A Wearside restaurant has proved to be a prince amongst men when it comes to fine dining, Indian style...
Authentic dishes, stylish surroundings and superb service are just some of the ingredients that helped secure Sunderland restaurant Yuvraaj its latest award.
The family run business – in an elegant detached, Victorian villa on Douro Terrace, Ashbrooke – is no stranger to accolades, having been voted Sunderland Curry house of the Year three times.
And now it has received national recognition, having seen off competition from across the UK to be named Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year at the Nation’s Curry Awards.
Yuvraaj, at Douro Terrace, took first place at the prestigious event held in Manchester, impressing judges with its extensive menu, which artfully marries classic, Indian cuisine with contemporary flourishes.
Its carefully curated menu includes meat and vegetarian dishes along with an unusually large seafood section with delicacies such as crab piri puri – shredded crab meat and spring onion suffused with spices – and Golda chingree baza, in which king prawns are marinated in spices and citrus before being wrapped in spinach, lightly battered and deep fried.
The menu also offers a range of Bengali specials and signature dishes, including Lucknow Gusth – lean pieces of lamb cooked in a tomato and tamarind sauce – and Hariali; a green curry of chicken with garlic, chilli, ginger, apples, cream and spinach.
And for those who prefer to stick to their tried and tested favourites when enjoying a night out at an Indian restaurant, there are tikka dishes along with a variety of curries in a wide range of strengths – from creamy mehthi, kurma and Malayan to spicy Singapore, Madras and vindaloo – along with popular sides, rice dishes and naan breads.
The extensive menu – which also includes duck, fish, balti and tandoori dishes – has made the restaurant a popular choice since it opened – due in no small part to the excellence of its team of chefs which boasts a combined 80 years’ experience.
Key to the family-run restaurant’s success is a commitment to using only the freshest ingredients – locally sourced where possible – and presenting dishes with a flair and creativity.
Yuvraaj means Indian prince and owner, Monie Hussain, said the name perfectly reflects the restaurant’s ethos that the food it serves must be fit for royalty – because that is how he views their customers.
“We aim to ensure that every visit to our restaurant is an enjoyable experience,” he said, “and we take every care to ensure that our food, service and environment are perfect.
“Although our dishes are traditional Indian recipes for the main part, we love to experiment with ingredients and take influences from Bangladesh to create contemporary western fusion dishes that tantalise and excite the tastebuds and are pleasing to the eye.”
Customer feedback is also highly important to Monie and the rest of the Yuvraaj family – each of whom is delighted to have won this latest and most nationally prestigious award.
“We couldn’t believe it when they said we had won,” said Monie.
“It not only reflects on the restaurant but on Sunderland as a whole and that we really have some amazing places to eat in the city.”
For further information visit
www.yuvraajrestaurant.co.uk