Reviewed
Aug 03

You will never be far from a curryhouse in Oxford, no matter where you try to hide. But there are unwritten reasons other than mere taste for visiting any one in particular. For example, Jamal's is along Walton Street and is distinctly not somewhere I would go for a posh or romantic meal, despite the elaborate decor. For a start, it's not expensive enough to warrant posh - a reassurance to the student regulars. And, rather more pressingly, it has just that; a group of student regulars. They may not be the same ones, but go to Jamals on any given evening and you will find at least one large party of bevvied up sports teams, drinking societies or birthday revellers taking advantage of good cheap food and a Bring Your Own policy on alcohol. With Threshers Wine Shop and the Co-Op only a stagger away, booze flows freely and spirits are high.

As well as this attractive set-up, the food is simply really great. The chef won Best Curry Chef 2001, and he deserves it; in addition to the 'classic' range (for those who only ever go for vindaloo or korma), there is a selection of less usual curries such as mirch masala to sate the need for heat, Murgh Makhni (creamy tandoor chicken) for lack thereof, and some fantastic vegetarian dishes (the Aloo Gobi - cauliflower and potato curry, is particularly good at £2.85 and the lentil curry Dall Tarka is filling on its own, but complemented by a selection of other vegetable curries. Ever a big fan of Karahi, I force myself to try new things when I go there and have rarely been disappointed.

Or, if you really can't decide, want to try it all and get flustered when it's time to order, go to the Sunday buffet. If you need to eat off a hangover on Sunday, or even if you don't, the buffet is highly recommended. Between 12 and 6 you can eat as much as you like for £8.95 - £4.95 for kids. There is a variety of bhaji/pakora type starters, with shish or chicken kebab. Three meat and three vegetarian curries are always on offer, and there's rice, poppadums, salad and pickles. There's even an (admittedly unexciting) dessert - but who goes to an Indian restaurant for a pudding. Unlike many eat-as-much-as-you-like buffets, this one doesn't run out, get all messed up with people using the wrong serving spoons, or rely on cheap ingredients. It's a great chance to try out different things from Jamal's menu without feeling the chef is in bargain basement territory.

Abby Chicken