Prashad means blessed food; the Patel’s meaning is that their love passes to you through the offerings; I’ve rarely felt so beatified, and you should too. I urge you to go.
These days it’s best to book, but do it soon. It’s a life experience you don’t want to be without.
Prashad in Bradford, started as a passion of Mr and Mrs Patel who had a vision more than 30 years ago to open their own Indian deli after converting what was then a launderette.
Featured in the Michelin Guide and awarded a Bib Gourmand every year since 2014 after having being the only two-star AA Indian restaurant in Yorkshire, they are cooking up a storm in Drighlington, Bradford, where you’ll be hugged by the warming roasted smells of herbs and spices of Prashad’s very own special Garam Masala mix.
Today their three storey corner West Yorkshire stone building is set up over two floors, the ground floor being cosy and intimate with low ceilings, and grand velvet studded furniture and carved Indian doors.
Prashad serves up the finest tastes of Gujarat and North Indian vegetarian food, with a local and seasonal focus too. This evening I felt the best way to get the full experience was to have the five course tasting menu. Exploring food through a tasting menu opens you up to so much more, discovering new flavours, new dishes and quite possibly new favourites.
And once the first course arrived, I was just a bit blown away!
Sanku, an open cone shaped samosa filled with seasonal vegetables infused with mango and ginger. It was so tasty that it was eaten before I thought about a photo.
Next up was the Lassan Paneer Tikka, flavourful and delicately spiced tandoored paneer infused with ginger, garlic and lime.
The crowning glory was the Massala Dosa, It’s a long, thin rice flour tube filled with a ‘lightly spiced potato and onion mixture’ accompanied by lentil soup and coconut chutney. The paper thin crispy casing cracks to the touch, revealing the fragrant curry; the idea is you spoon the soup over it and dip the whole lot in the chutney – utter bliss.
The next main course was Mattar Paneer, the ultimate vegetarian dish enjoyed by Indian vegetarians, the sauce of cubed and fried paneer chunks, sautéed with peas, green chillies along with a host of spices, tomatoes and ginger garlic paste was topped with perfectly cooked rice. On the side were two mini naans, fluffy and necessary to soak up the last traces of curry sauce.
Finishing on a sweet note, the dessert was a Gujlawa – baked filo layers, layered with crushed pistachios, almonds and walnuts and served with a raisin and nutmeg ice-cream. Served hot and cold, the combination is divine, comforting and very easy to eat.
A cup of Chai was the perfect finale!
The food was delicious, and not one grain of rice was left to be seen. Of course, I enjoy food, yet what I really love about tasting menus are that they take the decision out of your own hands, most of the time.
What you’ll find here at Prashad is a proud family run business, a modern take on traditional dishes that still stays true to original flavours and flair, and the only two star AA and Michelin Bib Gourmand Indian restaurant in Yorkshire.