A charcoal clay oven lit at four, naan to order, chicken tikka marinated for a day, lamb chops, king prawns, paneer
The tandoor
A clay tandoor, charcoal-fired, lit at four every afternoon and at eleven for lunch. Chicken tikka from thigh marinated for a day, lamb chops, five king prawns, paneer tikka, a half chicken, and a mixed grill for £18.50; naan and roti slapped on the wall to order. Seven dishes, all gluten-free, two to three chillies.
The tandoor is the reason the restaurant is here. Kiran would not open without one, the landlord would not have a gas grill called a tandoor, and the clay oven in the corner of the kitchen has been lit with charcoal every afternoon since 2011. It reaches four hundred degrees, which is why the naan has blisters and the chicken has a crust.
Chicken tikka is thigh, not breast, in a yoghurt and spice marinade for twenty-four hours, then on the skewer for eight minutes; it is the dish we sell most of and the one we would be judged on. Lamb chops come three to a plate, marinated in the same way with more ginger, cooked pink unless you say otherwise. King prawns are five to a skewer and go on last so they are not overdone. Paneer tikka is made with paneer from a dairy in Birmingham that we have used for ten years, with peppers and onion on the skewer; it is the vegetarian dish that meat-eaters order. The half chicken is for one hungry person and the mixed grill is for the person who cannot choose.
Breads come from the same oven: plain naan, garlic and coriander, Peshwari with coconut and sultanas, and tandoori roti made from wholemeal that is the vegan and lighter choice. Every bread is made to order, which is why a table of eight sometimes waits four minutes for the last naan. The tandoor is lit at four on Tuesday to Thursday and at eleven on Friday, Saturday and Sunday; takeaway orders in the first half hour after lighting are told that the tandoor dishes will take ten minutes longer, because they will.
What is included
- A charcoal-fired clay tandoor, lit daily
- Chicken tikka from thigh, marinated for a day
- Lamb chops cooked pink unless you say
- All seven tandoor dishes gluten-free
- Naan, roti and Peshwari made to order
- Salad, mint chutney and a roti with every plate
What it costs
Chicken tikka £14.50, paneer tikka £13.50, tandoori half chicken £15.50, three lamb chops £18.90, five king prawns £19.50, the mixed grill £18.50. Each comes with salad, mint chutney and a tandoori roti; add a naan from £3.20. The menu page has every dish with its heat, its flags and its price; the takeaway page has the collection time and the delivery zones.
Questions about tandoor
Is the tandoor food very hot?
No. Most of it is a two on our scale: warm with spice, not chilli. The marinade can be made a three if you ask when you order, which takes a day, so ask when you book.
Can tandoor dishes be delivered?
Yes, and they travel better than curries. We pack the bread separately so it does not steam, and the chutney and salad in their own pots.
A table on Albany Road, or a bag on the counter in twenty-five minutes.
Book a table for dinner, the Sunday thali for six or more, or the back room for twenty on one form, with a reply within the hour while the kitchen is open. For a takeaway, the takeaway page quotes the collection time from the clock and takes ten per cent off.