Desi Dera, Stapleton Road: 'Five of the best wings in Bristol for just £3 is frankly ludicrous'

In a past life I might’ve walked past Desi Dera and dismissed it, but now I am impossibly wise and worldly and all the better for it.

There are many things I wish I had discovered sooner in life. Investment banking for example. If I’d discovered that two years earlier, I’d almost certainly be a millionaire by now. I wish I’d known I had the rapping ability to rival Stormzy, that I am actually a Genovian princess and that there are few things in life that cannot be improved by adding sweet soy sauce and crispy onions.

That being said there is an argument to be made for discovering things at exactly the right time. Perhaps I only discovered Desi Dera in the last week because I was in the optimum position to properly appreciate it.

For example, having eaten at many a ridiculously expensive restaurant in the last few years and having felt the near constant pinch of rising costs nipping at my heels (yes I I know, woe is me, first world problems etc etc), I was astounded by the value that Desi Dera represents. Imagine ordering enough food for two for dinner and taking home a generous bag of leftovers along with the change from three ten pound notes. A whole tandoori chicken for £7. A piled plate of kabuli lamb pilau for £6.50. I had to scoop up my eyes and pop them back in my head, Looney Tunes style.

Then there’s all the times I have been fooled by ‘good’ looking restaurants. Empty walls, careful tablecloths, curated menus and expensive wine lists doth butter no parsnips if the food is crap. Nowadays I’m more likely to feel a surge of excitement for ripped leather chairs, random wall art and trays of curries sat waiting to be devoured behind a glass screen. In a past life I might’ve walked past Desi Dera and dismissed it, but now I am impossibly wise and worldly and all the better for it.

I find museums generally tedious, but I could look at displays of curry behind glass screens all day

And I’ve found someone who is not only mad enough to accompany me to the same restaurant day after day after day but who actively enjoys doing so.

So though I do regret that I haven’t spent the last two years cheerfully tucking into vats of curries, piles of chicken wings, sheaths of seekh kebabs and sesame flecked roghni naan at Desi Dera I feel extremely fortuitous to have found it now. Better late than never ey?

Imagine a naan crossed with a sesame bagel.

The menu at Desi Dera isn’t huge, but substantial (and cheap) enough to make two visits in three days seem wise. Highlights included the tandoori wings; so memorable that I expect Red Bull will be writing up a partnership deal any day now. I would drink almost anything if it guaranteed a portion of those wings. Five of the best wings in Bristol for just £3 is frankly ludicrous, and they did think I was joking when I said I’d set up a direct debit. Fools.

There are many fine purveyors of wings in Bristol but none can compete with these

In close second was the masala fish (£4.50) a whole fillet of lightly battered and delicately fried, fall-apart white flakes that give up quickly between hungry fingers. Cutlery, if you want it, must be specially requested at Desi Dera - and even then there’s no guarantee you’ll get any. Inspired by Tim Hayward’s recent confession at using fish and chip shop battered cod in his fish tacos (genius), we piled the masala coated fish between slabs of fluffy roghni naan with raita and salad. Top drawer stuff.

I don’t know what fish it is, the chefs didn’t seem to know what fish it is, and quite frankly I couldn’t care less

Also in the metaphorical top drawer was the seekh kebab; densely packed, coarse, fatty lamb and herbs. The mild, warming chicken karahi (£16) is one of the most expensive items on the menu and for this bubbling cauldron you must wait forty minutes. Such a worthwhile use of forty minutes you’d be hard-pressed to find. Especially if you spend them eating everything else you have ordered, as we did. Or if you’re very organised you can call ahead and order it in advance.

You’ll be mopping at the dregs with your naan

I was less enamoured by the onion bhajis, while they may have been pride of place on the literal top shelf, they needed relegating or at least re-introducing to the fryer.

An out-of -focus picture for an out-of-focus bhaji. It’s art, look it up

On my next visit (which will likely be imminent) I am gunning for the whole tilapia that we admired crisping up on the grill. And the samosas. And the lamb karahi. And obviously I’ll order the chicken wings again. It’s a good job my investment banking is going well, even in the cheapest restaurants fifteen visits in a week starts to add up.

Words and photos by Meg Houghton-Gilmour

Desi Dera, 106 Stapleton Road, St Jude’s, BS5 0PR