Rocking
up at what looked remarkably like a roadside 'greasy spoon' (complete
with garish neon signage), it's fair to say that our group's first
impression of Al's Tikka Grill was unanimously underpinned with a
sense of realisation that the purpose of the penny-pinching print-out
that we had purchased – with which we were entitled to dine at six
quid a head - had been nothing more than a crude attempt to encourage
bums on seats. I mean, although this is pretty much standard when it
comes to the overall premise of these online 'daily deals', there are
times when it becomes increasingly apparent why an eatery has opted
to 'sell its soul' to this scheme...Yet, swallowing this shameless
cynicism and trying not to judge a book by its cover - as well as
resisting the urge to shoot accusing glances at the pal responsible
for this particular choice of venue - we made our way into what
incidentally *is* a greasy spoon, though for all intents and
purposes, doubles up as an Indian restaurant by night...
Date
and Time: Sunday 2nd September 2012, 7:30pm
Name
of Establishment: Al's Tikka Grill*
Location:
33 Ashton Road, Bristol
Reason
for visit: Beer and curry night with the boys
With
earthen-effect tiles underfoot, minimal décor and a cheerful colour
scheme, Al's Tikka Grill is a modest establishment which, although a
little rough around the edges (yes, we're talking a trek through a
dirty courtyard to a poorly lit outside toilet), is fundamentally
remedied with a relaxed, almost homely ambiance; facilitated in the
first instance by the the warm welcome received from Al and his team.
In fact there is something almost endearing about the quirky (albeit
rather random) touches about the space; the dominant presence of
Shilpa Shetti for instance, whose life-sized portrait smiled down
upon our table - as authentically Indian perhaps, as the
subtly-pitched soundtrack that tinkled overhead.
On
to the fare and given that we had spent what seemed like hours in
front of the football prior to our 7:30pm reservation, we were
unsurprisingly ravenous. Yet before ordering, we had to tend to the
important business of dishing out the beers which, bought in as per
the BYO policy, inadvertently delayed dining due to the detour to
North Street that became necessary upon discovering that the nearest
off-licence wasn't within walking distance – sigh! Minus this
momentary set-back however, service was quick and efficient and
despite the fact that we were entitled to a starter, main and a side
each as part of the aforementioned voucher (cue a whole lotta'
umm-ing and ahh-ing as the decision process unfolded), Al's friendly,
upbeat attitude coupled with his knowledge of the menu, certainly
sped up what could have otherwise proved a rather painful process!
And with the table set – complete with warmed plates from Stoke on
Trent (as one of its proud former inhabitants was quick to point out
to five rather bemused faces) - the pickles and poppadoms made an
entrance, shortly followed by our starters. For me, the onion bhajis
(£2.95) which despite looking the part - generously portioned
alongside a crisp-looking salad and a palate-cleansing raita – were
disappointingly dry and floury in terms of their disposition. I also
thought that the onion content should have been a little more evenly
distributed as unpleasant chunkage made for a number of overpowering
mouthfuls that, quite frankly, I could have done without! Others were
rather more complimentary on the subject of what they had ordered;
the Tandoori Chicken (£3.60) described by one of my dining
companions as succulently textured and expertly seasoned.
When
it came to the main event, the Chicken Tikka Masala (£7.25) was on
fine form and, given that this is my consistent curry of choice, I
consider myself something of an expert when it comes to what
constitutes a good or bad effort. In this case, though
characteristically creamy and full of flavour, I noted that the dish
had been set a click or two above the usual level of spiciness which
for me, was actually a bonus and yet could have proven problematic
had I been of a weaker constitution! Others reported similar
findings; the Chicken Jalfrayzi (£6.20) marrying whole green chillis
with its distinctive contrast of sweet and sour and the Rezellah
(£6.20) making its recipients' eyes water! The latter was reportedly
a well-balanced ensemble in that its fiery attributes gave way to the
intricate fragrance beneath and yet, I'm told, 'certainly not a
choice for the faint hearted'! It later transpired that had we
consulted the website prior to our visit, we would have known to ask
the kitchen staff to tailor the pungency of each dish to suit our
individual preferences – something to remember for next time
perhaps....That said, dishes were predominantly well-received;
proving rich, tasty and with an ample ratio of meat to sauce.
Furthermore, pilau rice was served in abundance and of the sundries
chosen, the peshwari naan proved the most popular - in my view not
the best I've tasted, but well-executed nevertheless with that
wonderful combination of sweet, earthy almond and the zing of juicy
sultanas – yum! I will suggest however that there is a need to
address the saltiness of the cuisine overall as judging from the
raging thirst that plagued me long into the evening, the kitchen
staff had fared a little sprinkle happy on this occasion!
In
conclusion, the gang and I had an enjoyable evening at Al's – the
boys joked about returning for a full English the following day in
order to authenticate the review. Something which I'm sure would have
made for interesting reading but was certainly not an experience that
I'd be quick to endure; even for the good of the blog! In fact, I'm
not sure (if I'm being completely honest) that I can see myself
visiting again in any capacity given that I'm spoilt for choice, a
lot closer to home, with a number of first-class curry houses.
Subsequently, the likes of Downend's Tamarind*, the Sunday
'all-you-can-eat' extravaganza at Staple Hill's Curry Supreme and, of
course, my trusty take-out; Kingswood's Curry Kings* really doesn't
warrant this jaunt across town. That said, you really can't knock the
faultless service, value for money and laid-back atmosphere at Al's –
which the distinct lack of clientèle really didn't do any justice.
Thus, although there is room for improvement, it's nothing that
running a tighter ship (and smartening up one's premises) couldn't
fix and I have no doubt that with Al at the helm, the need for bums
on seats could become a thing of the past; perhaps even shunning the
need to satisfy the breakfast rush in favour of a focus on a
first-rate curry crusade!
And
now for the second opinion....
A
fellow diner gave Al's Tikka Grill a rating of 7/10 and in three
words, described the venue as ‘unique’ and the fare,
‘flavoursome’ and ‘good-value’.
References:
