The newly formed B’ham Balti Association propose to make an application  to register the B’ham Balti. Initial discussions are underway with agencies to secure the European TSG (Traditional Specialities Guaranteed) mark.  This aimed at ensuring that anybody who opts to enjoy a B’ham Balti experiences the real thing rather than a typical curry where the restaurant has decided to use the term ‘balti ‘generically. 

A ‘Best’ B’ham Balti Competition is being organised with a line up of top ‘chef’ judges who should know better if they purport to be foodie gurus.  Last year, the winning restaurant Grameen Kadar, despite being an excellent ‘curry’ restaurant by the way, wouldn’t know a balti if they fell into one.

A new Balti Guide is out and worth seeking out if only for the purposes of both amusement and the discount vouchers which are always welcome.  A rip off from previous guides, it has a less than comprehensive list of restaurants bizarrely not listed in alphabetical order. It’s reviews include stunning insights and literary gems such as ‘excellent value traditional balti experience’ and ‘a menu that is firmly balti focussed’.  In this Guide every restaurant is suspiciously a winner with the Lahore Buffet billed as having ‘more than 20 balti dishes’ …. the Lahore may be a good buffet restaurant but balti and buffet are about as similar as chalk and cheese.

Undoubtedly a Guide which should be placed in the ‘fiction’ category!