The Toothless Vindaloo

A Carmarthen favourite

Ask a Carmarthen local which Indian restaurant/takeaway is best and there is a good chance they will tell you its Ginger. Read the reviews on websites like TripAdvisor, those will say the same thing. Fancy a good curry in west Wales? Ginger is the place to be. I would normally agree too, only recently they lost a chef to a rival restaurant and when I ordered a takeout from there last Friday, it wasn't up to their usual great standard. Maybe it was an off night? (Though eateries should never have those.) Or perhaps more care is taken with sit down meals? Who knows, but the meal I had was nothing special.
Being a big fan of hot and spicy grub, I naturally ordered a Lamb Vindaloo, special fried rice and chips (fries) but as soon as I had peeled off the cardboard cover of my rice, I knew I was going to be disappointed. The rice looked too yellow, like the cheap stuff you see in supermarkets and the chips were hard. Im a big fan of chips bought in Indian takeaways, they are usually chunky and golden, often better than those found at chippys (fish & chip shops) but these were a very poor show. And as for the Vindaloo itself? It seriously could have passed for a Pasanda or a Bhuna. It was mild to say the least and as for breaking out in sweat? Not a chance! Now I readily admit that due my habit of smashing hot sauces over every meal, my tolerance for spicy food has increased tenfold but come on! A Vindaloo should never be compared to a f**king Pasanda. Im willing to bet that a Korma fan would have coped with it.
I take no pleasure in writing this. In fact I am genuinely sorry to have to write such a negative article about a local place but its the truth my friends. Even the free poppadum was soft.

Feasts of Metal rating: 2/5

My Lamb Vindaloo

Kangaroo Steaks

Fried kangaroo


Raw it reminded me of plums

Kangaroo. Not the most common beast in Britain's wildlife but thanks to meat imports (and German store Lidl), a critter we can nonetheless eat with our beloved chips and feshly baked crusty bread. I love trying new foods, especially meat, and I was pretty stoked (thanks young Americans) at the prospect of getting my fangs into succulent kangaroo chops.
So how was fried Skippy? Well a few people online had said how kangaroo steaks tastes like a cross between venison and lamb (two of my favourite meats) but dancing on my carnivorous tastebuds they were like neither of those. Here's the skinny (or Skippy): KANGAROO TASTES LIKE BEEF STEAK. Seriously, if you enjoy steak from a cow then you'll like steak from a Roo too. In fact put the two on a plate and most would struggle to tell the difference. And like beef steak its a breeze to cook, simply fry on both sides for 4 - 6 minutes and serve. Or throw a few on the barbie as the Aussies would say.
Shame I cooked this for lunch because my guess is they would be delicious with a drop of wine or chilled cider. **Scribbles note for future** As you can see I cooked homecooked chips with it but a jacket potato, or even a salad would suit it well too because although its very much like beef, kangaroo meat isn't as strong in flavour. Even when you slightly overcook it like I did this time. (But it was only a few minutes and was still great).
Oh and meat eaters please dont be getting on any high horses because I had kangaroo for dinner! Any fan of KFC or the Golden Arches has just as much blood on their hands as us roo (or any other critter) flesh munchers. Just do one, you hypocritical sad sacks. Thank you.




Delicious!

Vindaloo x2

Ordered prawn vindaloo and a lamb vindaloo. Which one was hottest? Watch the vid and find out. Both were 5 stars and if you want one yourself go to Farhin's on Priory street in Carmarthen. Seriously good curries. And no, im not on their payroll.



Prawn on left, lamb to the right

Farhin's Balti Tandoori

For a fabulous Balti Tandoori

After being a customer for over five years now (and satisfied every time), I feel the time is right for me to dedicate an entire post to Farhin's Indian takeaway in Carmarthen, rather than giving them a mere mention in random articles. They deserve it, they really do. And if you happen to be in the area and fancy a curry, drop in and taste what im yakking on about. Those tastebuds will thank you.
You will find them in Priory street (opposite Lidl) and are open 5pm to 11pm monday to sunday.
Farhin's use fresh ingredients in their dishes and each is individually prepared, so the chefs are able to cook them to exact requirements should you have any. They are vegetarian friendly too with an extensive menu to suit everyone. Take it from me, this is a gem of a takeaway with a friendly service and wallet friendly prices. Im a fussy eater and if Farhin's can keep even me coming back every weekend, they are doing something great.
I usually have lamb vindaloo, special fried rice with chips & free poppadums and boy I wish I had their vindaloo recipe. Its always mouth wateringly good and I can honestly say ive never had a bad curry there. I can also recommend the milder lamb curry and chicken korma with mushroom rice. Very tasty.
Don't fancy a Balti meal? No problem as Farhin's also make great kebabs which are always handy on the way home from the pub. This place is one of the reasons im happy I moved to Carmarthen years ago because it beats the places I was used to in Burry Port hands down. If you happen to be a curry fan then you simply need to visit Farhin's. Im hungry now.


Special fried rice and vindaloo

Minted Lamb Rib

One I ate earlier

Minted lamb ribs are a great snack and it always puzzles me why more eateries don't sell it to hungry shoppers. Do people not get tired of pasties all the time? I love pasties but its good to have change, and there's nothing better than chowing down on ribs for that change. (They are almost as tasty as bacon. But not quite). Make sure you choose a rack which has a crispy skin on it.
Ribs won't be to everyones taste because there is a lot of fat on them (don't mention them to your doctor) but for lovers of fatty meat they are fantastic. Oh and eat them the Henry VIII way, with your hands, tearing strips of flesh like a modern day savage. It really is the only way. Forks are for noobs. To be honest you would struggle trying to eat this the 'polite' way because they are quite tough. Nope, fingers are the way forward here like chicken drumsticks.
Lamb ribs are not the most filling of snacks but they can more fun to eat than a cheeseburger.


Enjoy your food!

It Is Legend

Lamb Vindaloo: Me Wanting Water!

The mighty Vindaloo is a dish that needs no introduction (especially here in the UK). Its a hot curry, much hotter than a Madras or a Rogan Josh, and the most popular meats to use in it are lamb, chicken and prawn. The one in the photo above was prepared by Farhim's Indian takeaway in Carmarthen which is a regular weekend haunt of this perma~hungry mosher.
The Lamb Vindaloo is my particular favourite and should be tried by everyone, even vegetarians. Special fried rice or mushroom rice and chips are common accompaniments, with poppadums of course. First time munchers might want a few pints of chilled beer on stand by too. Or cider. With ice, lotsa ice!
Mosh Fact #1: Curry has become a national dish in Britain but Vindaloo dishes are occasionaly omitted from the menu (one has to request it in some places) because they are too hot for all but the hardcore curry fans. There are pussies about. And interestingly (or not) the first time I ever had a Vindaloo was in 2009. True. Indeed my first ever Indian takeway was in 2005 (I had lamb curry) so I have a ton of lost time to make up.

Music to Vindaloo to ~ Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Naplalm Death, Bolt Thrower,Death.
Vindaloo theme album ~ Show No Mercy by Slayer.

Arr ! Me Hearties !!

Lamb Hearts and Potatoes

Owing to what this dish consists of, the heart of a ickle, ickle lamb, most people turn their asses around and run from a plate of this. More fool them sez I, because lamb hearts roasted with potatoes is a very fine and tasty meal. Trust me on that. And not only is it great tasting but its easy on the wallet too. You can pick up three hearts for under £2, and one heart would fill the average person when served with potatoes, swede, etc.
Simple to prepare; lob three hearts in an oven dish, surrounded by potatoes and bake for 1 hr 10 mins on a medium heat, making sure to baste them every 15 mins or so. Throw in some chopped onions on the last quarter of an hour and mosh! A delicious, nut twistngly good meal.
Lamb Hearts are not without their health benefits also because they contain CoQ10 which is a powerful anti-oxidant. Here are some hearty facts regarding health;

1. Destroys free radicals before they can damage your cell membranes.
2. Prevents arteriosclerosis by reducing he accumulation of oxidized fat in your blood vessels.
3. Eases heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
4. Reduces chest pain and improves exercise tolerance in patients with chronic stable angina.
5. Regulates the rhythm of the heart rate.

So eat until your hearts content (terrible pun I know) for there might be some truth in the lore that eating somethings heart will empower the eater. Enjoy !!