January report - Paradise Balti, Petersfield (Wed 14th)

Paradise Balti welcomed us warmly (both ourselves and our taste buds) for our 2009 kick-off meeting. Fourteen members attended - a good turn-out, and in fact a majority of these had been at the Petersfield Rugby Club's annual Vice Presidents' lunch on the preceding Saturday. This may be evidence that Curry Club members have outstanding stamina, or at least great powers of recovery, or just can't be kept away from good food and drink!

The food, chosen by the restaurant, was a great selection of tasty choices. Starters included chicken and lamb tikka, and prawn butterfly. Mains included a beautifully-flavoured but not scorching hot chicken vindaloo, lamb padina, mixed korai, chicken balti, gamchi (can't read my own writing - garlic chilli?) chicken, prawn dhansak, lamb tikka dupiaza, and a sizzling and delicious chicken tikka straight from the tandoor. The restaurant chose well and it was a good decision to offer just eight - if I counted correctly - varieties of main dish, compared to about 16 last time. Much easier to compare and contrast the tastes.

So we enjoyed a convivial evening, and decided that in February we will venture out of Petersfield. Shahanaz in Haslemere has an excellent reputation and is due for a visit, as we didn't make it there in 2008. Please note that this is a change from the previously-announced plan to go to Madhuban.