The OCC went looking for Indian delight in Found 158
As per its name, the Oakham Curry Club (OCC) prides itself on seeking out the best Indian cuisine in the world. We pride ourselves on being willing to go to places that others may not think to in order to find the best curries a city has to offer. It was with this in mind that the OCC gamely headed to Pera Turkish Restaurant at Found 158. Armed with the knowledge that it had boasted a selection of Indian dishes and is operated by the same management that owned Kebabs on the Grille – which those playing along at home will recognise as 2017’s Curry House of the Year (CHOTY) winner – the OCC was intrigued to see where a Turkish restaurant would rank among the other curry houses of Shanghai.
Customer care 8.2
Service 7.8
Value 7.2
Quality 6.8
Atmosphere 7.7
Overall 7.5
Just as we have experienced at Kebabs on the Grille, the customer care throughout the evening at Pera was on point. The restaurant was at pains to accommodate the OCC and our affairs throughout the evening, even turning the music down for us during important times of the night.
Ultimately, customer care is a measure of just how willing the venue is to go the extra mile to entertain its guests – and with two different performances from a belly dancer throughout the evening, it’s safe to say that in this regard, Pera straps on its boots and goes a couple of miles. While it may not be authentically Indian, the performance was appreciated by all members -some more than others – and certainly added to the evening. The service was similarly stellar for the whole evening, with the manager personally ensuring we were well looked after and that our orders were promptly taken and delivered.
It’s safe to say that the belly dancing performance aided immensely to the high score for atmosphere for Pera, with a score of 7.7 placing it in the upper echelons of Shanghai curry restaurants. Beyond the show, however, the music and tasteful decoration helped add an ambiance to the point where members could be forgiven for thinking they weren’t even in a curry house to begin with…
Quality was the one key area where Pera didn’t quite live up to its sister restaurant’s high standards. While we avoided the doner kebab-sized elephant in the room and stuck with the Indian side of the menu, there’s no doubt that this was smaller in size and options than other Indian restaurants. While our mains of aloo gobi, rogan josh, chicken vindaloo and chicken tikka masala certainly hit the spot with few complaints, we found them lacking some of the true stand-out qualities that we had come to associate with Kebabs on the Grille.
On the value side of things, a total bill of about 320 RMB per person for the 14 attendees was deemed to be good value given the quantity of food and drink consumed and indeed the entertainment on offer.
Overall then, despite originally positioning itself as a Turkish restaurant, Pera’s inclusion of a solid if not spectacular Indian selection on its menu has meant it has done enough to earn itself a highly sought-after OCC Approved sticker, with an overall score out of 10 of 7.5. While it may not be top of the list for the CHOTY hunt this year, there is no doubt that diners will be well taken care of and highly entertained while eating well-priced, tasty Indian cuisine. The OCC is happy recommend it to diners, particularly those looking perhaps to partner their curry with something a little extra for the evening.