Every body loves a success story, right? In these economically and energy challenged times, any good news is especially welcome, so we were thrilled to hear that the House Boat team in Derby have been short-listed for an ‘Asian Restaurant and Takeaway’ award (keep everything crossed for October, when announcements are made). This Indian Restaurant, that specialises in Keralan cuisine, has only been open in the city for about 18 months, but is clearly cooking up a reputation for itself as a place to enjoy tasty, authentic, street-style dishes.
It's no exaggeration to say that House Boat is one of the most eye-catching venues you will visit in the ‘Shire. Every wall has a vibrant, huge mural on it, whether it be depicting the marriage between Derby and India, a waterside view, or a beautiful person. Personally, I love the anchor-shaped light pendants; they’re so unique and blend of [art]form and functionality. Dark wood tables and chairs add a contrasting touch to the 64-seat capacity restaurant. There is further seating (weather-permitting) street-side to the front of the venue, affording diners a real ‘street’ vibe as they dine.
To the rear of House Boat is the soon-to-be best [un]kept secret in Derby: the ‘Black Pearl’ Beer Garden. Beyond a faux-Ivy festooned pergola is a space that transports you aboard Captain Jack Sparrows ship, complete with re-purposed alcohol barrels for seating and tables…as well as the Cocktail Bar itself! Some of the seats bear the ‘Jack Daniels’ seals; maybe this spirit will be used in some of the cocktails themselves – who doesn’t love a Dark-n-Stormy-Daniels? The high brick walls also have striking murals painted on them; one of the Kraken, the other of a brazen Mutineer/Pirate. As I said, pretty impressive.
Anyway, back to the dining… our lovely server got us sorted with drinks: glass of Shiraz for me, pint of draught Cobra for The Man. Looking around, there was a mix of diners: families with young children, families with older, student-age children, couples, and large groups of friends. Thanks to the wide range of herbs and spices used, Indian cuisine really does offer something for all palates. Whilst we studied the menu, making our decisions ’proper’, we nibbled on a basket of Poppadoms and Chutneys. Even the presentation of the Poppadoms and Chutneys is a bit extra: a woven, paper-lined basket houses the super-thin, crispy wafers and the Spiced Mango, Spiced Tomato and Mint Chutneys are housed in a beautiful, joined trio of leaf-shaped bowls. This often overlooked, inconspicuous morsel was really a rather remarkable mix of flavours and textures, and typically colourful in House Boat style.
There was so much choice on the ‘Back water Bites’ (starters) section, that His Nibs and I couldn’t make up our minds as to what we wanted, so in the end we opted to share the HB Special Platter (£25.99). This platter, which also comes in a vegetable option (£17.99), contains Ulli Vada, Travancore Chicken Fry, Chilli Chicken, Beef Dry Fry, Lamb Chukka, and Malabar Prawns, served with Coconut- and Tomato- Chutneys. We had an amended version that contained Chicken Lollipops rather than Chilli Chicken.
As with the Poppadoms, the HB Special Platter was presented delightfully. A large, rectangular platter housed all the dishes, interspersed by a colourful Carrot and Red Onion Salad and the pots of Chutney. With our usual gusto, we began our culinary journey, and it wasn’t long before we were smiling broadly. First up were the Malabar Prawns, whole, tail-on, butterflied King Prawns that were gorgeously fiery thanks to the spices they had marinated in before being fried; the contrast between the spices and the sweet, juicy flesh was superb. The Beef Dry Fry was very much like a Beef ‘Chip’ in appearance, each piece of meat having been coated in a myriad of spices and then dry-fried to intensify the heat and showcase the harmony between the Beef and themselves. We dipped the pieces of Beef into the lip-tingling, Spiced Tomato Chutney, and this was a brilliant partnership, if we say so ourselves.
Slightly ‘wetter’ was the Travancore Chicken Fry, a beautiful fusion of slow-cooked poultry with roasted spices and fragrant, sweet Coconut. This dish was super-tasty and wonderfully rich in flavour. Just as fantastic were the Chicken Lollipops: mini drumsticks that have a superbly sticky coating of spices on them, whose heat levels got our taste buds on high alert! The Ulli Vada (lentil and Onion Fritters) were gently zingy in taste with marvellously crisp, golden outers; fritters are a classic in Indian cuisine for a reason. Last (but not least) was the Lamb Chukka, and the pieces of Lamb were impossibly soft and tender, falling apart in ribbons and melting instantly in the mouth. Paired with a mix of South Indian spices that provided earthy and sweet tones, this was a marvellously complex dish that we both said we’d happily have as a main course. The Special Platter is an excellent way to explore the menu and style of cooking if you haven’t visited House Boat before.
Emboldened by how much he’d enjoyed the Malabar Prawns (something he wouldn’t go for as first choice), The Man opted for the Keralan Beef Roast with Banana Fritters (£14.99) as his main course, intrigued by the description; I was burning with curiosity too, if I’m being honest! Last time we came, shortly after the opening of House Boat, I sampled the Boatman’s Fish Curry (blindingly good, if you’re interested) and I kept the marine theme going by selecting the Meen Pollichathu (£17.49) this time. My dish comes with Naranga Choru (lemon-infused Rice) as standard, but this is available separately for £3.89 if you need it. His Nibs declined to order a rice dish as he (rightly) thought that the Fritters would be more than filling. We did order a portion of Malabar Parotta (£4.49 for two breads) though, as we do like to do a spot of dunking into our curries.
The Man Bird loved the look of his meal: the slow-roasted chunks of Beef, nestled in a semi-dry, thick sauce, was contained by a pair of Banana Fritter ‘bouncers’ I use the description ‘bouncers’ because they were solid, no-nonsense types that looked as if they meant [appetite quelling] business! As he tucked in - and had therefore been the sacrificial lamb! - my proverbial curiosity got the better of me and I asked if I could just try a small piece; well, I’m glad I did as it didn’t taste Banana-y at all. The fruit was very firm and hadn’t developed its characteristic volatile Ester, the thing that gives Banana’s that (to me) awful smell and taste. What it did do, was add some oomph to the meal, contrasting with the soft Beef that was moistened perfectly by just enough liquid in the spiced ‘gravy’. Flavour-wise, this dish had it seriously going on: main character energy coming in hot.
Given that ‘Meen Pollichathu’ literally means ‘Fish in a Banana Leaf’, there’s no prizes for guessing how my dish was presented! The King Fish/Surmai was cooked in a Masala-type sauce of Keralan-spice pimped Tomato, Onions and Coconut and wrapped in a Banana Leaf; the result was a complex, layered dish that married this stronger tasting Fish with equally robust spices that delighted my palate. Lifting thing s in the mouth was the perfect timbale of citrus-zhuzhed, sunny-hued Rice that also contained Mustard Seeds, Curry Leaves and tiny pieces of peel within its grains. White Lentils added a touch more bite than the softened Rice, pairing together jolly nicely, and I couldn’t resist squeezing the wedge of fresh Lemon over to provide even ore flavour in my mouth.
Over the years, we’ve eaten serious amount of Naan, Parotta and Chapati but, I swear down, the Malabar Parotta at House Boat in Derby is the bread equivalent of flaky pastry! Impossibly light, buttery and layered, this bread was beyond marvellous and had the pair of us cooing over it like it was a superstar which, to be fair, it was. Bit after bit got broken off and dunked into the swathes of tasty gravy/curry that were before us – I even went so far as to use it to scrape out the very last vestiges of the creamy Coconut Chutney, and His Nibs did the same with the fiery Tomato one. Next time we visit House Boat, I want to try the Kallappam: fluffy, soft Pancake-type breads - how fab do they sound?!
After a small hiatus, The Man and I were persuaded to sample the ‘Southside Sugars’ aka Desserts. I fancied the sound of the Semiya Payasam (£5.99), whilst His Nibs wanted to try Pistachio Kulfi (£5.49). A short while later, Johns Geo (House Boat’s owner) was presenting us with our choices, bidding us to enjoy. I was pleasantly surprised by how light Semiya Payasam is on the tummy; I’d expected something richer, given that Ghee and Milk are ingredients in it. Strands of soft Vermicelli gave substance to this pudding, flavoured delicately with Cardamom and garnished with Cashew Nut pieces and Raisins. This was absolutely spot-on and reminded me of the milk-based puds that Granny used to make with either Rice or Tapioca; [sweet] comfort food at its peak.
Kulfi, I always think, is ice Cream on ‘roids; denser, creamier and slower to melt, it is made by slowly cooking whole milk to reduce it until it has a thick, fudge-esque texture. A variety of flavours can be added, typically Mango, Rose or Pistachio, which was what His Maj was savouring. Our Western type offering is churned to aerate it and is of a thinner consistency than Kulfi (probably why it melts quicker!), though we do have a much wider variety of flavours.
What a thoroughly pleasurable evening we’d had again at House Boat in Derby – if they don’t win Gold at the ‘Curry Oscars’ it’ll be a travesty! Hot Wings very happily given again to this tremendous Derby restaurant. To book a table (or to enquire about hiring the Black Pearl Beer Garden privately for 3 hours) call 07341 612522, or visit www.houseboatrestaurant.com and hit the reservations’ tab.
House Boat is open Mon-Fri Noon-3pm (and there are some cracking lunch offers!), and 5pm-10pm, Saturday and Sunday Noon-10pm.
