Top-notch takeaways: Nadu
The complimentary meal was provided by Nadu for review purposes.
Risotto is a faff. It’s so needy.
“Feed me stock in tiny amounts every five minutes until I absorb it.”
Grow up, risotto. Do us all a favour and take the full litre now so I can get on with my life.
I love cooking, though. Honestly, I do. There’s nothing quite like buying exquisite local produce then ceremoniously fucking it up to give you an appreciation for those who do it professionally.
Further than that, I find it rather ridiculous that there’s a selection of restaurants in Bristol that will deliver perfectly crunchy soft shell crab to my door. Within the hour. That’s just showing off. Do you know how bad that makes me look when I try and get away with telling people that I wanted to get a nice crust (burn) on the bottom of my risotto?
One such restaurant that’s quite frankly just showing off now, is Nadu. Opened in the space that was previously Masa and Mezcal from the team behind Nutmeg at some point during 2020 (I won’t attempt to work out when because I’m not even sure what day it is today). The old ‘Rona nipped any extravagant opening plans in the bud and the restaurant has been operating as a takeaway serving up vibrant Tamil street food to Stokes Croft and beyond.
It’s a slick menu split into small and larger plates so you can mix and match, or opt for the ‘Taste of Tamil’ selection which includes ten plus dishes for £30 per person. Luckily the owners Raja and Saravanan were on hand to pick a selection of dishes (always a great tactic, I find).
There was a pang of sadness as I popped each plastic lid from its container, releasing a puff of steam from each. Little flourishes of the full restaurant presentation were present (banana leaves under one of the starters) and I reckon once Bristol opens back up it’s going to be a great place to head as a small group and share dishes about.
I’m now classifying softshell crab as comfort food along with; mac and cheese, mash potato, and gin (it’s been a long lockdown). The crab is a must-order from the menu, sitting on a nest of noodles with a fragrant curry sauce. I’m not a fan of plantain (too sweet for me) but the chickpea battered plantain bajjis with a fiery kara chutney were a surprise hit for me, especially with a swig of Lion lager (a Sri Lankan import).
Despite all of the vibrance of half a dozen containers, it’s the dark blanket of sauce from the black pork that I’m drawn to. Huge chunks of pork belly cooked with kokum in ‘Grandma’s spice blend’, a deep spice blend that tickles the back of your throat.
All the dishes we try are flavour-first with a mix of spice, acidity and fragrance. Be prepared to pick out a cardamom seed or to expect a bit of pomegranate to pop in your mouth, there’s a mix of spice that you don’t really get from any other takeaway in Bristol.
I don’t get the feeling that Nadu is supposed to be a high-volume takeaway restaurant, but it certainly delivers.
