Rupali 1977 - Newcastle's Curry Capital

Established in 1977, Rupali is one of those old school curry houses that validates why the cuisine is a long standing favourite for this nation. Situated in the heart of Newcastle the ever glamorous Bigg market of course, makes Rupali a regular venue for many of the city's patrons. They arrogantly boast a solid reputation holding various awards for their notorious 'curry hell'; numerous celebrity visits and even Gordon Ramsey's recommendation. And in all fairness, the food is very good. Authenticity and quality ingredients are well employed across all of their dishes, making every trip enjoyable. 

You can expect good service in their clean-cut, albeit rather small restaurant up the random flight of stairs near Bambu. And like the vast majority of Indian restaurants, they offer all of the expected 'classics' or rather generic dishes that you can rely on. They also offer a selection of more interesting speciality dishes, although these can be a little expensive given the portion size. Sadly, their special thali dishes (a steel platter of a variety of dishes, rices, bread and dessert - iconic of dining in thousands of India's cafes) has been stripped from the menu. Clearly they've focused on a more profitable à la carte style menu, which is a real shame.

That said, there isn't anything wrong with Rupali, their dishes are indeed very tasty. They've just lost some of their spice based magic. Unless of course you are hunting for heat... if you are particularly keen to tempt a Indian style bout of explosive visits to the toilet, then their naga chilli enriched 'curry hell' will leave you sweating in places you didn't think it were possible. And you haven't burnt most of your tongue off/a hole in your trousers and come to finish it you will get the meal for free. Bargain!....sort of. 80%