Steel Yard Kelham has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few months and its latest addition, the family-run, Indian fusion restaurant Dhaba, is a very tasty addition to the courtyard.
The restaurant can be found on the upper level of the Neepsend shipping container development, and we popped in for a natter with owner Adam Mir, who you may recognise from men’s clothing shop Sa-Kis (RIP), to have a go at some of the amazing dishes on the street food portion of the menu.
Dhaba, which takes its name from the Indian word for a roadside food stall, focuses on Indian fusion food with a straightforward, casual menu of wraps, currys and loaded fries that have been passed down from Adam’s dad’s secret recipes.
“My dad has got a massive passion for food,” says Adam, “As a kid he learned how to cook from his mum, and when he left home at 16 to travel the world, he picked up bits in each country he visited, before settling here.
“He met my mum who loves cooking English cuisine, and she taught him how to make English food and he taught her Indian food, and over the years that became its own fusion, which is what we’re doing here.
“Growing up mixed heritage, a lot of my mates would come around to our house and say. ‘I’ve never tried a curry like this’, and that’s because it’s authentic home-cooked food and not like what you’d get in a restaurant.
“When my dad retired, he was a bit bored, so I asked him if he’d like to help me set up a restaurant to pass on these recipes. We now have a chef who he’s taught these secret family recipes too.”
The homecooked ethos can be seen best in the menus naming of its dishes, where you’re simply presented with chicken curry, or lamb curry, rather than madras or tikka masala, as that’s what you’d get if you went to someone’s home, Adam explains.
The street food dishes are where the fusion-element can be found, with dishes like the loaded fries with daal, which elevates the humble potato higher into another stratosphere!
Growing up, Adam remembers Sunday Dinners with spicy gravy, which the ever-evolving menu will begin to incorporate as the restaurant becomes more established. Adam says, “The next thing we’ll be adding to the menu is Yorkshire puddings with curry and that’s what we’re all about. It’s the blending of two cultures, that both have a passion for cooking, and putting those skills together to create a fusion.
“We use all the best cuts like we would at home. We don’t cut any corners and it’s all prepared fresh on the day. I don’t want these recipes to be lost. I don’t have a passion for cooking, but if we can give this to other people, it will give my dad a legacy and something to be proud of.”
While Adam’s dad isn’t in the restaurant full time, since it opened in April he’s enjoyed popping in to oversee his recipes. This family approach to hospitality is new to everyone with Adam’s background firmly grounded in retail. “It’s been really exciting but challenging at the same time.” says Adam, “I’ve never been a waiter so it’s been a learning curve, right down to how to fold a napkin!
“I love the Steel Yard as a space, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.”
Having sampled the atmosphere and the food first hand, we’re confident it’s going to be a bright one. For more info and to book, head over to the restaurant’s socials.
