Best Curry Award For Champor Champor

 

Champor-Champor, a Malaysian eatery near London Bridge, serves Britain's best curry, Restaurant Magazine decided recently in its U.K. Best Dishes Awards.

The small restaurant won for a satay-marinated lamb neck fillet in lotus root korma curry with pickled water chestnuts, Restaurant's editor, Paul Wootton, said in an e-mailed statement. Champor-Champor pipped London rival Rasa and Edinburgh's Roti for the award, which was won by the Cinnamon Club last year.

Saki Bar & Food Emporium in Smithfields won the best sushi award for the second year, beating London rivals Chino Latino and So. Canteen was top for breakfast; Mao Tai in southwest London for dim sum; Boisdale of Bishopsgate for game; Latium in the West End for pasta; Richmond's Pizzeria Rustica for pizza; Roast at London Bridge for roast beef; and Salt Yard on Goodge Street for tapas.

"This award was important last year in making our new restaurant known to more people and in enhancing its profile,'' Ayako Watanabe, the founder and owner of Saki, said in a telephone interview just before the results were announced.

The winning dishes included Boisdale's roasted crown and slow-braised leg of Berwickshire grouse; Latium's fish ravioli with sea-bass bottarga; Mao Tai's monkfish cheeks and flying caviar dim sum; Salt Yard's apple-wood smoked monkfish with pancetta, apple puree and marjoram; Saki's Tekone sushi trio.

Chef Heston Blumenthal's Hinds Head pub, west of London, won best pie for its chicken, ham and leek pie.

The awards were presented at a dinner at the Honourable Artillery Company venue, on London's City Road.