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A small Powys town with the most pubs per person in the UK now has
the best curry house in Wales. The Spice Cottage in Rhayader beat off
red hot competition from three other finalists to scoop the title at
an awards ceremony in Cardiff.
As part of the competition, chefs at the restaurant used leeks and
lamb from the Elan Valley nearby to create a Welsh curry. The town
has 12 bars for its 2,075 residents, or about 173 people per pub.
Judges described the Spice Cottage as a "unique gem in the heart
of mid Wales". Restaurant manager Muhamad Rab said: "We
opened the restaurant in Rhayader three and a half years ago.
"I started working in the industry in 1987 as an apprentice
waiter and this is the first award I've won. "We enjoyed the
experience of using really Welsh leeks as part of the competition.
"We'd never used leeks before in the kitchen, but have now
decided to start using them on a regular basis in some of our
dishes."The Really Welsh Curry which we created especially for
the competition using Welsh leeks, and lamb from the Elan Valley,
will shortly be included on our main menu."
One of the judges, Nerys Howell said: "We as judges felt
privileged to have discovered this unique gem in the heart of rural
mid Wales.
"The team at the Spice Cottage demonstrated a real understanding
of food and the importance of using good quality ingredients prepared
carefully and skilfully.
"We were impressed with Spice Cottage's commitment to banning
the use of artificial colouring and reducing the amount of oil and
fat used in the preparation of dishes, showing sensitivity to today's
discerning customer." |
