Montys on High Street: no more

Monty's restaurants are an institution around Ealing, and until the end of last month there were four of them. Sadly Dipendra Karki's Nepalese curry house on the west side of the Broadway Centre in High Street is now gone. Blaming prohibitive rent and rates, the restaurant closed its doors for the last time and is relocating to West Hounslow. As if to add insult to injury, it will be replaced by Poundland -- an unfortunate sign of the times, and a blow to Ealing.

Decades ago there was just one Montys restaurant with three chefs. Soon the three went their own way, each taking with them entitlement to use the Monty's name and brand. One of those was Bishnu Karki whose Northfield Avenue premises is still thriving. It was this restaurant I used to frequent most, until I discovered that his son, Dipendra, was running an outlet on High Street. I've eaten at all the Ealing Montys, and as I discovered, Dipendra was definitely serving the tastiest food -- making it all the more unpalletable that this is now the one to go.

...Saturday evenings will just never be the same again. Ho hum.

Recommendation 02: The Kebab Kid

Ok folks, listen up! As part of my free service on this blog, I like to make an occasional recommendation, and today’s is an especially good one!

Feeling peckish? Then rev up your little vespa and whizz down to New Kings Road. Number 90 to be precise …it’s where you’ll find: “The Kebab Kid”.

That’s right, kebabs. These guys have been making them for years, and they are experts. You’ll find no mechanically extracted cat food in this shop. All the meat is lean and deliciously fresh – straight from Smithfield Market, with no additives or emulsifiers, or any of that kind of stuff. Even better, they make all their own dressings and sauces, and they’re ever so tasty.

The Kebab Kid

Hanging up inside the shop is a personal testimonial from Jamie Oliver, but don’t let that put you off, because this establishment has the ultimate in commendations: it’s where London’s hungry cab drivers go! Sometimes you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a taxi rank, except all the cabbies are sitting in the back, kebabs in hand, munching their way in silence…to cabbie heaven.

But don’t take my word for it – try it yourself. I recommend the chicken shawarma, with all the dressing and chilli sauce. Bootiful.

Question: where’s the best place to buy a decent kebab in the borough of Ealing? (I’m stuck for an answer on this one).