Tony Rowen discovers a legacy lives on at a successful Indian restaurant
DINING out is one of the most popular pastimes and with so many different styles of food on offer, restaurants have to be at the top of their game to attract people to their eateries.
The annual Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards have played a major role in recent years in raising standards in the county to help people have the best and widest choice of where and what to eat.
When it comes to Indian food, the options are wide ranging in Northampton. Not only does the food have to be of the highest quality, but the service, surroundings and general ambience of the restaurant has to meet the expectations of diners.
For nearly 20 years, Imli Lounge – originally the Prince of Bengal – in Kingsley Park Terrace, Northampton, has been welcoming diners, many of whom have become close friends over the years. In this day and age, longevity is a testament to a business that is meeting the expectations of its customers.
The late Nowaz ‘Ali’ Choudhury opened the Prince of Bengal in 1999 after nearly 30 years and various different ventures in the Indian food industry, and then undertook a massive image relaunch and refurbishment to create Imli Lounge on the same site in 2008.
After Ali died in 2013, his son, Saf, took over the running of the restaurant and has continued and maintained his father’s vision of bringing exceptional food and service to customers.
In this day and age, to be successful you have to move with the times and Saf Choudhury is introducing initiatives to ensure the continued success of Imli Lounge. These include offering businesses the exclusive use of the restaurant for meetings, family parties, charity events and speciality nights, such as Elvis evenings, with entertainment and a set menu. The two held to date have been hugely successful. In addition, the Imli now has a big selection of gins.
“Businesses are always look for something different for staging meetings or rewarding their workforce, and we are able to provide such an option for up to 80 people,” said Saf. “After completing their business, they can relax and enjoy a meal.”
Evidence of the continued popularity of Imli Lounge was provided on my recent visit. There was a healthy attendance for a Wednesday evening – possibly enticed by the Wednesday Banquet offer of a starter, main dish and side dish for £10.95 per person – and we, like everyone else, were afforded a warm welcome on arrival by the smartly dressed, friendly waiting staff.
Without doubt, the brown leather padded chairs at the Imli Lounge are some of the most comfortable chairs I have ever experienced in a restaurant. They support your back and are the perfect height for the tables which have immaculate white linen cloths and gleaming glasses and cutlery. The restaurant has a contemporary look and is light and airy.
Before studying the menu, we ordered a bottle of wine – a Murphy’s Trentham shiraz (£14.95) – from the impressive wine list. The description states it is a full-bodied wine displaying robust tannins, and is a typical upfront Aussie from such a classic grape. It certainly lived up to its description.
Sipping the wine and eating a couple of poppadoms with chutneys, we set about making our selections from the menu which features a range of starters, Thali dishes, Imli House Specialities, Exotic Dishes, Oriental Biryani, Venison, Tawa Specials and Tandoori Dishes as well as English dishes for the less adventurous.
Sue and I both chose from the Imli House Specials selection. Chakmai Chicken – a fairly hot dish of deep-fried chicken breast pieces cooked with herbs, spices and green chillies; and Garlic Murg Makhani – a highly recommended dish of dried barbecued chicken, tossed in butter with garlic, cultured yoghurt and cream served in an exotic sauce.
Both selections, which were accompanied with pilau rice, won our approval. The chicken was tender and flavoursome. The heat factor of Sue’s Chakmai dish provided the perfect kick without being too overpowering, and the garlic in my Makhani gave the dish plenty of flavour without dominating it.
It was obvious that the others diners were equally impressed with their selections.
Wherever possible, the chefs at the Imli Lounge endeavour to use local produce, use little ghee and less oil where possible to support healthy eating. This is about to be further enhanced by the introduction of a healthy eating menu.
In addition to the Wednesday Banquet, the Imli also has a Sunday Buffet (noon to 5pm) where diners can eat as much as they like from a selection of laid out dishes for £8.95 per person, half price for children, and provides a takeaway service.
Ali Choudhury’s legacy lives on through Saf, who continues his father’s original vision of providing exceptional food and service to customers. Imli Lounge continues to flourish in a crowded and demanding market.
Imli Lounge 76 Kingsley Park Terrace, Northampton, NN2 7HH, 01604 791555 or 791697 or visit www.imli-lounge.co.uk
As the weather improves, people’s thoughts are turning to eating barbecue style. For many, this will mean the standard fare of steaks, chicken, sausages and burgers, which have an enduring appeal.
These same people are probably fans of Indian food, but have not considered having an Indian-style barbecue. However, in 2018 for the more adventurous, there is something completely different on offer, thanks to an initiative of Saf Choudhury. He and his chefs have devised a complete Indian barbecue offering of different meats, salads and sauces that can be ordered for people to cook off on their own barbecues.
“When the weather is good, people love to cook and eat outside when we have warm summer evenings or lazy weekends,” said Saf. “Because of all the preparation work involved, a barbecue featuring Indian food is probably something they have not thought about, but the introduction of our new service means this can now be a reality.
“People can order a complete prepared barbecue from us and then, if they wish, finish the cooking process in their gardens without all the hassle of having to marinade meats and prepare salads and sauces for a completely different barbecue dining experience.”
Imli Lounge is offering a four-person and two-person Indian barbecue option, costing £39.95 for four people and £19.95 for two.
For further information or to place an order, telephone the Imli Lounge on 01604 791555 or 791697