News that the The Cat’s Pyjamas in Headingley has reopened has been met with delight by its very many fans across the U.K. The popular Indian street food and craft beer restaurant on Headingley’s Otley Road is owned by two childhood friends, its chef Daljit Singh and his business partner Aftab Ali. It was the reputation of Daljit’s food that first made the Cat’s Pyjamas brand synonymous with quality and won the restaurant national awards and plaudits from food/restaurant critics.
As Daljit explains, “My passion is to connect the British people with Indian culture through various tasty dishes. I was born in the Punjab and I learned from my mum how to cook recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation in our family … the base recipes remain the same. This April I made a journey through India to seek out the latest culinary ideas as I wanted to create a more diverse range of street food for the restaurant.”
Using that trip Daljit has come back with an encyclopaedia of recipes that stretch from Mumbai to Kerala. The restaurant is launching a new lunchtime four-course thaali menu which is a fusion of small taster dishes served up on a large steel plate. This is the authentic Indian style of eating - a fusion of tastes and smells served within one large dish.
It will also have a brand new evening menu serving an array of super tasty dishes including a very popular seafood curry dish from Kerala made of sea bass and prawns cooked in coconut milk and whole spices. Carrying on the theme of seafood dishes is the very popular Tandoori salmon tikka.
One of The Cat’s Pyjamas successes has been its ability to cater for all palates. As such the menus will comprise lots of vegetarian and vegan dishes which will mirror the various Indian States. Firm favourites like Saag Paneer and Pindi Chole will remain and will be joined by the moorish mattar paneer and railway potato curry - a nationally recognised dish in India served on the Indian railway system and enjoyed by hundreds of millions of Indians on a daily basis.
What makes The Cats Pyjamas successful? The interior is visually funky and stylish. Hip Cat’s Pyjamas Tees as are worn by the friendly, helpful staff. But most of all it is the obvious passion for great Indian food that is made in the kitchen.
The restaurant is a firm favourite all year around. “Headingley is a fabulous location for Cat’s as it is bustling, vibrant and diverse. On any given day Cat’s will be hosting local families and friends, groups of students, folk who have come to enjoy the cricket or rugby, or team dinners for one of the many local businesses. We are a fully inclusive restaurant which thrives on the diversity of our staff and customers.”
Daljit Singh and Aftab Ali
The Cat’s Pyjamas
53 Otley Road, Leeds LS6 3AB
01132742618
catspyjamasheadingley@gmail.com
www.catspjs.co.uk
