NEWLY opened at Shirley’s Foyes Corner, Chowdhury’s comes from the family who brought us the hugely successful takeaway of the same name in Swaythling.
The Chowdhury’s Group of restaurants have been bringing excellent Indian cusine to the people of the south since 1960. With the addition of the Shirley eatery, the family now have four restaurants in Southampton and London – with more expansion planned in both cities.
My two companions and I sat down in the perfect people-watching window seat of this light and airy restaurant on a warm Friday evening and set to work watching the world go by.
We received a very warm welcome from our host Jay and tucked into pappadoms and chutneys as we perused the extensive menu, which includes all your firm curry favourites in an easy to follow format.
To start, two of us opted for kebabs – the tender lamb Sheek Kebab and the impressive variety of the Tandoori Mixed Kebab – a great way to get a taste of the many meats on offer here.
The favourite of our starters however, was a huge mound of well seasoned prawns on a doughy base. The prawn puri, which we ended up sharing, was the perfect mix of spiciness offset by the delicious base.
To follow, I opted for an old favourite Vegetable Biriani, a tasty mixed vegetable curry perfectly stir-fried with pilau rice.
My companions tucked into a flavoursome Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi, which fused delightfully the flavours of green chillies, ginger and pepper, and a Chicken Dupiaza, which married tender chicken with special spices and large chunks of onion and tomato. Both proved big hits.
Washed down with plenty of excellent red wine, plus a few side dishes including the wonderful peas and cheese dish Matar Paneer, dinner and drinks for three came to around £50.
If you’re a fan of the takeaway, why not let the Chowdhury family cook up some delights for you at their place? It’s a great new addition to the restaurant scene for curry lovers in Shirley.
Chowdhury’s Curry Lounge, 206 Shirley Road, Southampton, SO15 3FL.
023 8033 8833.
chowdhurys.com
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