Indian Meal At Odyssey Pavilion, Belfast

The severe gale had eased off by the time I left home yesterday evening for a trip to the Odyssey Pavilion in Belfast. I'd arranged to have a meal with a friend from my school days whom I hadn't seen for ages. I drove.

The giant Odyssey complex, at Queen's Quay, was heaving. The main car park was almost filled to capacity and there were crowds of people. Obviously there was a major concert or event at the arena.

We wondered whether we'd be able to get a table at the Indian Ocean restaurant on the ground floor of the Pavilion. It's a large restaurant and it was almost full with diners; however, we only had to queue for ten or fifteen minutes in order to get a table. Our table was opposite the bar counter.

It's quite awhile since I've dined at an Indian restaurant. I seem to recall generous helpings, with sufficient portions to share. This was not the case here. I had Chicken Korma with pilau rice, and this was the perfect amount for me. I ate the lot, with no wastage at all; no need for a Tupperware container or doggy bag! My meal tasted fine, though I thought the sauce was slightly runny with no sign of any onion, almond, sultanas or anything. Is this usually the case with a restaurant Korma sauce? The menu was lengthy, so perhaps I should have chosen something else. Still, I enjoyed it and that was what mattered.

We shared a garlic nan bread. Personally I couldn't see or taste much garlic; but, as I've said before, I like garlic and lots of it. I always thought Indian people liked copious amounts of garlic too, so given that, if someone orders anything with garlic - and they presumably like garlic - why don't they serve garlic nan with liberal heaps of the stuff? Better still, it could be steeped in garlic butter. Our nan bread was quite dry.

Despite this, it was enjoyable. It is a popular place; so, too, is the Pizza Hut branch at the Odyssey because there was a snake-like queue outside waiting to get in.

The bill for two curries, one nan bread, one beer and one half shandy came to about £34.

Exiting the Pavilion, I paid my car parking charge of £3 and we left.