Restaurateur brings 'simple' Indian takeaway to long-time Maidenhead fans

A Maidenhead restaurateur has launched a new takeaway service in Cox Green to ‘bring back authentic Indian cuisine’ to the area.

Sham Ali owned the much-loved Papaya Restaurant in Wessex Way for ten years until 2017 and has run various food outlets in and around the borough for around 35 years.

The 57-year-old launched Simple Curry by Amish, based at Cox Green Community Centre on Friday (October 4).

He said: “We’ve been approached by our old customers and friends around the area saying, ‘Look, we’ve lost on the Indian takeaway we had in Cox Green – is there any way you guys can do anything?’

“So we’ve come up with this idea.”

During the day, food will be cooked at their restaurant, Amish – serving north Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine since 2003 – and transported to Maidenhead in the evening.

“We cook everything fresh on the day and we leave Chobham at 5pm, bring it in hot sealed bags and we then serve it to our customers in Cox Green,” he said.

“This is a unique operation and we’ve narrowed down the menu.

“In a typical Indian restaurant menu, you’d have a hundred-odd items, but we’ve narrowed it down to about 14 dishes.

“We’ve been in business for 35 years and we know at the end of the day, these are the tried and tested dishes.

“We’ve catered for the mild, medium and hot palettes but we’ve only included the best-selling dishes which we know our customers love and want to try.”

The venture is operated by a nine-person team weekly from Thursday to Sunday from 5.45pm to 8pm.

Cox Green Community Centre will be a ‘focal pick up point’ for collection although home delivery is also available.

“We’re providing a pre-ordering service. This will enable us to keep the costs down and less wastage because you know exactly who is ordering and how much is being ordered,” Sham said.

“You order the night before for your food to be delivered the night after.”

Sham said the name ‘Simple Curry’ is inspired by its simple menu and simple concept.

“This is very community-based,” he added.

“We’ve lived in the village for 25 years and all my children went to the local primary and secondary school – we’re quite a well-known family within the Cox Green area.

Sham said this has influenced their pricing strategy, adding: “We’re very conscious of the pricing.

“By not having a shop as such, the savings in terms of rent and rates and all the overheads that we have saved, we can pass it on to our customers. That’s why we are 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than any other restaurant or takeaway in Maidenhead.”

Simple Curry by Amish received a ‘very good turnout’ at its launch event on Friday with more than 50 attendees including Cllr Neil Knowles.

“We saw a lot of old faces that were happy to have us back in the village in terms of serving food,” said Sham.

“We’re also very happy to provide a service that’s needed back to the community.”

To make an order visit www.simplecurry.co.uk/