Saturday night is my usual Balti night but this week I had to attend family birthday and as Friday was reserved for Xmas shopping, the only option was Sunday. I turned to the Express & Star for inspiration an there it was, an advert for the Dilshad Blackheath informing all that they had received 5* from Sandwell Council following their food hygiene inspection. This really is no mean feat and on the back of this, not forgetting their £7.95 Sunday Special Offer we decided to give it a go. It was a good start we got a parking space in the lay-by right outside their front door. Putting aside the Xmas decorations the first impressions inside are ok, the garish red, white & black chairs and décor is a bit in your face however it’s not too off putting. The tables are finished with proper table linen and clean cutlery. We were offered the menu and then popadoms & glasses for our alcoholic drinks, the service was polite & attentive. Unsurprisingly it was quiet, say less than a quarter full and we could choose our table. Typically I’m moaning about the noise levels in most of my reviews. I’m not a killjoy but why do so many people think it is acceptable to shout at each other across a 3′ table for all others to hear? Often made worse with accompanying expletives and raucous inane laughter. It was lovely to have a bit of calm. The Sunday Special consists of a choice from a set menu. It is a limited choice but still a reasonable selection that I guess would suit most. The jalfrezi & tawa were good for us so I didn’t have to ask if they would allow minor deviations or if we could pay a little extra to upgrade. . The popadoms arrived promptly; they were unusually crispy and came with three nice sauces and onion salad. The very generously sized portion of two fresh onion bhajis was excellent, it contrasted with the less generous portion of sheek kebab which was also very good but no sizzler. Both came with a simple side salad. The main courses arrived after a respectable wait and very good they were too. Although my jalfrezi sauce was a little on the mild side for my taste, it was my fault, I should have asked for it to livened up however it did have some fresh chillies in it that did the same job. The wife heaped praise on her tawa and unusually for her finished it all off. The chicken tikka in both meals was very moist & tasty. The pillau rice and garlic nan were good too but the chunky yet crispy home style chips(extra charge) were truly excellent. OK, you don’t go to an Indian for chips but credit where it is due, these were the best chips I have had in a very long time and they went really well with the curries. Also incl in the offer was a desert, I had a banana fritter and my wife had ice cream which we put together and then shared. The portions were a bit meagre however you can’t complain at these prices. A floater coffee(extra charge) finished off a very good evening. The staff were pleasant enough but they didn’t seem to engage with the customers, although I prefer this to a how is your meal every 5 minutes. Obviously the ambience is different on a Sunday night but for us it may well become the new Saturday night, especially at these prices and in the relaxed atmosphere. I think it could catch on. Just under 4* but rounded up.
