It’s a Friday night and the family row has kicked off again over what to have for tea. Pizza? Bored of it. Chinese? Had it last week.
Walking through Urmston town centre, the window shopping is in full flow, scanning menu after menu with nothing really taking our fancy. That was until we spied a menu with a difference teasing a combination of two cuisines rarely ever paired together: Scottish and Indian.
With curries, pakora and a scotch egg, Roti on Flixton Road seemed to tick all our boxes. Intrigued, but slightly dubious of the prospect, we entered.
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At the door we were met by the owner. Beaming with a warm Edinburgh smile, he showed us to our table and provided us with our first taste of what was to come.
A mountain of poppadum’s, the staple of any Indian experience, topped with a scattering of pomegranates and a drizzle of sweet and spicy sauces were laid down on the table. The small dishes, the multitude of spoons and the faff usually associated with the starter were swapped out for a mess tin full of flavours.
![Roti on Flixton Road in Urmston](https://i2-prod.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/article29570238.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_AMR_MEN_180724_RI2.jpg)
The Properdoms, as they are coined here, showed how Roti is rewriting the rule book when it comes to going out for a curry. Starting back in 2019, the chain has made a name for itself serving up dishes like haggis pakoras, mince and tatties, and cheese and onion bhajis. Looking at the menu, it really is a culinary awakening, especially for a lad who always goes for a Chicken Rogan Josh.
“We’re not your typical joint,” explains the owner, who asked not to be named. “We aren’t like other Indian street food restaurants who say they are different – you can’t get our food anywhere else.”
Awash with small tapas style dishes catering to all tastes and experimental ranges, it is delightfully mad in the best possible way. The premise is simple – take dishes and ingredients we know and love and put a Scottish spin on it. Think fish and chips but with bombay potatoes.
![Whilst dubious at first, the food at Roti was hard to fault](https://i2-prod.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/article29570231.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_amr_men_180724_RT.png)
“All of the dishes are based on traditional family recipes,” with an experimental lean towards Caledonian elements to embody the Scottish owner’s dual core heritage. “Every restaurant has onion bhajis, but we have Cheese and Onion Bhajis. No one has that.”
There are more differences down the menu: No chips, no rice and no naans that you usually over-order and that leave you bloated or on the verge of a coma. Instead, the portions leave you with room to experiment with new flavours and concepts.
“What we want to do is make it more exciting,” I’m told, as I umm and ahh between choices, which are all made using locally-sourced ingredients. “Nine times out of ten you’ll love every dish, but if on the rare occasion it’s not for you, you’ll have several other dishes to enjoy.”
Not wanting to be too adventurous, but keen to sample the best of both worlds, I opted for Tarka Dhal (£7.00), Amritsari Chole (£6.50), a Chip Butty (£6.50) and a Sausage Supper (£8.00).
![Scottish-Indian restaurant ROTI has venues in Urmston and Sale](https://i2-prod.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/article29570237.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_AMR_MEN_180724_RI3.jpg)
Roti claims that they have that “wow factor”, and sitting amongst this social hub of culinary trials, I can certainly agree they do. From the presentation of the food in a handful of tiffin tins, with each dish looks as enticing as the last, to the Scottish inspired cocktails – it’s not the sort of thing you see every day.
A standout was the Sausage Supper that still lives on in my heart. It’s a bizarre but perfectly concocted fusion of comfort foods, curry and a battered sausage, it’s a match made in heaven – why don’t all chippies take note and offer it?
Sitting inside the restaurant, you get the distinct impression that it has become part of the community with avid onlookers scanning the menu, and a flow of people coming back for more. But not only is it popular – it’s at the heart of local trade.
![The Sausage Supper was a crowd-pleaser](https://i2-prod.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/article29570223.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_amr_men_180724_RT_02.png)
In its five years, the restaurant had to survive relocations and a global pandemic. But, with ongoing discussions to open a site in Ancoats, the chain seems to be defying the odds and remains on the rise.
This success, however, isn’t just secured through their dishes, it’s the hands-on personalised experience you receive as soon as you come through the door.
“I live and breathe Roti,” the owner says. “It’s essentially my own child.” And that is clear. He greets every guest with a smile as he welcomes them into this new world of food. He reassures and instils confidence in even the most nervous of diners.
The concept may sound scary, but one thing is for sure, once you have tried it you’ll be hungry for more.
Roti is on 38 Flixton Road, Urmston, Manchester, M41 5AA.