Reviewed
11.97

Oxford seems to be very much in the 'quantity over quality' camp when it comes to Indian Restaurants. The number of decent places can be counted on one hand. Well, I am happy to announce that you now have to use your second hand, because Bagicha is superb. Hidden away on North Parade (where the Restaurant '15 North Parade' used to be), it may perhaps be a bit out of reach for those not living in North Oxford, but it is well worth making the trip.

After negotiating the treacherous entrance (watch out for that second inner door...), my partner and I were led to our table, and presented with the overwhelming menu. Luckily the drinks menu did not present so much of a problem, so we could ponder our choices over a pint of Kingfisher (traditional Indian Lager). 2 pints later, I was still dallying, our popadoms becoming a distant memory. Was I to start with the Chicken Tikka, or the Sheek Kebab? The Rougan Josh or the Bhoona Gosht to follow? Luckily our waiter was there for us - obviously he had noticed the look of confusion on our faces - and offered concise, and helpful advice on what to order. As an aside, I would just like to comment on the service here - all of the young staff were extremely friendly and helpful - they were there when you needed attention, and were otherwise unobtrusive, so full marks there.

Onto the food. For starters I went for the Sheek Kebab, which was superb, and my partner went for the Chicken Tikka (which was also excellent, as I had to be physically restrained from trying to scoff half of it). Other selections included Til Tin Barwan (potatoes stuffed with cottage cheese and nuts and rolled in sesame seeds), Shimla Mirch (bell pepper stuffed with vegetables) and Mulligatwany soup. For main courses, we were slightly excessive, going for 2 dishes and a chef's specialty (the chef was obviously a highly talented professional, looking at the sheer number of his specialties). Along with more regular faire, such as curries of varying strengths and Kormas, there were several dishes that looked quite exotic including Batter-E-Masullum, quail stuffed with pistachios, almonds and sultanas sprinkled with herbs and served with a cashew nut gravy. Full marks go to the Garlic Chicken that I had (rarely have I seen so much garlic in one dish), and to the Madras - hot, but not a killer. I would strongly recommend going for just one dish per person (unless you plan not to eat for the following few days) - these were hearty portions. Vegetarians are well-catered for too.

Alas, we were both too full for desert, but the coffee and liqueurs were a nice end to a fine meal. I would recommend a trip to Bagicha, whether you are going for a romantic meal for two, or with a large group. Our (admittedly excessive) meal came to about £40, so it's not the cheapest of restaurants, but you get what you pay for. There is also a 20% discount for take-aways on collection and a 15% student discount. You can book on 513773 or 310289.

C.R.