them when they were little..

Edited February 19, 2023 by Double 0 Soul

[Maynard Friedman]

@MJF9 described what is usually meant, understood and accepted by most people in the UK when using the generic/umbrella term ‘Indian restaurant’. Most high street places offer the same range of starters, sides and curries - korma, jalfrezi, bhuna, etc. with a choice of chicken, lamb or prawn. Some vegetable dishes may be offered too. Most are licensed, so they sell alcohol. There are variations in terms of price/style/dishes, etc but that’s the basic gig.

Other places may market themselves more specifically as Bengali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Goan, etc and may offer specific or regional dishes, not sell alcohol, have a BYOB policy. Balti houses may be an example or others that specialise in seafood. Some may offer ‘modern’ Indian food, so are a bit posher and don’t have the traditional restaurant fare, they may even offer a fusion style.

Typically if you want vegetarian, they’re known as South Indian restaurants, selling dosas, etc. some of these places can be quite cheap and cheerful but great value.

I don’t eat out much these days so this is my take on the discussion from memory/afar and I’m happy to be corrected by those in the know.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Maynard Friedman

[Duke Mantee]

It’s not the smartest debate to conflate religious practices in one country with commercial operations in another.

[Talan]

11 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

It’s not the smartest debate to conflate religious practices in one country with commercial operations in another.

I agree. I'm just talking about sensitivity and respect. For example, if people from some Asian country don't see or feel any differences between the Englishmen and the Scots, or between the Irish of Ireland and the Irish of Northern Ireland, that would cause one or two eyebrows to rise, wouldn't it? 

[Maynard Friedman]

Are you happy with South Asian restaurant? Indian subcontinent restaurant?

On your other point, I wouldn’t care if someone thought I was from a different part of the British Isles, even Scotland!

[Talan]

3 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Are you happy with South Asian restaurant? Indian subcontinent restaurant?

On your other point, I wouldn’t care if someone thought I was from a different part of the British Isles, even Scotland!

During my frequent and long trips to India in the pre-Covid and war times, I usually enjoyed Indian food, street food most often. Nothing could beat an idli early in the morning from the street stall and hot chai after that, one or two small glasses. 

[Duke Mantee]

22 minutes ago, Talan said:

I agree. I'm just talking about sensitivity and respect. For example, if people from some Asian country don't see or feel any differences between the Englishmen and the Scots, or between the Irish of Ireland and the Irish of Northern Ireland, that would cause one or two eyebrows to rise, wouldn't it? 

If someone was being deliberately disrespectful or insensitive then I’ve no doubt it might cause upset. I don’t believe that was the situation being discussed mate.

Not being served meat or alcohol in Hindu or Muslim restaurants in India is not the same thing as being served meat and/or alcohol in Indian* restaurants in the UK (or elsewhere). In the non-tourist areas of India you mention the restaurant would (normally) be serving food and drink to those of the same cultural background and the same faith. In the UK they are most likely serving food and drink to people of quite different backgrounds.

Those restaurant/food outlet owners have chosen to do this.

Maybe a better analogy was required?

 

Indian* is British - most would be born in the UK and hold British passports.

[Duke Mantee]

31 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

 

On your other point, I wouldn’t care if someone thought I was from a different part of the British Isles, even Scotland!

I would care

[Double 0 Soul]

@pomata (who probably wishes he’d never asked) was looking for ‘ethnic’ food suggestions.. the ethnicity of one’s food is based entirely on perspective so pomata being Italian might have  been wanting suggestion for steak and kidney pie with mash, fish and chips, stew and dumplings, full English or other beige coloured bland stodge. 

[pomata]

lol I didn't expect to get this far. BUT I find it very interesting, thanks @Maynard Friedman and @MJF9 for all the info on (British)Indian food, I don't even try to understand where the 'integrationism' problem is, it's just out of my mental capability. 

[pomata]

25 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

@pomata the ethnicity of one’s food is based entirely on perspective so pomata being Italian might have  been wanting suggestion for steak and kidney pie with mash, fish and chips, stew and dumplings, full English or other beige coloured bland stodge. 

luckily I was wxpecting suggestions on Indian-asian-balcanic-carribean-african... so that's all good

Edited February 20, 2023 by pomata

[Duke Mantee]

53 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

@pomata (who probably wishes he’d never asked) was looking for ‘ethnic’ food suggestions.. the ethnicity of one’s food is based entirely on perspective so pomata being Italian might have  been wanting suggestion for steak and kidney pie with mash, fish and chips, stew and dumplings, full English or other beige coloured bland stodge. 

So you’re saying @pomata asked a stupid question because it wasn’t specific enough? Well that’s cleared things up!

Cheers Neal

[pomata]

I didn’t get it that way I’m too thick