Mr P doesn't eat Indian food. I know, I know, almost a deal-breaker but in his defence it's only because of an intolerance to a substance found in spices, and he makes up for it with a compensatory love of Thai cuisine. Still, whenever he is out of town I take my chance where I can get it for a curry affair. Usually I make my own, but this time due to a lack of necessary ingredients and feeling sorry for myself after a soggy walk home from work in the Cardiff deluge I decided to splash out (badum-chh). The Purple Poppadom has become something of a Cardiff institution on the Indian food scene, even recently earning a glowing review from Jay Rayner in The Guardian (see here), so I dripped my way up the stairs to try it out. Fast forward 20 minutes and I'm hurrying home with my precious cargo.
Needless to say the food was delicious. Fresh spinach and water chestnuts added dimension to delicately spiced onion palak pakoda. Cooling raita and sour tamarind sauce were perfect additions. Huge succulent king prawns were cooked in a chilli and coconut sauce that allowed each flavour to come through without overwhelming the delicate flavour of the prawn. Fragrant saffron pilav rice and peshwari naan with a sweet coconut filling were among the best I've tried. At £21.65 for a meal for one it's not cheap but it's so worth it... and I had enough left for an eminently satisfying lunch the next day. It's a big thumbs up from me and I'll be going back asap for the tasting menu.
Purple Poppadom - Cowbridge road east, Cardiff; 02920 220026; website
