Breakfast at the Sweet Centre

Something I’ve always enjoyed, but rarely seem to get around to doing, is the Traditional Chickpea Curry Breakfast.

Unlike the Curry Mile in Manchester, where the Chickpea Curry Breakfast is all the rage, Bradfordians seem less than enthusiastic from what I can tell.  If anyone knows where to get Chickpea Curry Breakfast then please let me know.

Bottles of  sauce are supplied on the tables 

The little Sweet Centre Café on the corner of Lumb Lane and Bowland Street is separated from the Sweet Centre Restaurant proper by an importer/exporter herbalist’s shop, and is a pretty cool place to visit.  Although recently refurbished with posh new chairs, the general layout is essentially how I remember it, in that there is a counter partly to display sweets, and partly for eating at, with a number of associated stools, and standard tables and chairs.  We took a table on this occasion due to having a baby in tow, and also because all the stools were full!!  NB – no high chairs are available. 

What no menus?  A quick peer around the, what I thought was a, surprisingly busy café for 11:30 in the morning, revealed everyone was eating one of three things – Chickpea with puri’s, Sheekh Kebab’s or Samosa’s.  This led me to the conclusion that there must be such a limited menu available at this time that it isn’t even worth offering one for perusal??  However, I now have a little dilemma - what I call ‘Chick Pea Curry Breakfast’ might not be its official title?  If I ask for this will I be laughed out of the place?  It wouldn’t be the first time a waiter has had to correct me for ordering the wrong type of food at the wrong time of day!! 

Izzy enjoys her days out eating curry with her Daddy

Anyway, above the bustling bar are two signs, one reads ‘takeaway orders’ and the other reads ‘eat in orders’ – simple really.  So with all my nerve I approach the bar preparing myself to be either laughed at, lectured at or simply told to clear off.  I lean between two blokes and ask for a ‘breakfast’.  Thankfully my request is greeted with a nod, and also with the kind of expression that say “yes I know, we only sell three things here….  What else could you possibly want?”  Full of confidence now I ask for two kebabs too.

I retreat back from the bar, but within a couple of minutes I’m beckoned back over, and the food is ready!!  A vast pan supplies the chickpeas, and the kebabs are given a quick blast in the microwave (Booo! but quick).  The puri’s come from a small kitchen out the back.  I’m also supplied with a glass of water and some napkins.

Traditional breakfast fare 

Once ferried back to our table, it’s clear to see this is uber fast and simple food.  If I didn’t have Izzy with me, who prefers a more leisurely dining experience, I could be in and out in a matter of minutes – as were many people who we witnessed.  The bowl of chickpea curry also had potato in and is kind of quite plain – in a good way mind – but just not like a curry you might eat on a night out.  I don’t think you really need a blow your head off taste explosion in your head for breakfast.  The puri’s are very greasy, but I think they are supposed to be, and I reckon could be a little ‘demanding’ to say the least if not prepared for them.  Oil runs down your fingers as you are tearing into them!!  The kebabs were good and tasty too – even though the microwaving made them a little rubbery – and had a real home made aspect to them.

A couple of sweets were selected afterwards also, and the whole bill came to £5.30!!  Brilliant.

I should do this more often….  And will.