A recent email was received from Susan Meacham who runs ‘Taste of the Raj’ in the south west of France. She was trained by a Gujerat chef many years ago and has run takeaway and delivery services for over fifteen years. She asked if we could authenticate the Balti dishes on her menu. So we sent her a Balti ‘audit’ form and her method of cooking a balti qualifies it as a ‘proper’ B’ham Balti apart from serving it up in the balti itself …. which is not surprising as it is a takeaway and delivery service!

We wish the best of luck to Susan for spreading the word so next time you are in France and have had too many snails ….. Her website incidentally is www.indian-cuisine.fr.

The latest edition of the renowned Cobra Curry Guide is now out featuring over 1500 of the circa 9,000 ‘curry’ restaurants in the UK. Based on reader recommendations, it includes a West Midland section that has several pages on the Balti Triangle. Restaurants featured are Adil, Al Frash, Al Faisal, Grameen Kadah, Imran, Kababish, Popular, Shabab, Shahi Nan Kebab House, and Shereen Kadar. Congratulations, by the way, to Jewellery Quarter Restaurant ‘Itihauss’ which is one of only nine restaurants over the last 25 years to secure the coveted ‘Best in UK ‘ Hall of Fame category.’