Best Curry house in Britain

cymrococh · May 17, 2006

MPs have voted a curry restaurant in Haverfordwest their best in Britain.

The Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant beat competition from around 50 rivals to win the inaugural Tiffin Cup.

It was nominated by Preseli Pembrokeshire Conservative MP Stephen Crabb for the competition set up to promote south Asian restaurants.

Chefs from the curry house competed in a "cook off" at Parliament judged by a celebrity panel including Ainsley Harriott and Loyd Grossman.

The restaurant, which specialises in Banglandeshi and Indian sub-continent food, was on a shortlist of 14 and was voted the winner after judges sampled a prawn dish.

Manager Abul Hussein said the team had to bring everything from the pots and pans to the chef's uniform to event.

He said: "It was very nerve wracking to be competing against some of the best restaurants in the country.

"My brother, the chef, was very nervous but I think we were more nervous than he was because he actually had something to do but me and my father were sitting around waiting."

He added: "We do live in a very poor area. Hopefully with this added publicity, not just for ourselves but for our community, everybody will benefit."

The Taj Mahal opened in 1979 and chicken bhuna is its most popular dish.

Mr Crabb, a school friend of Mr Hussein, nominated the Taj Mahal after it won the readers' vote in the local newspaper.

The Tiffin Cup competition raised money for the Roko Cancer Appeal, which also fights tuberculosis in the UK and India.

More than 40 south Asian restaurants throughout the UK were nominated for the award by their local MPs.

The judges also included Nina Wadia from TV's Goodness Gracious Me.

The winning restaurant has a year's supply of Cobra Beer and the 2006 Tiffin Cup.

Gilps · May 17, 2006

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