If you are looking for the best curry in Auckland, Google the best Indian restaurant and it’s no surprise that Oh Calcutta comes up #1.
It’s been my favourite for nearly 20 years and last night I went back after a long time (I moved out of the ‘hood and Parnell seems so far away now…). Meena, the gorgeous owner and creator of the fabulous dishes, still remembered me and our table of five were mightily impressed.
I’ve also brought friends from all around the world here and whenever I catch up with them they remind me of the best curry they’ve ever had. Truly. I’m not just saying it as I have no skin in this game, just want you to know this place is ah-mazing.
Chicken tikka masala – mmm
We started with tender tandoori lamb cutlets with little silver foils on the bone to eat them from. And onion bhajis that come in a large plate to consume by fork rather than as individual balls. Great sauces to accompany each.
Then comes the reason we are here:
Oh Calcutta’s Butter Chicken is to die for.
Seriously, if you are about to order your last meal before you go to meet your maker, make it Meena’s butter chicken! It’s rich, tomatoey and creamy and the tandoori spiced chicken is always tender. There is so much sauce that sopping it up with a roti or naan is my most favourite thing to do.
(Note to self: never come here on a date. It’s not a good look to dive in with two hands and lick your fingers as you go)
On the menu is a Lamb Nawabi, but as I prefer the tender chicken pieces, I ordered it with chicken – and they are always happy to oblige. This is a mild curry with onions, tomatoes and fenugreek in a spiced coconut sauce.
We also had the Lamb Roganjosh which was pronounced the best my friend had ever eaten. He’s been away from Auckland for about a year and reckons he forgot how good Oh Calcutta’s Roganjosh was.
Our Weight Watchers companion dined on Tandoori Chicken which she enjoyed – but was clearly robbed by not being able to sop up the copious and delicious sauces with a freshly made Roti.
The other dish on the table was Chicken Tikka Masala – tender chicken pieces smoked over charcoal and finished in Meena’s classic rich tomato, onion and coriander sauce.
A bottle of wine (they charge corkage if you want to BYO), an extra glass and a beer and all up we paid less than $45 each and rolled out of there chewing a Minty from the cashier (trying not to wreck our teeth) and all agreed Oh Calcutta is the best curry house in Auckland – if not the world!
Addendum: Valentine’s Day 2019 – owner Anand sat down with us tonight and expounded the quality of his goat curry. “If you like roganjosh, this is roganjosh on steroids,” he said. We decided to try the steroids and oh my, great choice! Slow cooked, fall apart morsels of goat in a thick spicy sauce. Yep, it’s pushed the roganjosh down the list.
Oh Calcutta’s amazing goat curry
151 Parnell Road | Auckland | ph 09 377 9090