THE CURRY CLUB
226 Coventry Street, South Melbourne VIC
PH: 9696 0797

In a past life, not far from The Curry Club, I used to do the HINCH programme on Channel Seven. Our studios were also in South Melbourne.

Occasionally my producers and I would lunch at a famous/notorious Indian restaurant named Bedi’s.

My makeup lady always knew if I had been out for an Indian lunch. Not because of my breath but when she started to dust down my face she claimed my body temperature was about ten degrees higher than usual.

It was probably true. Food and body temperature are an intriguing combination. Decades ago, when I lived in New York, a few foreign correspondents were among the first people to catch on to the exotic new, explosive, Chinese food called Szechuan and Hunan.

In new, small, East Side Chinese nosh-houses we would eat the hottest food imaginable. Crab and lamb dishes so hot that saliva would drool uncontrollably from your mouth.

Food so spicy that beads of cold sweat would dribble down your forehead as you munched.

But tastes and palates change. I could no longer stomach some of the fire and brimstone I loved on plates in the past.

And The Curry Club knows this. If you want mild curry they will serve it. Turn up the heat? They will accommodate.

The best news about The Curry Club is that “members” get great Indian food which is “cheap as chips”. I’ll get to my meal in a minute but they do an Indian smorgasbord (if you can get your head around that) which involves about 14 courses for $18.50.

Hello? Who is the life of “japarti”?

Some luncheon soirees drop to $15.50.

The night I dined there I was impressed by one silly, simple thing. Their dishes are Indian (duh!) but their sauces are light.

I had a beautiful and tender and traditional beef vindaloo but it didn’t sit heavy in my belly.

There was also a fantastic Rogan Josh. I did make the predictable bad joke that I didn’t think the bits of the Melbourne Cup winner could have lasted so long.

Seriously, their chicken ticka, is very tasty. And I devoured the naan and japarti and, first up, with yogurt the crispy pappadams.

A case of Mamma Dam and Pappa Dam and who is the life of Japarti.

PS: The layout and style and ambience at The Curry Club is as good as it gets. Want a sexy private party? Book their back room mit fountain. And Peter Sullivan on keyboard. You can’t miss.

June 8, 2004