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GANESHA AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE Bristol

GANESHA AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE, 54-56 BEDMINSTER PARADE, BEDMINSTER, Bristol, BS3 4HS

01179533990

GANESHA AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE
Prices at GANESHA AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE Bristol from 5.95 Bedminster Parade is a beguiling mix of art galleries, restaurants and car accessory stores just south of the river. As befits this unusual set of bedfellows, Ganesha is a far from a standard, common-or-garden Indian restaurant. It's a family-run venture offering authentic Indian cuisine from all corners of the subcontinent via a menu that’s a million miles away from your average curry house. When Ganesha opened its doors on Bedminster Parade in March 2008, there were probably a few raised eyebrows. A small, 30-cover restaurant serving authentic food from Southern India in the shadows of Bedminster Asda, it must have been a gamble for owners Prasad Vanka and Mayur Renukdas and their wives. The two couples had never run a restaurant before and were keeping down full-time day jobs when they weren’t putting in some serious hours in the restaurant. Two years on and any doubters are eating their words for not only has Ganesha survived a recession, but it has become so popular that it has doubled in size and moved along the road. Prasad and Mayur come from Hyderabad and Pune which are one of the most popular Indian cities. Both are very keen to point out that the food they specialise in is very different from the standard bog style of cooking found in the most common Bangladeshi or Pakistani restaurants. In the windows, they have placed colourful silk sari drapes and twinkling fairy lights. The pillars inside have been painted chocolate brown and have also been decorated with silk ribbons. The brown leather banquettes that had previously run the length of one wall have been moved into the centre of the room and now act as a natural divider, making for a more intimate dining experience while feeling spacious and airy at the same time. The old white walls are now a warm coffee colour with Indian prints and instruments on shelves. Throw in some lower lighting and it all makes for a striking transformation. The soundtrack low-key Bollywood. The menu remains true to its Indian roots without too much compromise to the more Anglicized Indian restaurant dishes. There is an abundance of fish, seafood, lamb, ginger, coconut and Goan spices used in the food, which tends to be milder and more aromatic than the usual balti house fare. Typical dishes include Masala Dosa (Starter) - An enormous triangle of lacy-edged pancake sealed at the edges, it contained a hot filling of mustard seed-speckled potato bhaji in the centre. Apparently, this is a popular breakfast dish in India and it would undoubtedly set you up for the day, especially with the delicious coconut chutney and sambhar (a sauce made with dal, curry leaves, tamarind and about eight different spices). It would certainly give you more of a glow than Ready Brek. Sheek Gilafi Kebab (Starter) - Thick, juicy kebabs of lamb mince flavoured with ginger, coriander and spices, it was served with a soothing minty yoghurt dip. Bhagara prawns (Starter) - King prawns marinated in ginger, garlic and spices before being fried in a light batter and scattered with fresh coriander. Murg Makhani (Main Course) - Boneless chicken Tikka pieces cooked in a rich creamy sauce. Gosht Dahiwala (Main Course) - Boneless tender lamb pieces marinated in yoghurt and then cooked in a Hyderabadi style spices. Gosht Nilgiri (Main Course) - Tender chunks of lamb immersed in a thick green/grey sauce of mint, coriander and spices – one of Ganesha’s best-sellers. Kozhi Varutha Curry (Main Course) – A medium/hot dish of chicken in a smooth, subtly spiced curry of tomatoes, onion, herbs and curry leaves. A traditional Kerala curry, it had some heat but not enough to mop the brow. Bhagara Baigan (Side Dish) - Aubergines cooked in a peanut and thick onion tomato sauce. Ganesha has built up a large and loyal following over the past three years and its move to bigger premises is proof enough that there is an increasing demand for regional Indian cooking rather than the same old Chicken Tikka Masala joints.