A North Wales curry house has made the cut at an awards ceremony crowning the best Asian food in the UK. Black Peppers, in Wrexham, was one of five Welsh curry houses cited at The Asian Curry Awards, dubbed the 'Curry Oscars'.
Each venue got a visit from the judges at the Asian Catering Federation (ACF), which organises the event, so they could categorise the winners, reports WalesOnline.
Here is the full list of the Welsh eateries that picked up the title of Asian Restaurant of the year.
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The Grand Sultan, Port Talbot
A very inviting, friendly curry house on the outskirts of Port Talbot, the Grand Sultan is located at the Lakeside golf course. WalesOnline booked a table here a few years ago, after it was dubbed the best Indian restaurant in Wales, and it was efficient and friendly from start to finish.
The food definitely impressed so it’s no surprise that they’ve been given even more recognition. The title of being one of the best Asian restaurants this year will also add to their collection of awards and nominations including the British Curry Awards in 2019 to the Asian Oriental Chef Awards in 2017.
The Red Mango, Powys
This venue looks fairly traditional and unassuming from the outside but don't be fooled by its humble exterior. This sophisticated restaurant offers more of a blended dining experience, specialising in both traditional and modern dishes like nawabi lobster – a whole lobster cooked in herbs and spices – and chingri volcano, which is prawns in a hot sauce with bullet chillies. It also recently won the best newcomer award for the UK at the 2023 National Curry Awards (NCA).
Black Peppers, Wrexham
Black Peppers is well known in Wrexham and has carried a reputation for both its cooking and wine selection. The head chef Babul Hussain and the team work with Indian and Bangladeshi cuisines by integrating traditional style of cooking with locally-sourced quality produce.
And it's easy to see why they impressed the judges, as it sounds like people have been loving them according to TripAdvisor. One happy customer even described them as the "nicest Indian food" they'd ever tasted.
It is based by the historic Saint Giles church in the city centre. It opened in November 2011, having already opened five successful establishments across North Wales and England, and it decided to make Wrexham number six.
Spice Plus, Pontyclun
Led by a chef who has more than 25 years' experience in the Indian restaurant trade, this impressive eatery also picked up a win at the awards. They offer a range of starters, main courses, and accompaniments which are all freshly prepared.
But the best thing about this place has got to be the laverbread curry, which was an absolute standout when WalesOnline reviewed the takeaway not too long ago. They bought the laverbread and lamb and said it had a similar texture to saag but a different flavour entirely.
Gateway of India, Cardiff
And last but not least to pick up a win was the Gateway of India in Cardiff. It is located at the heart of Whitchurch village in Cardiff and looks like it offers some amazing dishes.
One person said it was their new "favourite Indian" on TripAdvisor, noting: "I'm happy to say I was blown away. Top-notch food, one of the best lamb curries I’ve ever had (lamb dopiaza) and the service was amazing." You can see the full list of winners at the Asian Curry Awards 2023 here.
