16 November 2008

The Curry Kebab - Not as good as you might think

| johnboy
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Walking to Civic tonight we were debating whether to dine at the old favourite of Ali Baba, or try the new, and nearly next door “Grill Fusion” which offers on its signage to provide kebabs AND curry.

This got us thinking that a good naan or roti bread could play host to a dryish curry forming a pretty handy takeaway meal.

We were so enthused by this idea that we walked past the trusted, reliable, Ali Baba and into the Grill Fusion.

There was a dude mucking around on a laptop in the corner who ignored us and no-one behind the counter.

After two minutes of this my more sensible girlfriend announced she was going to Ali Baba. But we blokes, being stupid, persevered. Eventually a man in a filthy chef’s jacket came out from the back and took our orders. During this time we’d noticed that, apparently, our dreams had come true and a roti-curry kebab was indeed on the menu.

Despite being still legal to drive we chose to try this grand experiment.

After a short period of arseing around we were advised to wait outside.

Where we waited, and waited.

To their credit they did make the roti fresh for us.

On the other hand our meals were piled up in paper bags on the counter and, despite having been asked to wait outside, no effort was made to ask us to collect our meals.

After all the other customers had left we guessed that the remaining packages were for us and inquired as to whether they’d like us to pay for them.

As you can see in the first photograph, it was not an appetising package. The curry was so wet that it constantly threatened to spill onto our clothes. We joked that a straw was needed to eat it safely.

I have a stomach that has weathered the worst kebabs in London, amoebic dissentry, and months in rural China. Without wishing to provide too much information, let’s say I am now in a delicate condition.

Ali Baba has little to fear.

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F430 said :

Na, the best kebaba or should i say souvlaki I’ve ever had was from Stalactites in Melbourne, now there’s a Souv worth flying over there for….
Drunk in Canberra nothin beats chicken tenderloins with chips n gravy from chicken gourmet

Bettered only by their mixed grill – always my first feed stop in melbourne – open 24 hours to feed the taxi drivers.

Well, between you and me, Bonejac, I ate there with my daughter one lunchtime and was similarly unimpressed. But don’t tell anyone I said that, cause I don’t want any trouble from disgruntled curry merchants!

As another of those who dared the rotti curry wrap, I can say I was quite unimpressed… a really ordinary sloppy curry poorly contained in a loose roti. Definately wont be going back anytime soon…. a pity really as the idea itself is gold just really poorly executed and v.poor service. Thankfully no ill effects from the meal tho 🙂

Hash … bleah! No thanks. I’ll stick to chocolate.

: )

The only good brownie is a hash brownie.
But you’re going to need to find or create your own recipie.

Well, my brownie recipe is American so hopefully it is authentic. It is decadent and fattening, however, so that is the main thing!

; )

I just save up my brownie habit for when in hte US. I was very disgusted to find the resort brownies at Stowe were disgraceful, and as supplies ran short, they’d cut them in half, re-wrap them, and sell them at the same price!

so I nagged and muttered at them, and they changed supplier to some new local cottage bakery, and I got really fat. Nagging works sometimes.

No, I already have an excellent ‘disgustingly rich chocolate brownies’ recipe!

However I got the exact ANZAC biscuit recipe I had been searching for from googling. I did have to look through a few first, but I knew it when I saw it!!

I can kind of taste them while I am reading them though, so that does make it a bit easier.

tylersmayhem2:12 pm 17 Nov 08

Just google it, tylersmayhem!

I already did, but there seems to be so many variations. I’m keen for a tried and tested recipe. Have you ever searched for chocolate brownies in Google? You get millions of hits, and I’ve treid several recipes before. Only 1 out of 4 was all that good. 🙂

Just google it, tylersmayhem!

tylersmayhem1:29 pm 17 Nov 08

Sorry for the double post – but I used to frequent Ali Baba’s, but long ago I relised that the portion size it about a third of what it was back in the day of the original in Woden Plaza. These days they go as far as to weigh each tiny portion. Smart business for costings – yes. Stingy when you are continually scaling all your food back to “Kababy” size – yes.

It still tastes good, but over $7.00 for a p**sy little kabab – no thanks!

tylersmayhem1:26 pm 17 Nov 08

I make 2kg batches of the rendang all the time

The recipe please…for the love of Pete…please post the recipe! 🙂

^^ Agreed. Fez in green square is actually pretty tasty. I cant vouch for the pide’s but the zucchini balls and fallafel are delicious.

> I totally recommend Fez in Green Square, Kingston

My wife agrees with that. She doesn’t even like (or generally eat) kebabs normally, but she had one from this place a couple of weeks back & said it was amazingly good.

Nambucco Deliria9:38 am 17 Nov 08

I say again – Rani’s in the Civic Interchange. Marvellous.

I totally recommend Fez in Green Square, Kingston. The kebabs are made with real chicken (not like the chicken sausage you get at a lot of places) and they aren’t stingy with it at all.

The Pides are also excellent – $15 each – and you can get a handy dinner for two of a pide and 2 zucchini balls and still have change from a $20 note.

Woody Mann-Caruso7:10 pm 16 Nov 08

The beach markets in Darwin do a great curry roti/kebab. Pick your curry and garnishes and away you go. My favourite is the beguilingly-named “hot chicken curry” with a little yoghurt and mango pickle. It burns our Ring, precious.

Joe Canberran6:08 pm 16 Nov 08

As i said the curry kabab was great for me. It was the lackluster service that was it’s downfall for me. That and that the great idea of a curry kabab needs more work (better wrapping, less juicy curry) to make it a viable take away food.

I have been to Grill Fusion before and found the service to be friendly and prompt. While I only ate standard Indian fare (no kebabs for me and me missus that night), my guts were not troubled in the slightest.

I hope that the experience of JB and his crüe was a aberration – Civic needs quality Indian takeaway food.

phew! 😉

Let me re-assure you all that I was clothed at my desk when I composed that one.

People (in large numbers) talk on mobile phones while on the toilet. And the OP claimed to be in a delicate condition, and I suspect he was on the loo typing bitterly.

oh ant, charming as ever!

Would the OP please confirm that as he typed that review, he was NOT sitting on the dunny with his laptop…

TroyWilliams12:34 pm 16 Nov 08

A beef roti is a thing of wonder

I would have thought a thing of chunder.

Joe Canberran11:52 am 16 Nov 08

I must state as one of the group who endeavored to try this magical curry/kabab chimera last night I really enjoyed it.

True the service was absolutely appalling. The packaging was appalling and the curry was too wet for the concept to work well.

BUT … It tasted great! I scoffed my in seconds, and for those that don’t know me that is not indication that it was a small serve. I enjoyed it so much that when I got to the end I most undignifiedly slurped the curry sauce out of the alfoil pocket it had been wrapped in. If I wasn’t so eager I would have used a straw.

Would I have one again? Only if i was really in the mood and had lots of time. Despite all it could be, in this incarnation need work and is in no way a takeaway food.

As for after affects: I feel great today, no complaints at all.

i went with a friend to this grill fusion place for lunch one day – i didn’t have anything but my friend ordered and we waited an extraordinary amount of time for an extremely ordinary meal. doubts about either of us going back.

Na, the best kebaba or should i say souvlaki I’ve ever had was from Stalactites in Melbourne, now there’s a Souv worth flying over there for….
Drunk in Canberra nothin beats chicken tenderloins with chips n gravy from chicken gourmet

I came very close to eating at this place last night but decided on the noodle place round the corner, as recommended by Rioters.

Unlike Grill Fusion the food was delicious, the service prompt and courteous. And I know it’s not very manly of me to say, but the little noodle boxes with the metal handles is a cute touch!

astrojax said :

i’m sorry, but the deal should be either a curry, or a kebab, no?

astrojax – you speak of evil that which you don’t understand.

A beef roti is a thing of wonder

captainwhorebags10:05 am 16 Nov 08

Go to Yarralumla shops and get a kebab from the Turkish Pide place there. You’ll never again be satisfied with Ali Baba kebabs.

ahh but see, the error is for them not to serve it with the pints of lager…

i’m sorry, but the deal should be either a curry, or a kebab, no? like, who’d wanna have stir-fried sushi tortilla? or a cerviche wellington? stick with what you know, especially when drunk!

That picture makes one think of the “moistitude” of the curry… Good to hear that the top blokes at Ali Baba have nothing to fear. The idea of a curry and roti wrap is incredibly appealing to drunk people everywhere, but you need to at least flirt with customer service if you want to build a business.

haha that sounded ruder then it was meant to be (by that I mean it was not meant to be rude and I apologise if it sounded so).. But the pic of that take away food just looks so wrong for you in every way..

Maybe u should just stop eating crap, you never seem to enjoy anything you eat.

JB, maybe THAT was the issue tonight?

y’see?

That’s EXACTLY what we were thinking of.

You should start a restaurant.

A good beef rendang, wrapped in a fresh made roti with slices of cucumber to help with the heat – beautiful. I make 2kg batches of the rendang all the time, freeze in little 4 serve containers… A 25 pack of roti is on standby at all time

3 mins to make on a hungover morn – brilliant

I’m surprised you didn’t walk out at the start. At least we know one place to avoid when drunk. ty

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