Kashmir Cottage (Bearwood)
30/06/2007 (Sat.) Dim and I went to Kashmir Cottage on Bearwood High Street. This is one of the closest restaurants from our house. I have already eaten here twice, and I had a good meal on both of the occasions.
This is how it looks from out side. There used to be a big banner saying "Monday Tuesday Buffet £7.95". Fortunately it is now gone, although the same buffet still is still on offer.
The place is very small and has about 40 covers. It you want to get in here for certain, reservation is recommended, especially for Fridays and Saturdays. At all three occasions I came here, it was either quite populated or many table already reserved.
First, Popadoms. They charge for these. I think I payed about £1.5 for 2 popadoms and dips. But, as you see at the end, as the other dishes are so well priced, we end up paying less than at other places where popadoms are free. Anyway, you have choice not to order them. I think it is always good to have choice.
Popadoms and dips tasted ok.
For starter, we shared stuffed chili from their special menu. The green peppers were filled with yellow mashed-potato like, spicy stuffing and deep-fried in chick pea flour batter. Very nice with fresh heat. Look also this large salad. The price is amazing £2.50.
Now, main course. This is Chicken shashlik. Big, succulent pieces of chicken and vegetable cooked in tandoori oven. You think some of the vegetable are burnt; they are bit burnt, but give pleasant bitterness. This is my favourite dish, and I ordered it at all the 3 occasions.
Shashilik comes with a separate plate of salad. Often the tandoori main dishes are accompanied by token salad, but at Kashimir Cottage, it comes as a big heap! All these for £4.95.
This is aubergine curry, Baingan Bhartha. Baked aubergine mashed and mixed with onions and spices. Again this was nice, but it was slightly too salty to my taste. I ordered stuffed paratha to go with, but this dish should have gone better with boiled rice.
My stuffed paratha, or, rather, a half of my paratha. I am not sure what was the stuffing. It was a yellow paste, probably spiced potate mash. This is the second time that I ate paratha in my life, and I just wanted to try again. I thought it was bit dry, but on the other hand I don't have clear idea how paratha should be. Dim had his all time favourite, cheese naan.
The final bill came to £17.65, including Dim's coke. We thought it was very good value for money. Service also was very good as it was at the other occasions.
If you live in the area, and you have never tried, I would recommend heartly to do so.
Kashmir Cottage
422 Bearwood Road, Bearwood (Birmingham) B66 4EY
Tel: 0121 420 2528
http://www.kashmircottage.co.uk/