Cockroach restaurant fined

THE boss of a restaurant on Manchester's 'curry mile' has been fined after a court heard it had been crawling with cockroaches.

Magistrates were told a public health inspector had found a 'well developed' infestation at the Al Nawaz restaurant on Wilmslow Road, in Rusholme, last summer.


The court was told that manager Gopal Dangol, 64, was ordered to shut it down after the inspection. He was fined £2,500 and restaurant owner Elite Chain Ltd was fined £12,500. The restaurant has since re-opened under new management.

The court heard that the inspector went there on July 24 last year after a customer made a complaint. Barbara Gora, prosecuting for Manchester council, said: "He saw live cockroaches running around the bar area, over shelving and on drinking glasses.

"Live cockroaches were also found around the washing up sink, under the coffee machine and over electrical equipment.

"A live cockroach was also found in a foil food container. There were also a number of dead cockroaches, which was indicative of a well-developed infestation."

Dangol, from Buxton Road, Stockport, and the firm had earlier pleaded guilty to five offences under food hygiene regulations.

Miss Gora said salad had been left next to raw meat in a fridge and the refrigeration units were in a poor state of repair. She said samosas and onion bhajis had been left out overnight at room temperature. Waste food and unclean kitchenware had also provided a source of food for the cockroaches. The waste bin was also full and overflowing.

She said: "The council prosecutes these matters because the public health is being put at risk. These defendants are clearly putting their profits before public health."

The court was told Dangol had a previous conviction for five food hygiene breaches while he was manager at the New Tabak restaurant on Wilmslow Road in 2007.

Barry Cuttle, defending, said Dangol had worked in restaurants as a waiter, a chef and a manager all his life. He said: "He's a family man. He hails from Nepal. He has worked very, very hard and very honestly and sincerely."

He said Dangol had already resigned from his job when the inspector visited but had 'copped a rocket' because he was still there while the firm waited to appoint a replacement manager.

He said the firm's pest controller fighting the infestation had needed access to the flats above the restaurant, but the residents often would not let them upstairs.

He said the restaurant was now under new management and he had been told by accountants that Elite Chain Ltd had ceased trading. Dangol was fined £500 for each offence - a total of £2,500. He was ordered to pay £1,124 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Elite Chain Ltd was fined £2,500 for each offence - a total of £12,500. The firm was ordered to pay costs of £1,124 plus a £15 surcharge.

Dangol was told by magistrate Catherine Feeney it was the worst breach of hygiene regulations she had seen in 30 years in the hospitality industry. She said: "Hygiene is important because people can become ill and die. You're in a very prominent position on Wilmslow Road and it's totally unacceptable."

Source : Manchester Evening News

The tikka tagliatelle

EVER fancied a chicken tikka tagliatelle? Or how about an aloo arrabiata?

For those with exotic tastes, one restaurant owner is bringing a fusion of Indian and Italian food to south Manchester diners.

Umar Farooq has begun introducing the culinary crossbreed to the Palatine restaurant in Northenden, and he plans to put the idea on the menu when he takes over the former Princess of Hearts in Chorlton.


He said: "I thought it would be a great idea to offer something new and different.

"I can‘t think of anywhere else where you could start with onion bhajis and then have a main of lasagne if you wanted to. And if they want to top it off with some Italian ice cream or an Indian dessert, they can.

"These days people have more exotic tastes and I want to give them the chance to mix and match a bit.

"But also when you get a group of people going out, they don’t all want to eat the same style of food, so I’m giving them the opportunity to have a few different things to share."

As well as selling a number of much-loved Indian or Italian dishes such as chicken tikka masala or penne al pesto, Umar says customers can design their own dishes if they want.

"If they want tagliatelle with a tikka sauce or an aloo gobi with an arrabiata sauce, they can have it!

"We want customers to have what they want and have a bit of fun."

Umar, 35, opened the Palatine on the site of the former Kazbar on Palatine Road, Northenden a few months ago, and he has agreed a lease with the owners of the former Princess Of Hearts on Manchester Road, Chorlton. The restauranteur who lives in Urmston with his wife Sahida and their five children, grew up on Manley Road on the Chorlton-Whalley Range border.

He said: "When I told my children I was going to do this they laughed and thought it was a funny idea. But like the new generation of British Asian kids, they’re very accepting of all sorts of different tastes.

"And they especially like the idea of Italian ice cream."

Umar will take over the running of the Chorlton restaurant once an issue over the height of the revamped building is resolved between the owners, Britannia Property Group, and the council.

He added: "We‘re going to start doing breakfasts too, so people can have parathas with spicy omelettes.

"We’re going to blow the roof off!"

Source : MEN Asian News

Lal Qila - Rusholme

T 0161 224 9999
A 125 Wilmslow Road, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 5AN

Visit arranged by: Chris Marchbank-Smith

It has now been at least 7 years since the currycouncil last sampled the cuisine in the aptly titled ‘Curry Mile’ in Rusholme, Manchester. It became clear that some of the famous restaurants in the ‘Curry Mile’ must be included in our website, to back up our claim of being the true Indian Restaurant knowledge base of the Manchester and Cheshire area.


The ‘Curry Mile’ consists of over 60 restaurants and takeaways on Wilmslow Road. The venue for the June 2009 curry was set after extensive research and ‘Lal Qila’ was the venue of choice.

Rusholme appeared a little bit more scruffier than on our last visit. Scaffolding and broken neon signs are now common place across a number of shop and restaurants fronts. Parking was extremely difficult and most members subsequently arrived ten minutes later than planned due to the lack of available car parking spaces in the area.

The large restaurant appeared busy on arrival and consisted of a mixed crowd consisting of students, couples, families and a Cilla Battersby-Brown lookalike. The décor was basic and neither modern nor old. The interior of the white washed restaurant does not really have the look or feel of a traditional ‘curry house’ or a restaurant that had chosen to move with the times.

"Watery Mango Chutney"

A complimentary poppodum was served to each council member with a small selection of dips. The texture of the mango chutney and associated dips appeared to be very thin and almost watered down. The standard and choice of dips was quite poor and it was noted that the dips were not complimentary. Pints of cobra were promptly served all round and went down quite well.


The waiter quickly and rather impatiently tried to take our order before the first pop had even been broken. Winfield duly dismissed the waiter and asked for a “couple more minutes” for the council to peruse the menu.

The waiter took our order and we resumed or usual discussions. The main talking points included welcoming Paul ‘The Rat’ Day back to the fold after his self-inflicted 6 month break from all currycouncil activities. The council were pleased to see him and explained the reasons behind our current stRATegy of targeting the Rusholme area for review. Mr Day didn’t seem too impressed with the surroundings and raised a concern about finding the toilets unsupervised.

"Uncle Bens Chinese Sweet & Sour Sauce?"

A selection of starters arrived. Winfield and Hague opted for the ‘Chicken Chaat’, a firm council favourite. The ‘Chaat’ was, unusually, not served on the traditional Chaapati and this immediately raised concerned with the lads.

Hague chewed on his flourescent coloured starter and begin to grimace. He shouted out “Lads, this chaat tastes a bit too sweet, it tastes like Uncle Ben’s Chinese Sweet & Sour Sauce from a jar” in his not so discreet voice.

The rest of the currycouncil began to sample his starter and all concluded that the sauce was not home made, strangely included pineapple, tasted like it was from a jar and was incredibly poor.


The chicken tikka starter was very well marinated and elegantly spiced. The Onion bhaji’s were small, bland and flat. The bhajis lacked onion and strongly tasted of potato.

"Any more drinks?" x 19

The waiter constantly asked us if we “wanted any more drinks” every five minutes. This became quite repetitive on the 19th occasion of asking, as did the sulky look on the waiter's when we didn’t order another round of drinks.

Things were not looking great so far but surely Lal Qila surely had to deliver on the main courses?

The waiter brought out some clean cutlery for our main course but the council were left suitably unimpressed by the well worn and scruffy looking plates that arrived. Metallic hot plate warmers were also not provided.

Main Courses - did they deliver?

Two members opted for the "Chef’s Special" and were left suitably unimpressed with their choice. They wondered why this dish was actually described as ‘special’. The sauce was quite dry and rather bland. The chicken and lamb balti’s were both sampled and would be described as average to good.


Winfield sampled the Chicken Jalfrezi and was not impressed with their offering and was dissapointed with the "lets go to Iceland" style chicken pieces.

"Nan lacking fluffiness"

The Peshwari Nan served was very flat and circular, almost like an Italian pizza base. The bread lacked the 'fluffiness' and the usual brown 'bubble' type crators that we have become accustomed to.
The brown pilau rice arrived served on two large plates rather than seperate bowls. The rice texture was lumpy and unappealing.

The months curry organiser had pre organised a group booking discount of 10%. The waiter did not honour this discount when the bill arrived. After some persuasion the waiter reduced the bill by just 6% and we all begrudingly chucked in £20 each.

If Lal Qila is a true reflection of the standard of the restaurants on the curry mile, the Curry Council are extemely dissapointed and may think twice before revisiting Rusholme based on this offering.

Pros

• Very busy restaurant with a mixed crowd
• Good pints of draught Cobra
• The Curry Mile's unique atmosphere and 'smell'
• Vimto lollys with the bill

Cons

• Parking difficult
  
• Cheap paper napkins
• Poor to average food
  
• Unappealing "Old School" Salad with starters (e.g. iceberg lettuce and huge tomato slices)
• Uncle Bens Chicken Chaat
• Waiters too pushy with drinks

CurryCouncil Rating
Food 3/10
Service 4/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Value for money 4/10
Originality 3/10

Overall 4.2/10