Date of Visit: September 26, 2019
President: M. McAuliffe
The Show: 6
The Score: 7.8
The evening started on rocky ground for September’s sojourn into the world of curry when the mighty cloak of Alan Patten was joined by but three souls for the traditional pre-curry beverages at the House of Dingle to the West of Chester. The poor start was further exacerbated by the wait staff unsure as to what to do about 3 men showing up to a bar and looking to purchase a drink. After much confusion on their part, some conferring, and, fully 3 members of staff combining their available intellect, they took a shot at giving us a table and a menu – an avenue they weren’t confident on but we made it work. That said, seating secured, the evenings’ downhill spiral continued when the only available table lay within earshot of gaggle of, judging by the middle-aged female:male ratio of 99:1, either some corporate marketing department or a Michael Buble concert. Still, a cold beer, an aged whiskey, and a fizzy pop for the boy Holley helped fade their cackling, and hopes of a more positive second half to the evening began….
Haveli resides a short hop from I-75 in the streets of West Chester and is nicely decorated by Curry House standards. Not quite Bombay Brazier but sort of a 7/8th scale. Warm colors, nice tables and low lighting make it a step above the usual places, despite the fact that it also has a lunch buffet bar – but they have bills to pay too!
The musketeerial numbers at the Dingle House were doubled though a thought was spared for the glory days of CASACC when double digit attendance was the norm. We find ourselves at an awkward intersection of exclusivity due lack of appropriate curry enthusiasm among the millennial generation (probably due to some electrical device or poor parenting no doubt) and the desire to spend one night a month with something other than the usual haggard faces.
We were offered a brief respite from said haggardness when, as a shock to all, the always jovial (and never haggard) Joshua Skywalker Falter made an appearance. The break between the demands of FC Cincinnati under-9s girls and the 2032 Olympic volleyball teams was to the benefit of all in attendance. It also kept the unbroken streak of a Josh in attendance and every single curry night since the clubs founding. A claim that no other given name can make and one that was expected to be in jeopardy with member Lukas being deployed to the orient to investigate the curry situation there.
It was a quiet evening in Haveli and the staff were happy to have us in attendance, service was attentive without being over-bearing and the menu complete and well-priced. A selection of vindaloo, saag, mango and other curries were ordered and member Butler decided to go for a Pad Thai or something like that, we were unsure.
The poppadoms were deemed to be delicious, though were, for only the 2nd time in CASACC history, not offered as complimentary. The spice rating ranged from 1-10 with members sampling from 4-7 and the fine gentlemen agreeing that the spice level was accurate to the order – not a common occurrence. Your humble president’s 7 being more than hot enough – and would likely order a digit lower on the next visit.
All members generally enjoyed their meals and beverages. Member Glotzbecker was the lone dissenter feeling his tikka saag was not the best he’s had and reflected this in his scoring. Others were more generous, enjoying the ambiance and healthy portion sizes to boot.
Overall a quality establishment in the northern suburbs with some interesting options not found in other restaurants (mango). The general décor and cleanliness add to the overall vibe and the pricing is competitive considering these additional positives. A respectable 7.8 places Haveli on the recommended list for anyone looking for a quality curry experience but not enough to take the top spot for 2019!
Date of Visit: September 26, 2019
President: M. McAuliffe
The Show: 6
The Score: 7.8
The evening started on rocky ground for September’s sojourn into the world of curry when the mighty cloak of Alan Patten was joined by but three souls for the traditional pre-curry beverages at the House of Dingle to the West of Chester. The poor start was further exacerbated by the wait staff unsure as to what to do about 3 men showing up to a bar and looking to purchase a drink. After much confusion on their part, some conferring, and, fully 3 members of staff combining their available intellect, they took a shot at giving us a table and a menu – an avenue they weren’t confident on but we made it work. That said, seating secured, the evenings’ downhill spiral continued when the only available table lay within earshot of gaggle of, judging by the middle-aged female:male ratio of 99:1, either some corporate marketing department or a Michael Buble concert. Still, a cold beer, an aged whiskey, and a fizzy pop for the boy Holley helped fade their cackling, and hopes of a more positive second half to the evening began….
Haveli resides a short hop from I-75 in the streets of West Chester and is nicely decorated by Curry House standards. Not quite Bombay Brazier but sort of a 7/8th scale. Warm colors, nice tables and low lighting make it a step above the usual places, despite the fact that it also has a lunch buffet bar – but they have bills to pay too!
The musketeerial numbers at the Dingle House were doubled though a thought was spared for the glory days of CASACC when double digit attendance was the norm. We find ourselves at an awkward intersection of exclusivity due lack of appropriate curry enthusiasm among the millennial generation (probably due to some electrical device or poor parenting no doubt) and the desire to spend one night a month with something other than the usual haggard faces.
We were offered a brief respite from said haggardness when, as a shock to all, the always jovial (and never haggard) Joshua Skywalker Falter made an appearance. The break between the demands of FC Cincinnati under-9s girls and the 2032 Olympic volleyball teams was to the benefit of all in attendance. It also kept the unbroken streak of a Josh in attendance and every single curry night since the clubs founding. A claim that no other given name can make and one that was expected to be in jeopardy with member Lukas being deployed to the orient to investigate the curry situation there.
It was a quiet evening in Haveli and the staff were happy to have us in attendance, service was attentive without being over-bearing and the menu complete and well-priced. A selection of vindaloo, saag, mango and other curries were ordered and member Butler decided to go for a Pad Thai or something like that, we were unsure.
The poppadoms were deemed to be delicious, though were, for only the 2nd time in CASACC history, not offered as complimentary. The spice rating ranged from 1-10 with members sampling from 4-7 and the fine gentlemen agreeing that the spice level was accurate to the order – not a common occurrence. Your humble president’s 7 being more than hot enough – and would likely order a digit lower on the next visit.
All members generally enjoyed their meals and beverages. Member Glotzbecker was the lone dissenter feeling his tikka saag was not the best he’s had and reflected this in his scoring. Others were more generous, enjoying the ambiance and healthy portion sizes to boot.
Overall a quality establishment in the northern suburbs with some interesting options not found in other restaurants (mango). The general décor and cleanliness add to the overall vibe and the pricing is competitive considering these additional positives. A respectable 7.8 places Haveli on the recommended list for anyone looking for a quality curry experience but not enough to take the top spot for 2019!