TCP: The Curry Project

I needed quite a few minutes to adjust to the lack of service during my first Indian meal in Australia.

My two friends and I had simply walked in and sat ourselves at a table of our choosing. None of the staff even approached us, despite the restaurant being tiny and consisting only of eight tables in total. There were no elegant menus to be brought over as paper take-out menus had been placed underneath the glass table top in front of every seat. Once we had decided on the food we wanted to eat, I had to raise my hand repeatedly until one of the staff at the back counter finally came over to take our order.

As we waited for our food to be prepared, my friends, noticing the confusion and hint of frustration on my face, just laughed and insisted that I would soon be impressed.

And so I glanced around the place, finding it incredible that there were so many raving reviews and articles hanging on the walls written about Classic Curry, dating all the way back to 1995, the year it had first opened its doors.

After all, the items on the menu were as simple as I’d ever seen in an Indian restaurant and as the name of the place suggests, did not bother with creative names, descriptions or ingredients.  The short list of appetizers included only pakoras, samosas, aloo tikki and chole. The vegetarian, chicken and lamb curries were all basic and familiar and the small choice of tandoori items were limited to a few varieties of naan and paranthas.

But nonetheless, the restaurant was full of customers, none of whom seemed anything but delighted to be there. And as soon as the ‘waiter’ arrived with our tray of food, I finally had my first glimpse of why there seemed to be such an inexplicable buzz over this unimpressive-looking establishment.

Sitting on the table before me was the thali that my friends had so eagerly convinced me to order. First of all, any thali that arrives in a tin thali plate, the style so common in restaurants throughout India, deserves instant recognition. And when the chicken masala, palak paneer and vegetable kofta are prepared to near perfection, as is the mound of basmati rice and extraordinarily large garlic naan that came straight out of a tandoori oven, it doesn’t take long to turn a suspicious customer into an enthusiastic fan.

In terms of quality, Classic Curry ranks up there with the best. In terms of value, Classic Curry stands alone atop the field. Even had I not been given the option to choose which curries I wanted in my thali, the $9.50 AUD price tag would have seemed incredibly reasonable. Considering that practically nothing on the menu costs more than $10 AUD, eating quality Indian food in Melbourne proves to be one of the cheapest options in the entire city.

When I had finally finished my tasty mango lassi and it was time to leave, it came as no surprise that I had to walk up to the back counter in order to receive the bill. But given the amount of ‘thank you’s’ and smiles the entire staff showered me with in appreciation of my business, I no longer interpreted their strange take on service as rude or lazy.

As I walked back out onto Elizabeth Street, it took me a moment to remember that I was actually in Melbourne and not among the narrow lanes of Old Delhi. That’s when I realized that Classic Curry had done their job, by temporarily transporting me, through food and atmosphere, back to the Subcontinent itself.

Restaurant Details:
Classic Curry
597 Elizabeth Street (corner of Queensberry Street)
+61 9329 4040
http://classiccurry.com.au/
Hours: Monday – Saturday from 11:00am – 10:00pm & Sunday from 3:00pm – 10:00pm