New Indian Restaurant at Stoke Bruerne

[chris w]

Over the weekend, a group of us tried the new Indian Restaurant canalside at Stoke Bruerne. (For those who know this area well, it has replaced the previous "Bruerne's Lock" Restaurant.) I have said for years that a good Indian at S/Bruerne would be a gold mine.

 

I fear this one will not be though.....

 

The good points:

 

The decor is nice, the staff are friendly and most of the food was OK. The menu is very interesting with all the traditional stuff plus some "exotics" like Crab Curry (£11.95) and Lobster Curry (£23.95)

 

The bad points:

 

The service was unbelievably slow. We arrived at 7pm and didn't leave till 11pm owing purely to the tardiness of the service. I asked three times for the bill which took, in total, 30 minutes to arrive, and I am not an introvert.

 

I had a Crab Curry. It was appalling. Not the taste, which was non-existant, but the way the crab had been prepared compared to its description in the menu. The menu states:"Crab cooked in the shell with ginger, curry leaves, garlic and coconut milk". Sounds delicious and I happen to love crab.

 

Maybe I should have asked but, from the description, I envisaged a "normal" sized oval crab of maybe 6" wide by about 3" across filled with curried crab meat and a a couple of good sized claws. What arrived was a circular "tiddler" of about 2" in diameter which had been cut in half and had no meat in it whatsever. To add insult to injury, al the legs and the claws were still attached to each 1" half and I was given a shell cracker which was twice the size of the actual crab. As you may imagine, there is no meat in the legs nor even in the claws of such a beast, they were all tiny.

 

Two of us had chosen the crab and they were identically cooked. I complained to the staff, who seemed to think the meat was in the legs!! I ventured to suggest that there was more meat in a vegetarian curry than this crab curry. I called for the manager and he admitted that the chef had changed the way of doing it and it was served in the shell when they first opened a week ago. As I pointed out, such a tiny crab would not have any meat to speak of anyway, in or out of the shell. I also checked with him that the chef had removed the inedible bits of the crab (though to be honest, one couldn't even spot the edible bits) and he seemed unaware that there are inedible bits in a crab.

 

I also shared one dish with one of my guests. We both love Chicken Dansak, done "Vindaloo" hot, and we use it as a "benchmark" whenever we visit a new Indian restaurant. The "heat" was fine but the dish itself tasted like a Chicken Vindaloo rather than a Chicken Dansak Vindaloo having no lentil taste to it. It was also quite dry whereas Dansak is normally very succulent.

 

Others, of my 8 guests, had Chicken Jalfrezi, Tiger Prawn Shaslick, Prawn Kurma and various other dishes all of which, to be balanced, were deemed OK-to-good, but not outstanding.

 

At the end, we were offered a complementary drink of either Baileys or Tia Maria. I asked for a Tia Maria coffee but the waiter whispered to me that he would have to charge me if I had the combination. I said, "No problem, charge me for the coffee and add the complementary Tia Maria to it". He insisted he couldn't do that!! Huh!!

 

Overall verdict: I know 9 people who will not be going back again.

 

Chris

[LEO]

Hi,

 

An Indian restaurant at Stoke Bruerne - the final nail in coffin of 'British Canal Heritage'?.

 

Leo.

[chris w]

Fair play to the restaurant. I spoke to the owner today and he has given me 5 FREE meals (starter and main course) as compensation and is going to re-evaluate his crab suppliers and has totally taken on board our comments. Obviously, I shall not be having the crab as my free meal!!!. But, he is obviously cognisant of the damage a bad meal can do to his reputation and I am pleased that he has taken the path of reconciliation.

 

Well done to them

 

Chris

[Dominic M]

Fair play to the restaurant. I spoke to the owner today and he has given me 5 FREE meals (starter and main course) as compensation and is going to re-evaluate his crab suppliers and has totally taken on board our comments. Obviously, I shall not be having the crab as my free meal!!!. But, he is obviously cognisant of the damage a bad meal can do to his reputation and I am pleased that he has taken the path of reconciliation.

 

Well done to them

 

Chris

And I've just phoned to cancel my booking for 10 on the strength of your "review" and have got 10 free meals and a Jeroboam of Krug thrown in.

[simonk]

Fair play to the restaurant. I spoke to the owner today and he has given me 5 FREE meals (starter and main course) as compensation and is going to re-evaluate his crab suppliers...

 

Perhaps the "locally-sourced ingredients" weren't such a good idea on this occasion.

[Yoda]

God help the ducks around that restaurant. 3am one morning, the staff of one Indian cookhouse were caught 'knocking over' a load of sleeping ducks in a water gardens, not too far away!

[Roger t' Bodger]

Perhaps the "locally-sourced ingredients" weren't such a good idea on this occasion.

 

Since Stoke B is as far from the sea as you can get, I can't imagine how they can say the crab is 'locally sourced'

Lots of curry houses are finding it hard to get good cooks these days as they find it really hard to overcome immigration regs these days.

 

But as for a curry house by the cut being another threat to our heritage then I must say that the exploitative British have liked curry ever since the canals were dug and now Chicken Tikka is the national UK dish.

 

Leicester, of course, is totally spoilt for quality choice on the curry front and you really notice it when dining off the patch.

 

It seems in this case that complaining does get you somewhere - mind you there was something to complain about with prices like that!

[Dominic M]

Since Stoke B is as far from the sea as you can get, I can't imagine how they can say the crab is 'locally sourced'

Lots of curry houses are finding it hard to get good cooks these days as they find it really hard to overcome immigration regs these days.

 

But as for a curry house by the cut being another threat to our heritage then I must say that the exploitative British have liked curry ever since the canals were dug and now Chicken Tikka is the national UK dish.

 

Leicester, of course, is totally spoilt for quality choice on the curry front and you really notice it when dining off the patch.

 

It seems in this case that complaining does get you somewhere - mind you there was something to complain about with prices like that!

Not to mention that Chicken Tikka Masala is a wholly British invention - as are pretty much all the dishes on the menu of any UK curry house.

[Orca]

Brinjol in Weedon Bec is a bloody good restaurant, fantastic food, impeccable service and very well priced! The best Ruby on the Cut imho!!

[sueb]

After hearing some locals talk about their meal at the SB indian hubby and I had a take away monday evening. I am too mean to pay for boiled rice. It was lovely and we are finishing it up tonight.

The museum was a complete let down. I got halfway round the shop without seeing anything remotely boaty so walked out.

Sue

[Roger t' Bodger]

Oh NO! Not the best Ruby on the Cut debate! - there's only one way to solve this and thats FIGHT!

[Orca]

Not that I've had that many Ruby's on the Cut of course........

 

Edited for unintentional double entendres..

Edited April 14, 2009 by Orca

[stickleback]

Brinjol in Weedon Bec is a bloody good restaurant, fantastic food, impeccable service and very well priced! The best Ruby on the Cut imho!!

 

 

Also like Brinjol at Weedon. One of the few I've found in the Northamptonshire area that isn't all red dye! And I'm definitely going to try the Stoke Bruerne one.

 

Ruby??? Pray explain??!!

[Chris J W]

Also like Brinjol at Weedon. One of the few I've found in the Northamptonshire area that isn't all red dye! And I'm definitely going to try the Stoke Bruerne one.

 

Ruby??? Pray explain??!!

 

Ruby Murray = Curry

[Orca]

Ruby Murray = Curry

[sueb]

Strange - a canal forum that can name and shame eating establishments but not boat builders. Can we have some consistency before I get too confused.

Sue

[chris w]

Five of us went back in last night and claimed our free meals, whilst still in the area. I have to say, everyone thought it was excellent, one guest describing his "Tandoori Sea Bass" as the best he has ever had. The owner also informed me that from now on the "Crab Curry" will be using the large crabs with the large claws typically thought of as "normal" in the UK. I asked from where they come and he said "Luton". I haven't seen any crabs in Luton (don't start!!) but I've only ever been there at high tide. Someone queried the fact that the pilau rice was white and the owner said that they don't use colouring in the food.

 

Credit where credit is due, last night's experience was excellent. We were suggesting that he gets into the Nicholson's guides, et al, about which he knew nothing, so he got some useful marketing tips from us. He is also going to start up a Canalside buffet so that should pull in the potential punters around the top lock once they get a whiff.

 

Chris

[sueb]

First mate guides have already been informed. Don't hold your breath for it to be added to Nicholsons. The waterway comics might do a review. Any one seen Richard?

Sue

[bargeeboy]

Off topic slightly BUT at the Port this weekend and can recommend the Indian in Cambridge St Highly as will most of the boaters at the Port this weekend.

 

Over station bridge second on the left

 

Full card £9.95 !! and I mean full card !

[blackrose]

Anyone passing through Brentford who wants a decent curry should take the bus a few stops to Hounslow, where you will probably feel like the foreigner.

 

This is my favourite place for good & cheap Indian food, but don't go when there's a big football match on - unless you like drunk Indian football fans shouting at the screen.

 

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/19/..._Horse/Hounslow

[bargeeboy]

Anyone passing through Brentford who wants a decent curry should take the bus a few stops to Hounslow, where you will probably feel like the foreigner.

 

Guess you understand what I meant about Uxbridge then ?

[Tim Lewis]

First mate guides have already been informed. Don't hold your breath for it to be added to Nicholsons. The waterway comics might do a review. Any one seen Richard?

Sue

 

The new Nicholson were launched this month so it will be another three years before they get in - by that time most restaurants have opened & closed three times!

 

Tim

Edited April 15, 2009 by Tim Lewis

[Keeping Up]

Five of us went back in last night ...

We were moored 2 locks down but went into the Boat as usual

[chris w]

You must have passed us but I didn't spot you. We didn't leave our mooring near the top lock till Wednesday lunchtime. I passed your mooring today and noticed you were "out". One day you'll be "at home" when we pass I hope.

 

Chris

[sbillis]

Five of us went back in last night and claimed our free meals, whilst still in the area. I have to say, everyone thought it was excellent, one guest describing his "Tandoori Sea Bass" as the best he has ever had. The owner also informed me that from now on the "Crab Curry" will be using the large crabs with the large claws typically thought of as "normal" in the UK. I asked from where they come and he said "Luton". I haven't seen any crabs in Luton (don't start!!) but I've only ever been there at high tide. Someone queried the fact that the pilau rice was white and the owner said that they don't use colouring in the food.

 

Credit where credit is due, last night's experience was excellent. We were suggesting that he gets into the Nicholson's guides, et al, about which he knew nothing, so he got some useful marketing tips from us. He is also going to start up a Canalside buffet so that should pull in the potential punters around the top lock once they get a whiff.

 

Chris

 

I was at Stoke Bruerne at the weekend. The whole place stinks now.

 

Simon

nb Bulrush