K2

K2 on the left

So to the he recently refurbished K2 Restaurant on Lumb Lane I go.... Coolio.

Now under new management and apparently serving 'simply the best curry in Britain' according to the sign outside that is!  Well we'll see.

Nice inside now with high backed leatherette chairs, laminate flooring, magnolia walls and dark wood tables. Pictures on the walls offer vistas of the mountain K2, perhaps a little unsurprisingly, and the Eiffel Tower!  Once seated looking out of the large front window, the view isn't exactly pretty - instead looking directly at the side of an old mill... "Well, may I ask what you expected to see out of a Bradford Curry House window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically!"  However, I do find a certain something inspiring about the past grandeur of Bradford industrial landscape.

K2 is still a modestly sized restaurant - well compared to the noisy neighbour - seating no more than 30 diners I'd say, and has a little kitchen to the back.

The view from K2s window

K2 was totally empty at noon - inc. the staff! A bloke eventually wandered down the stairs and greeted me, and seemed genuinely surprised! A quick piny over the t-shirt and he was ready to go though!  Balti Gosht from the specials was ordered - off an otherwise pretty standard sort of menu - and a garlic naan (chapatis not included here).  No popadoms or anything were brought to the table either, but a small onion side salad and pickle tray did appear with the Balti itself.

My meal sounded to be being freshly prepared and I was asked how hot I wanted my dish too. Rattling of pots and pans and the slapping of dough could be heard over my shoulder, although I resisted peeping and being too nosy!

Balti Gosht

The curry was well seasoned for me and my medium heat request was bang on. A deep underlying sweetness was much in evidence.  A little oily/gheey but was dense with meat and with little sauce in the classic Bradford Curry way.  Chunks of tomato added a fresh dimension. Garlic  naan was nice and fresh and... well... garlicky - surprisingly!

Last mouthful and the residual garlic and ghee flavours mingle with the mild zingy heat. Very Good.

£11.60 "but call it a tenner to you Sir" seemed a bit steep for a £7.60 Balti and Naan?  Something must have gone a little astray there I thought.  I didn't mention it however.  More than happy at £10.  Fresh, unique  food (as in not microwaved mass market stuff), prepared expertly and with care is always is always worth the money.

So, perfectly brilliant Bradford Curry. A little pricier than the norm perhaps, what with having to buy bread separately, but still worth ever penny for the freshly prepared food that makes Bradford famous. I'll be back for more of that.