Cheesy chips have just reached pleasure level eleven
Lily’s might only be a small and humble café, but the food coming out of their kitchens certainly punches well above its weight. There you’ll find traditional snacks (all home made on the premises) such as samosas and bhajis, along with puris and items rarely found outside India like idly, uttapam and dumplings, as well as chaats, giant paper thin dosas, curries, biryanis and naan breads. It is all so packed with flavour, the fact that it is all entirely meat free (with plenty of dairy free vegan dishes too) is almost incidental.
The vegetarian Indian café has become increasingly popular since it opened ten years ago, thanks to word of mouth spreading from happy customers. Named after matriarch Lily, who built a reputation for her amazing handmade Indian sweets, the café is owned and run by her family now and is part of the building that houses ASM, the Indian supermarket next door, run by her brothers.
That’s the reason there’s no shortage of fresh vegetables and herbs, spices, pulses, nuts, dried fruit and other ingredients. For a relatively small café, the menu is comprehensive and even includes an interesting section inspired by Indo-Chinese influences. The pick of these has to be their three new sizzling hot platters. They’re everything you didn’t know you needed; comforting, delicious, with a bit of added drama and some crispy bits at the bottom.
Paneer Sizzler
If you’re a fan of this fresh cheese, a common staple of Southern Asian dishes, you’re going to love this one. Slabs of paneer marinated in yoghurt and spices, all fried up with fresh green peppers, juicy tomatoes and thick wedges of sweet fried onion.
Original Sizzler
This sizzling platter contains a unique combination of golden cassava chips with deep fried homemade vegetable dumplings and wedges of delicious paneer nestled amongst them, as well as crisp, crunchy slices of green pepper and spring onions.
Cheesy Chips Indo-Chinese Style
This sizzling platter manages to be all things to all people. Surely there’s no better way to shoe-horn at least two of your five a day into what is essentially a hangover cure. Almost healthy but comforting at the same time, these are the most pimped up cheesy chips we’ve ever tried; chips, peppers, onions, hot platter, sprinkling of cheese. We’re in love.
Lily’s Vegetarian Indian Cuisine, 75-83 Oldham Road, Ashton, OL6 7FD
Open every day (except Tuesdays) from 11am-8pm (7pm on Sundays)
