I am really selective about the places I go to for a curry, which is probably why I hardly ever go for one. I am of Asian heritage and my mother is an amazing cook, so I know a good curry when I eat one. So when I was invited along to Itihaas to have a taster of the new menu, I jumped at the chance. My mother has been there and enjoyed the food, a great recommendation, so I wondered how they would cater to my dietary needs.
As more and more bloggers arrived, more canapes circulated around the room. Most had some form of dairy within them, But I got to try a couple of the canapes.
One of them was Tempura Cod in a Spiced Paprika Batter served with a Tomato Chilli Relish and it was really beautiful. The cod was soft yet flaky and the batter had a subtle spice. It worked well with the relish and lime and really catered to my seafood loving tendencies. Safe to say I made good friends with the waitress, as she was my cod supplier, and she knew it!
The second was Spiced Minced Lamb Meatballs roasted with fresh mint and coriander, presented with toasted sesame seeds. I like lamb more than beef, so this looked amazing to me and a very generous portion for a canape. The masala was flavoursome and worked well with the toasted sesame seeds. However, I found the lamb to be a little bitty and hard but loved the masala.
Once all the bloggers had arrived and the canapes and cocktails had vanished, we were all seated in little groups and treated to the mains. There was an array of food on the tables but many contained dairy, in the form of yogurt, butter or milk. However a few were safe for my consumption. In the image above you can see the Nalli Ghosht off the bone and Vegetable Pakistani Pulao. The Nalli Ghosht or lamb curry was exquisite. It reminded of my mother's Rogan Ghosht. The lamb was tender and melted in my mouth and the masala was flavoursome but not offensive to the palate. A stand-out dish for me that I couldn't get enough of! The pulao was nice and went well with all the dishes.
Next, there was the Scallop and Prawn Masala. I like most seafood but this dish was just ok for me. I wasn't a fan of the masala but the scallops were soft and tasty.
Lastly for the mains, was a special dish that was made for me and Ting (from The Ting Thing) aka the dairy-free bloggers. As we both could not enjoy the butter chicken. This is a basic chicken curry, which I cannot see on their menu, which had been made well. I liked the gravy and the chicken pieces. It is very similar to the chicken curry my mum makes when I am not feeling well. That comforting chicken dish that is best served piping hot.
Most of the time I forego dessert, as it contains dairy, but there was this Apple and Cinnamon Samosa that was calling my name. As soon as I saw this on the menu, I knew I had to try it. Alev from Bella Robot mentioned that it sounded like the Indian version of an apple pie. When I tasted it, that was exactly what I thought of. A McDonald's apple pie to be exact, which is never a bad thing! I liked how crispy the samosa was on the outside and the smooth hot centre. The perfect mix of crunchy and smooth, the exact way I like my desserts!
Overall, this was a great night of food, fun and friends. Nights like this are why I love being a blogger!
Would I go back to this eatery? No
Would I go back to this eatery? No
Why not? As I felt my dietary requirements were an afterthought that I had to keep reminding them of. My search for a good curry place continues...
How was the service? Friendly but more training needs to be given on allergens to the staff.
How did they cope with the dairy-free dietary requirement? The menu was not labelled but the staff tried to accommodate.
What are the prices like? Good value for the portions and quality but not somewhere you could visit everyday.
More information - http://www.itihaas.co.uk/
Have you been? What did you think?
*I was invited to Itihaas as part of a Bloggers Event and would like to thank Itihaas for the invite and for East Village for extending the invite to me*
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