CURRY CLUB

The famous Ponty Curry Club was founded in 1378, about 400 years or less before the town was invented. Cleverly disguised as a group of young men (now very old) who used to drink for a living both here in Wales and overseas, who after a few too many succumbed to the curry gland's call and headed to the nearest Asian emporium to be satiated in the most extreme way - usually by a Madras or Vindaloo.

Anyway, centuries past and the whole sorry gang stepped out of the space ship once and for all, settled in the Llanover Arms or CYB (whichever has clean toilet paper on the night) and now embark on seasonal interludes of frantic ingestion and vigorous mastication much to the amazement of their Muslim onlookers.

 

Origins...

Recent history might be said to have started with the filming and subsequent screening of Iolo Williams' BBC Wales outing "I Love Wales". However, one female member reminisces about the time a certain founder member wondered around a Brecon Tandoori au-natural, whilst the Minex branch will often extol the virtues of elastic plate glass windows in Woodville Road as Warren (Penclawdd branch) tried to get his curry back after being forcibly ejected for swimming in the fish tank - ahh happy days! And who can forget the famous under the table adventures of Pussy Galore as the famous TV presenter's shorts grew tighter and tighter... due to his Ghurkha Masala we're told.

A tight-knit group, but always open to offers. Especially when our favourite Bangladeshi proprietor offers us an all you can eat for £7 if we turn up and get filmed again by the Asian media.

Although lets hope it's not a speaking part like Dave & Sue had in Ooty a few years back! Madras Modelling Agency my bottom, I thought they were going to kidnap us not give us a director's chair and some veggie curry and a couple of rupees. Phew! Close shave that one.

 

 

 

Events

To find out more and get involved in future events just visit the message board, enrol on a "Bimble" or meet us in our HQ. Membership to this special band of curry aficionados is by invitation only of course and subsequent vetting by the committee (as all great things in Wales are!).

 

Committee

Viva el Presidente - Dave
Hon Sec. - Mike
Press & Marketing Officer - Deborah
Treasurer - Mohammed
Entertainment - Bobby
Drinking Coordinator - Sue
Polish Labour Force - Derek
Cute Waiter - Enam
Hire Cars - Welsh Assembly
Pub Venue Manager - Dewi
How To Be Late - Mark D
Hangover Cures - Linda
Real Ale Supplier - Marcus
Witty Remarks - Geraint
Chick Magnet - Davis

 

Sub Committee & Steering Group

Youth Wing - Greg
Religion - Eric
Drugs - Bod
Stain Remover - Aled
Baby Delivery - Gosia, Pat & Andrea
Tinsel Coordinator - Debbie
Computer Networks - Mark W
Accounts - Leon
Eric's friend - Ryan
Other important positions yet to be elected...

 

 

 

Press Release - 11/12/06
“ When I die, think only this of me: That there’s some corner of a Welsh market town that is forever India”

That might be the epitaph of any one of the members of Pontypridd Curry Club. A tight knit bunch, but happy to consider new members, they are dedicated to their hobby.

The Club meets regularly at Taff Street’s Clwb Y Bont and usually finish up at the Everest Tandoori Restaurant in Pontypridd Precinct where they are always made welcome by the proprietor, Ahmed and his family.

“We have tried most Indian restaurants in the town and surrounding area and many of them are excellent,” says founder member and 2007 President, Dave. “But nowhere can we be guaranteed to deliver both a superb meal and the warmest of welcomes from all the staff.”

Fame came to town when the Club and the restaurant were featured on the BBC2W programme “I love Wales” last year. Presenter Iolo Williams was most impressed by the knowledge and friendliness of the club members.

Club Secretary Mike says “Our members know what they like but are willing to be guided by the staff to try new dishes and tastes.”

Some of the members have introduced their partners to be converted to curry and the club is proud to welcome two junior members who are eager to learn.

Details of forthcoming Curry Club meetings can be found by visiting their website www.pontytown.co.uk/curry.html
Pontypridd Curry Club Press & Marketing Officer

 

Christmas Awards 2006

Stain of the Year - Aled
Special Guest Stars - Iolo Williams & Eric Cartman
New members - Davis, Bod & Bev
Headless Torso - Mohammed
Most Talented - Bobby

 

Press release - 14/12/06
After all meeting up at the celebrated Clwb-Y-Bont and giving famous Welshman John Evans’ Creative Writing class plenty of material for the evening we settled into the groove. Some swift Stella’s (six at last count) and it was time to head down to the Mount Everest Tandoori with Eric Cartman leading the way.

Popadoms over and plenty of lime pickle down Aled’s clean white shirt and it was time for the entertainment. Bobby, Ponty’s answer to Alanis Morrisette launched into a raunchy few numbers with our multicultural audience in awe. We had the restaurant owners, Mohammed and son Enam, joining forces with the kitchen boys to howl their appreciation. From the four corners of Poland we had Arik and Gosia stunned at the impromptu karaoke. We even had a celebrity from as far a field as the Rocky Mountains, although I might have been seeing things by then.

Anyway, singing over and it was time for the annual curry club awards. First up was Davis to accept the New Members award on his, Bod & Bev’s behalf, second was Aled who graciously accepted the Lifetime Achievement for Dedication to Stains award 2006, Bobby won Most Talented and last but not least Mohammed himself who took the Best Curry house in Ponty award for the tenth year running.

And then finally it was all eyes down and all knives and forks up for the main event. A culinary delight (as always) expertly prepared and served by Mohammed and family. There were dishes as diverse as Dhal soup, vegetarian Jalfrazi and Ghurkha masala, all washed down with Chateau neve de pap and Old Peculiar real ale.

Then someone cried “Nan’s on the house!” to which Councillor Mike Powell (Hon. Sec.) burst through the door and hugged Eric. Still tingling with Christmas spirit we mopped up our last remnants of tikka sauce with our free Nan’s, paid the man our £7 a head, got doggy bagged up and were out of there for another year leaving the washing up to Enam.

Big thanks to Mohammed and the staff at the Everest for making our Christmas do a bit of a do, a big thanks to Bob for singing, Deborah our media and marketing officer for arranging the night and of course to our very special guest star – Eric Cartman who when asked to comment on the evening replied “It’s been real”.

Until the Spring then…

 

St David's Day + 1

Captains log, star date: Friday 2nd March 2007, the crew endure a sales pitch from Scotland's premier black beef baron working out of Hereford before under occupying the minibus driven by a guy with a green flashing light in his ear who may have been called Ken.
 

Anyhow, after getting lost in Trallwng (an easy thing to do with nine semi drunk people directing the driver) we finally find the A470 (get your t-shirts here) and realise it was only 20 yards from the pub. No SatNav in Ponty yet then.

Welcomed into The Tamarind and quickly ushered to our table we noticed the former Little Chef was packed with revellers from a bygone day (and Treharris) all enjoying such culinary delights as Lamb Korai and Sizzling Prawns. A disgusting pint of Cobra on draught was followed by a teleport back to the 70's and the same tiles that the Little Chef had before the BBC's Life on Mars came out.

"£3.50 for a bottle of Kingfisher! Are you mad!" said Mark. "No, you are for paying it" replied the Asian proprietor.

 

Soggy popadoms over it was time for the main event. Various meals were brought and most were ate by the gang with gusto. If only to take away the bad taste in the mouth left by having to pay £3.50 for a pint and £10 for a bottle of wine. Am I being negative? Opps, stop there then. The food was excellent and nans were fluffy. There was debate about the amount of garlic used in the Tarka Dhall compared to Mo's but we all agreed that the food overall was very good.

 

Doggy bags were applied for and soon arrived (second class post though) along with some bloke who still might have been called Ken who wouldn't leave a councillor behind. So we had to take him home too.

 

A quick appraisal and post event pop and orange disguised as Stella tortoise in Globetrotters and it was sleepy heads down for the big push up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire and a sore arse in the morning. Good night.

 

Photos by Mike, as he was the only one who remembered a camera this time.

P.S. - I Love Curry t-shirts also available now.

P.P.S. - I think we're in the Western Mail again today.

Next jaunt... Kerala 2008 anyone?

 

Pink Floyd @ CYB

The Curry Club was proud to present a showing of Pink Floyd’s highly acclaimed “Pulse” at Clwb Y Bont on Friday 20th April.

Sadly, due to various commitments, turn-out of the membership was low but a good night was had by all, including several guests who came for the music but lacked the stamina needed for a damn good troughing.

The night kicked off with the more widely known second half of the gig – “Dark Side of the Moon” but before we could pocket the DVD and hot foot it to HQ, there were howls of protest and the first half had to played – and sung along to! Just lucky that no-one had a lighter to wave...

The jug passed amongst the audience, a couple of sausage rolls provided by the management were auctioned off and Ty Hafan is now about £50 better off than they were before we started.

Thanks to all who donated.

Mo did us proud and the service was as excellent as usual. Particularly good was the Chicken Tekilla and the Dhal brought tears to the eyes – especially when it stained my new jumper – and I was nowhere near Aled...

Plain white to be worn for the next meeting - lets get working on “Stain 2007 – Reloaded”

Buy the DVD here!

 

South Wales Echo - Takeaway Special

"Meet me at 7:30pm in the Llanover" said Mike...

...9:00pm came and went and the Brains Smooth was... well, smooth. Eventually, a plumbers van pulled up and out popped Powell with phone glued to ear.

"Yeh, Rez, no problem, will do..."

"Get me a Stella then, Aled!"

Seconds passed before numerous overflowing bags of Indica's finest were stashed in between washers and pipes and radiators and the van pulled sluggishly away, weighed down by fresh ingredients, lovingly prepared by Pontypridd's top-end curry house.

Back to Mike's house the red wine flowed copiously and a roaring fire warmed the outsides whilst the starters of onion bhaji, Portobello mushrooms, grilled paneer and green tandoori chicken warmed the insides.

This assault on the taste buds was followed by generous portions of chicken handi, lamb Rogan Josh, malai kofta, king prawn Manchurian main courses accompanied by Bombay aloo, tarka dhal, bindhi bhajee, mushroom rice, chunky chips, peshwari nan and roti’s.

What was the food like? Well, look at the empty plates man! A takeaway to be proud of and one which founding members of the Ponty Curry Club would highly recommend to anyone. Even if the Echo wasn't paying.

If there was one criticism, it would be that in his haste to order so much curry Mike forgot the ice cream, but no problem as Rosen roasted Breton chestnuts for us for afters. Mmm, yummy, said Sue.

 

Curry Houses We Have Visited

Everest - Pontypridd, Wales
Mister Cato's - Calangute beach, Goa, India
Indo-Cymru - Canton, Cardiff, Wales
Balti Cuisine - Cathays, Cardiff, Wales
The Jaipur - Esplanade, Porthcawl, Wales
Juboraj - Rhiwbina, Cardiff, Wales
Veggie Heaven - Ooty, India (whilst relaxing in our director's chair during the filming of our one and only Bollywood movie - Jodie - a Tamil production)
The Tamarind, A470, Wales
Indica, Pontypridd, Wales

Bombay Blue, Nantgarw

 

Many more to be added soon...

 

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