I ate at the UK's oldest Indian restaurant — its closure would be a 'tragedy'

As a child growing up in Birmingham, I was spoiled for choice when it came to Indian food.

My sister and I would gaze at the Gulab jamun marinating in syrup, and the golden swirls of jalebi behind the glass counter of a shop on Soho Road.

Assorted bhajis, pakoras, aloo tikki, and – the star – samosas sat freshly folded after being fried each day since 1974. We packed 50 in a freezer bag when we moved to rural Ireland.

One year, my sister chose rasmalai over a birthday cake, selecting the soft sponge soaked in a sweet, spiced milk from behind the glass counter of a shop on Soho Road.

Birmingham’s Indian food scene, the ‘birthplace of Balti’, is what made me a good cook. I spent years trying to match the quality of those mom-and-pop shops.

In London, I love being able to stroll down Brick Lane, haggling the best deal with the waiters who are luring us in with their promises of a succulent Indian meal, knowing they can deliver.

Across the city, Veeraswamy — which at 99 years old is Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant — is a different kind of nostalgic.

This place is bougie, tied up with royalty and Empire. It even catered for the Queen at Buckingham Pa...
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