The expression ‘hidden gem’ was made for Nutan’s restaurant, a small, informal establishment on Home Street in Tollcross.
Pushing open the door to the restaurant, I am greeted with good smells and the routine of the ringing doorbell prompting Nutan to shout up a distant ‘I’m coming’ from the kitchen as she bustles up to seat me.
The restaurant is homely with plastic tablecloths, predictably a little sticky, and cushions well-worn. The sunny yellow walls dotted with laminated Osho quotes resemble their sunny owner. But the reason I keep returning does not come from its
decorative charm or the warmth of Nutan herself, it is the simply delicious, no-nonsense Delhi-style Indian cooking of the lady in charge that keeps me frequenting this spot.
I always go for the Thali. The indented silver plate comes filled with Pakora, creamy dahl, a curry of your choosing (my personal favourite is Nutan’s palak paneer), a healthy portion of rice, garlic naan, potatoes and a sweet offering to finish. Nutan will adjust the level of spice to your request, meaning that everyone I have dragged in has left happy.
In fact, the experience of eating at Nutan’s is so wonderful that my infamously generous flatmate expressed genuine terror when I told her I was going to write about it for the Hidden Gems section of the paper, telling me that if it is too busy for her to get a seat, I will have to leave the university as punishment…so when you see us in there please don’t mention how you heard about it.
Image via Mabel Carter