Peppers Balti, Trench

Stepping through the door of Pepper's Balti Restaurant in Trench, Telford during a recent Friday night the place was packed, and I don't mean just full, I mean packed to the rafters with diners occupying every single available table.

Reviewer's rating: **** I remember doing a story last year, writes Cathy Stanworth, in which I quoted a local expert predicting a huge surge in sales of home entertainment equipment in 2009 as people would definitely be staying in, rather than going out, during the recession.

Well, stepping through the door of Pepper's Balti Restaurant in Trench, Telford during a recent Friday night, I found myself having to 'beg to differ'.

The place was packed, and I don't mean just full, I mean packed to the rafters with diners occupying every single available table, apart from one that myself and my partner Simon had wisely reserved beforehand.

The place was a great atmosphere as these happy diners chatted and ate and drank, if not a soft drink - the only type available for sale at these unlicensed premises - then an alcoholic one after having 'brought their own'.

From what I've seen this year, people do still want to go out, perhaps escaping for just a few hours from the less than easy times we're experiencing. But there's one condition for a venue to do really well - it's got to be offering really good food at a value for money price. And I think Peppers could be one such example.

The eaterie forms part of a row of shops on Trench Road, which happily also has plenty of parking spaces.

We were greeted by a smiling waiter (why do some people working in the hospitality industry forget this essential component?).

Our smiling, if not beaming, waiter, quickly showed us to our table, which was nicely situated in an alcove window.

Myself and Simon took in the modern interior, which looked either recently decorated or just really well maintained. We found it to be an attractive, very clean, warm and welcoming place with keen, hard working staff.

Later on, checking out the website www.peppers.fancyabitetoeat.co.uk, I learned that Peppers won the 2003-2004 Shropshire Indian Cuisine Good Food Guide Award. It said those who work there believe in providing good food at a competitive price from a hygienic, open kitchen.

Being specialists in traditional balti and tandoori dishes, it advised that all meals were cooked freshly to order. The best spices are used, all the Balti dishes are cooked in a wok and all their breads are cooked in a clay oven giving a unique flavour.

Our smiling waiter brought us the menu and opened the bottle of red that we'd brought with us.

The menu was so large that I had some difficulty in deciding what to have. There was a huge list of chef recommended dishes, plus tandoori dishes, balti dishes, special Korai, byrianis, English dishes as well as the starters, desserts, sides and set menus.

For the mains I finally decided on a king prawn balti bhuna (medium) dish with onions, capsicum, fresh tomatoes and selected spices, served in a thick sauce (£7.75), with egg fried rice (£2.30). Simon went for a king prawn balti pathia (fairly hot) dish, described as sweet and sour with rich spices, tomato paste and lemon juice (£7.75), with special fried rice (£2.30).

My onion bhajis were great and very tasty. I had two of them - both the size of a beef burger! They tasted just as I had expected and I thought this was a generous portion for a starter.

Simon said his prawn on puree was good. It wasn't too greasy, which was something he had encountered in the past at other restaurants. So far, so good.

My main balti dish was very good indeed. The prawns were nice and tender and the sauce was rich and thick. Although it was obviously spiced, it wasn't overpowering, just very satisfying. I think I made the wrong choice for me, with the rice. It was white and shiny, with bits of egg in it, but I think I would have preferred a drier rice, as it had the shimmer of an English home made rice pudding.

There was nothing wrong with it at all - I just think I would have been better off with Simon's special fried rice.

Simon enjoyed his pathia and his rice. He said the sauce had a strong tomato flavour. It was a strong sauce, but not too spicy and his prawns were good. And his rice was tasty. Again both portions were generous.

As we were now both full, we had to pass on a pudding. We finished off with a coffee and then headed off home. We agreed we could see exactly why Peppers had been packed that night.

ADDRESS

Peppers Authentic Indian Cuisine Balti Restaurant & Takeaway, 109a Trench Road, Trench, Telford TF2 7DP.

Tel: 01952 606555

www.peppers.fancyabitetoeat.co.uk

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Samosa (meat or vegetable) (£2.50); stuffed pepper (£3.50)

Main courses

Balti jhinga masala rampuri (£9.50); special chicken or lamb korai (£5.95)

Sides

Garlic fried rice (£2.30); tarka dhal (lentils) (£2.50)

Desserts