Gurkha triumph

On Valentine’s Day, one distinctly runs the risk of being ripped-off.  Set aside reserving a place for a restaurant in advance just to be guaranteed a space with your beloved, the prices are ramped up to eye-watering levels.  Is that the chilli? No, it’s the bill and it’s making me bilious.

One year, Altaa and I went to an Indian restaurant in Canterbury Street, Gillingham.  I suppose we were lucky to actually get to sit down as, later on, people who had booked had to queue outside waiting a for a table to become free.  This wasn’t a matter of punters being tardy with their foods.  We had to wait forty minutes before our chosen selection eventually turned up.  Even then, it was not of a high standard.  To top it off, Altaa and I had an argument over something and we both left the restaurant unhappy (though not before collecting the complimentary red rose at the exit).

This year we decided to try Gurkha Cuisine in Whiffen’s Avenue, Chatham.  The premises had previously been occupied by a Greek eatery, then by a Chinese operation. The current Nepalese occupants had proudly laminated and stuck up a broadly positive review by BBC and The Times food critic Giles Coren.  I had asked earlier in the day if they had any special tariffs for 14^th February and the reply was in the negative.  Being a bit out of the way and not especially bustling in general times, I hazarded that a table would be available.  Otherwise, the prime benefit would have been the fresh air walking down the brow of the hill.

Thankfully, this proved the case – a few tables were off-limits to the man and woman off the street but overall we were given the freedom of the dining area.  Without a menu before me, I could not relate the specific names of the delicacies we ordered, yet the starter that we shared was reminiscent of Mongolian buuz and there was a spicy dip for them.  This was followed up by two lamb dishes with pilao rice and standard naan bread.  We opted for a lamb double so we could share each other’s dishes and have red wine together – a fruitful proposition given that with regard to the liquid refreshment (which was poured generously) I had to polish off Altaa’s wine when she felt unable.  The desert list was a bit disappointing comprising solely ice-cream in various formats.  We declined and I paid Sangita at the till, returning the billing booklet plus tip.

We left the Valentine’s Day choice this year in a happy frame of mind.  Gurkha Cuisine can be assured they played a large part in this.