Member Article

Local Curry Restaurant Receives Award for Best Curry House in South Shields

If you had any doubts about where to find the best Indian restaurant in the North East, you will be glad to hear that one has been crowned with a Golden Chilli seal of approval.

Zeera, based in Ocean Road’s Curry Mile, in South Shields, the multi-award-winning, curry house now has yet another, more unique accolade under its belt.

The renowned Indian restaurant has been awarded the prestigious ‘Order of the Golden Chilli’ by the Roker Raggy Lads Curry Club. The award recognises Zeera as the best curry house in the area following an extensive culinary journey throughout 2023.

The Roker Raggy Lads Curry Club embarked on a quest in January 2023 to discover the ultimate curry house in South Shields. Intending to find the most exceptional dining experience, the club explored various restaurants along Ocean Road and beyond, scouring the region for what they deemed the best in the business.

Each month, they visited a different establishment, adhering to the rule of selecting a venue that was open and unexplored. To keep it fair, the club members always chose dishes from the specials menu or opted for unique house specialities.

Throughout the year, the club evaluated each restaurant, scoring them based on food quality, ambience and decor, cleanliness, and service. The scores were recorded on the back of the bill, accompanied by insightful observational notes. After their last visit recently, the club gathered at The Avenue in Roker to discuss their dining experiences.

While all the restaurants provided excellent nights out, the club unanimously agreed on three finalists: The International, Zeera, and Lasun. After much discussion, Zeera emerged as the clear winner.

Shah Choudhury, owner of Zeera restaurant said: “It is a real honour to be presented with this unique award and we’re extremely proud and grateful to receive it. Thank you to the Roker Raggy Lads Curry Club, for their commitment to the cause and for presenting us with the regional award.”

To commemorate this remarkable achievement, the Roker Raggy Lads Curry Club commissioned a one-of-a-kind artwork titled ‘The Order of the Golden Chilli’, by renowned glass sculptor James Maskery, based at the Sunderland Glass Centre. The club presented this unique piece of art to Shah and his exceptional staff at Zeera during their Christmas Curry Night in December.

Steve Potts, self-proclaimed leader of the judging panel said: “We thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and were delighted to present Zeera with their award. It is planned to become an annual event, so the baton of The Order of the Golden Chilli is passed on, every year.

Zeera’s commitment to delivering exceptional culinary experiences, combined with their outstanding service, secured their position as the top curry house in South Shields. The Order of the Golden Chilli will be proudly displayed at Zeera throughout the year, symbolising their dedication to culinary excellence.

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