An Indian restaurant on the Cowley Road crowned Best Spice Restaurant in the South East at the British Curry Awards last year is up for the coveted award again.
Aziz is one of 100 curry restaurants to have made it onto the shortlist of the event out of a total of 2,700 nominated across the country by the public. If Aziz wins the South East title at this year’s event, to be held at Battersea Evolution on November 28, it will be the fourth time the restaurant has won after taking home the prize in 2005, 2007 and 2010.
There are 10 awards up for grabs at the Oscars of the spice industry, including nine regional winners and the newcomer of the year award. Owner Aziz Ur Rahman said: “Hopefully we will win again although it’s a tough category. Having said that, we have always been very consistent. We have consistendly good food, good service and good ambience.
"We have had the same head chef for 15 or 16 years, that helps keep continuity. We have the same manager and we are no different to what we were last year, just hopefully better with some improvements to the menu. We have introduced new dishes and we have extended our wonderful Sunday buffet, which now goes on into the night. We used to just have it during the day but it is very popular with students. We have also launched a daily menu with three or four regional dishes and daily specials.”
The enterprising restaurant is starting weekly cooking lessons in November and now has a side line in outdoor events catering and event management. “It would be wonderful to win again," Mr Ur Rahman said. "It’s good for Oxfordshire to realise that out of 10,000 Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants in the UK, we have one of the best. It’s wonderful for the people who use our restaurant, our regulars and it’s a wonderful achievement for the chef and staff and management. We are all excited and hopeful that we will win again this year.”
Other shortlisted curry restaurants in the county include Dil Raj, on Ock Street in Abingdon, Elaichi, in Millbrook Square in Wantage, Jaflong, in Market Square, Bicester and winner of newcomer of the year in 2010, Vine and Spice, on High Street in Long Wittenham.
