An independent South-Indian restaurant, Curry Leaf Café, is offering an impressive January lunch deal to warm up freezing Lanes patrons in its relaxed and colourful restaurant.
The Winter Warmer, which is £9.95 for a meal and drink, is perfect if you usually want a bit of everything when you order a curry, and I was smiling from the first bite.
The smooth tadka daal was mild on the heat scale, without all the coconut you would find in a korma and had a gorgeous, rich saffron colour.
This came with a choice of rice (I went for coriander rice) and a mango chimichurri on the side, which tasted like real, sweet mango rather than the stuff you’d find in a jar or from a takeaway.
Also on the winter warmer plate were three crisp-fried vegetable pakoras and poppadums.
I thought it was a decent portion, and what was more refreshing was that it didn’t rely on meat substitutes like other vegan options these days.
The meal comes with a choice of either Masala chai, tea or Nimbu Paani lemon and lime drink. The turmeric and ginger tea I chose with my meal came in an individual teapot, giving me three cups.
I found the marigold brew delightfully balanced, and I was happy to not be confronted by an overpowering ginger heat.
The deal is available until 6:30pm daily, but will only be on the menu until the end of January.
However, if you’re looking for something outside of the lunch rush, the level of choice and value on the rest of the menu was striking.
The mushroom manchurian naan on the Loaded Lunch menu (£12.50) with beetroot raita was also excellent value for a lunch dish.
Despite really taking my time to parse through the options – clearly marked for spice level, nuts and dairy – the servers were patient and cheery.
For those who make curry and beer night a tradition, Curry Leaf Café, which you’ll find tucked away on Ship Street, offers a beer flight of three separate thirds of a pint or a three-pint pitcher.
There is a large choice of boozy cocktails, local ciders and beers, with alcohol free options available too.
Being both vegan and gluten-free, it can be difficult to find lunch on a budget, and this competes brilliantly with high street options.
The deal is remarkable if you’re after a January pick-me-up on a budget.
