Spice is nice as Shrewsbury curry house tastes success with award

Cafe Saffron, in Hill's Lane, won a Curry Life Editor's Choice Award.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel presented owner Mohammad Azad with the prize at a glitzy bash at Grosvenor House in London.

Syed Belal Ahmed, editor Curry Life magazine said: "It's a matter of personal pride that curry is a national dish as fish and chips, reflected in the industry's size. Our restaurateurs have great passion for their food and that is matched by the UK's appetite."

Cafe Saffron opened in 2001 and was renovated in the last year. Mr Azad says he enjoys travelling abroad as much as he can, to destinations such as Bangladesh, Turkey, Malaysia and Egypt, trying out new spices and ingredients that he can adapt to the menu, with many of the restaurant's dishes invented in-house.

He said: "We've used the best quality ingredients from day one and we make our own spices in house. We are very careful not to over-spice our ingredients as this can impair the flavours - you can taste all the ingredients in our food and no two dishes taste the same."

Award-winning, in-house creations on the menu include Tawa Labra and Capsilla, a dish with grilled lamb or chicken combined with honey, fresh ginger, and garlic, cooked in a sauce with spring onion.

Mr Azad did take the opportunity to raise concerns over rising costs.

"We need to increase the costs in line with inflation and we think it's better to focus on providing a quality experience for our customers," he said.

Lord Karan Bilimoria, chairman and founder of Cobra Beer and sponsor of the awards, said: "Post-pandemic, we have been faced with a new problem in the form of the cost of living crisis. Inflation has soared to historic levels, and this summer we have seen an energy crisis, a fuel crisis, supply chain issues and labour shortages.

"However, through this adversity, the curry industry has been today so resistant through all the tremendous hard work and efforts - it has been truly laudable!"