Insta hit floats my goat; Curry king's new venture gets it Bangla-on for Anna. (2024)

Tommy Miah has had an eventful career. Colourful even. He hasbounced back from issues last year and opened a new place inEdinburgh's South Charlotte Street.

Those with warm memories of his previous restaurants - The Verandahon Dalry Road, the Raj in Leith - will find mementoes of both up on thevibrant peach walls. Miah is his own archivist and has decorated hislatest opening with flashbacks to the glory days of his past.

My favourite was a picture of him with Edwina Curry and a platterof spicy fish.

But if old menus and black and white newspaper cuttings sounddreary and plangent, they are surrounded by fizzy plastic flowers inbright oranges and pinks, chandeliers, a painted rickshaw and the gaudypackaging of Miah-branded food products from his home, Bangladesh.It's brash, cute and perfect for the Instagram age.

The food also has a strong Bangladeshi slant.

Miah, like so many of the first generation "Indian"restaurateurs, is originally from Sylhet, in the north of the country.The soupy curries served by these early, often unskilled pioneers borelittle resemblance to the subtle, nuanced dishes of their homeland.

And even as Indian restaurants have evolved and improved,Bangladeshi food does not get much of the glory.

Miah is redressing that balance with an interesting menu full ofthe tastes of his own childhood. Some dishes, such as the pakoralikesinghara chaat, are regional variations on familiar street foods.

That great Bangla-Scottish invention, chicken tikka masala, is inthere too. But it's great to see some less familiar flavours andcombinations getting a chance to shine. I adore what I know as bhelpuri, the addictive deluxe version of Bombay mix, with added puffedrice, fresh coriander and nippy tamarind chutney. Here, it appears asjal muri. We munched through the oniony, rice-heavy version as wedebated what else to eat.

There were other enticing snacky options. In fact there were lotsof things on the menu I wanted to try. But a rich goat curry,traditionally served at Eid, was too tempting. With fat chunks of meltygoat meat, slow stewed in a tomato-based sauce, spiced deeply but notaggressively, I had made the right decision.

Carb Boy loves a crustacean and was immediately drawn to CaptainCox's tiger prawns. If the colonial governor had anything to dowith this recipe, he had an admirable palate. These were fine fatspecimens, split down the middle and filled with a coriander and greenchilli paste.

It would be easy to put away a whole platter of them, washed downwith a cold beer, looking out across Cox's Bay. Sadly at Edinburghprices - PS12.90 for three prawns - this was not an option.

There are plenty of vegetable dishes from which non meat-eaterscould easily assemble into a veggie feast. We limited ourselves to thechotpot aloo bhaja, a melty, dryish potato curry. There was not muchsign of the promised curry leaves or mustard seeds but we did not holdthis against them.

The tarka daal with roasted aubergines was also light on theaubergines. They may have melted into the lentil mix, which was atoothsome bowlful, a similar brick colour to the walls. Again, weenjoyed eating it so didn't get too caught up with the fine print.

To my astonishment Carb Boy declined various syrup-soakedsweetmeats and rice-based desserts in favour of kulfi. This solidcaramelised milk ice-cream is a favourite of mine too. We disagree onflavours. To me, pistachio is the ultimate kulfi, Food: 6/10 - followedby the white one thick with cardamom. He prefers mango which is prettyand sweet but, to my palate, lacks the majesty of the previous two.

Both varieties were served with a garnish that was new to me. Itlooked like a coating of frozen frogspawn. I was assured it was frozenbasil seeds and, once I looked for it, there was a slight herbal crunchgoing on. This kulfi did not have the full heft I associate with otherversions. Maybe it's a Bangladeshi variation. Kulfi lite.

Someone with Tommy Miah's decades of experience in therestaurant business should know how to read the runes of fashion andthis venture is a clever nod to current dining trends that keepswell-cooked authentic food at its heart. Miah never went down theflocked wallpaper route but even his more contemporary restaurants nowfeel dated.

Yet the British love of curry remains. His attempt to rebadge itwith a mix of his Bangladeshi heritage and highly photogenic decor hascreated the restaurant Edinburgh did not know it needed. Hopefully, thecapital will now take it to their hearts.

Anna's Hot Plate leaders' table . HAAR 23/30 127 NorthStreet, St Andrews KY16 9AG . The IVY 22/30 106 Buchannan Street,Glasgow G1 2NB . The bonnie badger 22/30 Main Street, Gullane EH31 2AB .Crossbasket Castle 22/30 Stoneymeadow Road, Blantyre G72 9UE .HONEYCOMB& Co 22/30 1 Merchiston Place, Edinburgh EH10 4NP ?LE PETIT COCHON22/30 ?9 Radnor Street, Glasgow G3 7UA .Number 16 22/30 16 Byres Road,Glasgow G11 5JY .San VIncenzo 22/30 29-35 Main Street, Bothwell G71 8RD.th e north port 21/30 8 North Port, Perth PH1 5LU .th e lookout 21/3038 Calton Hill, Edinburgh EH7 5AA .Nic k's 20/30 168 Hyndland Road,Glasgow, G12 9HZ .TOMMY'S BANGLACAFE 20/30 9 South Charlotte StEdinburgh EH2 4AS .BO ROUGH 20/30 50-54 Henderson Street, Edinburgh EH66DE .Cafe stra nge brew 20/30 1082 Pollokshaws Road, G41 3XAZ .errol'S HOT PIZZA SHOP 20/30 379 Victoria Road, Glasgow G42 8RZ .greengat es 20/30 2 Queen Street, Stirling FK8 1HN .The Landsdowne 20/30 7aLandsdowne Crescent G20 6NQ .Jac ques 19/30 1146 Argyle Street, GlasgowG3 8TE . Namak Mandi 19/30 21-23 Bridge Street, Glasgow G5 9BJ . donerhaus 18/30 90 West Nile Street, Glasgow G1 2SH . Happy Hot Pot 18/30 178Dumbarton Road, Glasgow . 83 Hanover Street 18/30 83 Hanover Street,Edinburgh, EH2 1EE . F Pizza 18/30 14-16 Stewart Street, Milngavie G626BW . HALLOUMI 18/30 697 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow G41 2AB . Mr Wu'sDi sco Kitch en 18/30 87 Kilmarnock Road, Glasgow G41 3YR . Cold townHouse 18/30 4 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JU . RIOJA 17/30 1116 ArgyleStreet, Glasgow G3 8TD . The Hebri dean 17/30 333 Great Western Road,Glasgow . The Tayberry 17/30 594 Brook Street, Broughty Ferry DD5 2EA .SWADISH 15/30 33 Ingram St, Glasgow G1 1HA TOMMY'S BANGLACAFE 0131225 5724 Website: tommysbangla.

Disabled access: Yes Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday,9am-10.30pm; Friday, Saturday 9am-11pm . Bill for two: PS50.29 l 30nglaca fe Descriptions need sharpened up Decor: 4/5 - Colourful andbonkers Service: 4/5 - Sweet and hospitable Toilets: 3/5 - Less groovythan the restaurants Value for money:

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SPICE TWIST... Bangla Kosha (mutton curry), above left and CaptainCox's tiger prawns, left