Thursday was payday so naturally I ventured out for a meal; however I must admit, this hobby is becoming too frequent and my belly is suffering the consequences! Grrr.....
Craving an Indian Laurie suggested the Jharna located on Belfast's busy Lisburn Road. (I could prob do a blog just on Lisburn Rd eateries...they're all quite tasty!) Having decided on the Jharna I did what everyone does, I quickly checked their website for offers!!! And I am pleased to announce that they offer an Early Bird Menu (Link below) and even more pleased that it contained signature dishes; I absolutely hate when places do special menus and then put the least popular dishes on it...drives me mad.
Anyway the deal was £12.95 for 2 courses and a side which is a very fair price as in some places that would only get you a main course! After placing our order we were presented with some complimentary poppadoms and dips, there was a mint yogurt dip, a mango chutney (unreal) and then a spicy coriander curried dip which was nice and spicy!
For starter I opted for Murgh Chaat; barbecued chicken tossed on a pan with tangy, sweet sauce and served on a fried pancake. This also came with a small side salad and a really really tasty dressing. The chicken was more curry than BBQ to me but it was still extremely tasty. Lauren went for the Vegetable Samosa,, it was OK, I've had better.
There was a good variety on the Early Bird Menu, Korma, Biriyana, Tikka Malsala, Rogan Josh and then a few others such as Cray Fish Curry (£4 supplement) but I was impressed that they had all the classic Indian dishes available on this menu.
http://www.thejharna.com/special_offers/early_menu/
I went for the Chicken Korma which had been delicately cooked in a coconut, almond and cream sauce, it was almost as if the chicken had been slow cooked for 7-8 hours, it just fell apart and was packed with flavour, the shaved almonds on top added a little crunch to the dish and was a fantastic addition. Lauren went for the Murghi Tikka Masala, chicken tikka gently spiced, cooked in butter with ground almonds, tomatoes and cream and as always we split the mains (I cite this as the best reason to get married - you always get to try two dishes...lol) If I am being honest I have definitely had better Tikka Masala, this one was a little too tomatoey (not a real word) I think Spice in Lisburn do the best one in my opinion. We both ordered a side of pilau rice, is there a better tasting rice? Rhetorical, the answer is no!
We also ordered a Garlic Naan, who doesn't! I LOVE NAAN
The setting itself was very nice, modern and elegant with the most amazing open fire, we had a window table and the windows were covered in a wooden ornate design which gave a sense of privacy but still allowed you to be nosey if you want. Unfortunately there was a tall staircase to climb which limits accessibility, so wheelchair users may want to find an alternative! I have emailed them to find out more about this so I will update when informed.
Overall a nice meal, not the best Indian I have ever had but the cost and dishes available more than make up for that!
