Brighton restaurants are on the long list in the annual Asian Curry Awards – and the Giggling Squid, founded in Hove, is in the running for Best East Asian Restaurant.
Chilli Pickle, in Jubilee Street, Indian Summer, in East Street, and Curry Leaf, in Ship Street, have been longlisted for the south coast regional award for Best South Asian Restaurant.
The finalists in the 5th Asian Curry Awards are being announced at a networking lunch at the House of Commons on Monday 12 October.
Restaurateurs will have the chance to meet MPs and discuss issues facing the curry restaurant and takeaway industry with other business owners. More than 50 MPs have already signed up to attend.
The organisers said: “Curry lovers still have time to vote for their favourite Indian, Bangladeshi Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Malaysian restaurants and chefs.”
Voting for the 5th Asian Curry Awards closes on Wednesday 30 September.
Votes can be cast online at www.asiancurryawards.com/nomination or by emailing the name and location of the restaurant to vote@asiancurryawards.com.
The parliamentary lunch follows a live cook-off competition and workshop at the University of West London in Ealing on Monday 5 October.
The cook-off will determine the winners of the Asian and Oriental Chef of the Year and the Young Asian and Oriental Chef of the Year (under 30) categories.
Asian Curry Awards chairman Yawar Khan said: “Ultimately the winners will be decided by a team of judges led by Pat Chapman, editor of the Cobra Good Curry Guide.
“But the shortlist will be determined by votes from members of the public. There’s very little daylight between them with everything still to play for.”
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the London Hilton in Park Lane, Mayfair, on Sunday 15 November.
The judges will make unannounced visits to the leading restaurants. Mr Khan said: “We expect top chefs to challenge the existing standards and exceed them.
“These awards are designed to encourage our young people into the restaurant industry and to motivate those already in the profession to set sights even higher.”
The awards are jointly organised by the Federation of Bangladeshi Caterers and the Asian Caterers Federation.
They are open to restaurants and takeaways that have been trading for at least 12 months and have a minimum 4-star hygiene rating with a plan to boost this to 5 stars.
The Federation of Bangladeshi Caterers said that the Bangladeshi-dominated curry industry contributes an estimated £4.5 billion to the British economy and supports about 100,000 jobs.
Azaro on Church Road, Hove is splendid. That rare thing: an Indian restaurant with a short menu, and all the better for it.