June 2013
News & Lifestyle for Edgbaston & Harborne
LOCAL NEWS 1919 EH NEWS FOOD & DRINK SPECIAL
Stairway to Mela spice heaven Hailing from a Bangladeshi family, having a father and brother as chefs, and with having spent most of his working life in restaurants, it seemed an obvious move for Monir Ali to open a restaurant. Whilst working at the previous incarnation of Mela, it was a chance opportunity that arose, allowing him to take over. However, Monir’s ambition was different. He wanted to create Harborne’s premier Indian restaurant, a combination of food, service, staff and ambience that all worked together to create a perfect customer experience. Although his previous experience was mainly front of house, he developed a very keen interest in the kitchen and combined those skills to oversee what is, without doubt, one of most stylish Indian restaurants in the area; a testament to Monir’s passion for his business and now the results are easy to see. Tucked away on a first floor on Harborne High Street, (although the brightly changing colours of the signage do suggest something exciting inside), the entrance gives way to a very contemporary space; perfectly white table linen, highly polished glassware and modern white leather furniture combining perfectly to give an altogether sophisticated interior. Smart, uniformed staff complete the look. As we tasted our way through dishes from the carefully crafted menu, it became obvious the quality of the food excels. Monir explained that “the blend of spices we use is totally different to traditional Indian cooking, and the care taken in the kitchen is superior”. Diners are able to select a dish exactly as they would like it, and it is Monir’s balance of customer service skills and his knowledge of the kitchen that allow him to communicate the component parts of each dish to the customer. This level of detail and choice really does add significantly to the dining experience at Mela. And it was evident in some of the dishes we tasted; the Modu lamb was billed as being infused with honey and mint in a thick sauce which on first reading seemed quite unusual, but it was perfectly balanced and absolutely sublime. The garlic chilli chicken was delivered with all the heat you would expect, but without the burn. As Monir told us “we roast the chilli first so retaining the character and heat without the side effects”. Again, attention to detail in the kitchen that sets Mela apart from the ubiquitous ‘let’s add some meat to a sauce’ that is so prevalent in many Indian themed restaurants. And as for the future, “we are looking to add a few more dishes to the menu and increase the range of fish on offer, a staple of traditional Bangladeshi cuisine, whilst we continue to deliver excellent customer service”. Mela is a hidden gem on Harborne High Street which can only go from strength to strength and most definitely well worth a visit.
103A High Street Harborne B17 9NR www.mela-harborne.co.uk Tel: 0121 439 6991 - info@ehn-news.co.uk
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