Indian eatery in Wales is best: UK MPs

The Taj Mahal restaurant has been adjudged the winner of inaugural Tiffin Cup instituted by UK MPs.

A little known Indian restaurant in Wales has been adjudged the winner of the inaugural Tiffin Cup instituted by British MPs, but curry house owners in Glasgow are upset that none of them were nominated for the award.

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The Taj Mahal restaurant in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, was voted as the best this week.

Chefs from 14 Indian restaurants around Britain presented their efforts to 40 MPs, who nominated venues from their constituencies.

However, owners of Indian restaurants in Glasgow are particularly upset because the Tiffin Cup was decided without any entry from Glasgow even though the town in Scotland was named the UK's Curry Capital for the third time in six years.

Glasgow is considered Britain's curry capital due to the large number of eateries that roll out thousands of luscious and spicy Indian dishes every day.

However, none of the MPs nominated any Indian restaurant for the award.

Navdeep Basi, who co-owns the Dhabba and Dakhin in Glasgow, said: "Our MPs have a civic duty to promote city businesses especially in this case where we have the best curry houses in the UK."

Glasgow Central's Sarwar insisted he was cheated of a chance to bring the title home: "The first I heard of the awards was when (SNP leader) Alex Salmond asked me last week whom I'd nominated.

"I've absolutely no doubt the best curry in the UK comes from my constituency."

Marshall said: "Glasgow curries are more delicious than anywhere else in the UK. But how could you pick just one?"

Keith Vaz, prominent Labour, Member of Parliament (MP) of Indian origin, has founded the award.

Vaz had invited his MP colleagues to vote last November for the Tiffin Club. More than 40 restaurants were nominated by local MPs. Later these were shortlisted to 14.

TV celebrity chefs Loyd Grossman and Ainsley Harriott were included as judges in the competition.