Lal Qila

Lal Qila. Like a pleasant fungus (if there can be such a thing), it’s spreading all over the north west and spawning spores Southport as well as the very city that gave us The Beatles, Ken Dodd and a water body full of jellyfish. I kid you not, every time I peer into the Mersey I see one of those see-​through little deadly blighters bobbing around. Anyway, thankfully Lal Qila’s seafood is one of its strong points and it hasn’t attempted to do what would-​be serial killer Patrick Bateman did and incorporate jellyfish into a sophisticated menu.
Although that’s not to say it ain’t inventive. Like its Mancunian siblings, Liverpool’s Lal Qila is a modern take on the curry phenomenon and has an army of polite staff at the helm waiting to attend to your every need, as well as a chef with a flair for invention and over 29 years experience. Not bad credentials, eh. This one started life in 1984 when I was a dimpled little one year old, and has grown and moved onto Eastbank Street four years ago. Its reputation for fabulous service precedes it, but what of the food?
Firstly the ambient lighting, sophisticated demeanour and relaxing music seduces you, then you’re treated to some really delicious curry. You’ve got to remember that real Indian food is supposed to be healthy, wholesome and fresh, not a greasy calorie-​laden indulgence, and this restaurant takes that as given. It’s all very authentic and you’ll find your favourite Indian dishes here plus many more that you might not have thought of. Veggies are well catered for and all the meals are freshly prepared, so nothing will taste like it’s been stewing in its own juices for about five hours. Top notch Ruby Murray.

After a run of fairly adequate, but indigestion-​inducing indian takeaways from our usual place, we thought we’d try Lal Quila. We had heard good things about the restaurant, and were pleasantly surprised to find that they did free home deliveries from their online menu. The food was delicious, the meat tender and the spices delicate. I WILL be ordering from them again– strongly recommended.