Now, it’s not every day that two Rugby League matches are scheduled back-to-back; a major event for anyone who knows their Baker’s from their Brooker’s, and so was the case on September 4th. It’s fair to say that for said fans the anticipation brewing throughout such a day is enough to take a knock at anyone’s appetite, but come the time the players leave the pitch, it’s not unlikely these spectators are left feeling peckish. And what, of all of England’s finest national dishes, is best suited to accompany the British developed sport?
Why a Tikka Masala, of course! Well, so was the answer according to the queues of hungry rugby fans, waiting their turn to order from Whitton High Street’s ‘Spice of India’. Whilst this unassuming restaurant, just a short walk away from Twickenham Rugby Stadium, was flooded with orders, just a few shop fronts down the street the local Fish & Chip shop was deserted.
So what is it about the Indian crafted cuisine that lures the Brits away from their own gastronomic creations? Is it the abundance of foreign spices magically blended together in dishes irresistibly warm and comforting yet simultaneously novel and adventurous? Perhaps. Although, there is much debate claiming that the Tikka Masala, most beloved in this country, in fact originated in the first Indian restaurants in London, Soho.
However, origins aside it was most clear on September 4th that British rugby enthusiasts would sooner take away a Tikka and leave the fish to fry.
