Bilash, Wolverhampton

It is hard to think of another Asian restaurant so wrapped up in mystique, politics and celebrity as Bilash,

.

Since opening nearly 30 years ago, the Bangladeshi restaurant in Cheapside has reportedly played host to Les Dawson, is a regular haunt of Suzi Perry, football stars Steve Bull and Ian Wright and, if you believe the reports, played a part in Tony Blair's downfall.

This is where the "Curry House Plot" allegedly took place. The venue where two senior Labour MPs met for dinner and, according to their version of events - which I would never question for one minute - never once discussed their plans to unseat the Prime Minister.

So essentially, the Curry House Plot involved two MPs having dinner and, er, that's it.

Nevertheless, the rumours of intrigue can only have helped the award-winning restaurant gain its formidable reputation as the place to go for a prestigious dining experience.

So much so, that the mere mention of the name draws the sort of reaction normally reserved for plumbers giving a quote for a broken boiler: a sharp intake of breath and murmurs of "Ooh, it's going to cost you."

Ironic considering the place is in Cheapside.

About time I investigated then, to see if there was anything in these fabulous tales of starters costing double figures or wine lists worthy of remortgage that everybody was so keen to regale me with.

I have to say I was a little taken aback when I looked on the menu though. I thought I knew what to expect, my head filled with visions of gold-plated prawns, jewel-encrusted cutlery and spices, derived from some of the rarest plants on Earth, ground and roasted by an epicurean elite whose names must never be divulged. But even so, it was a bit of a shock. Many of the items were actually, how shall I put this, quite affordable.

This, which to my mind was even more scandalous than a plot to overthrow the PM, represented the first stage in debunking the mystery which had come to surround this Michelin-rated establishment.

The second stage was entering Bilash itself, my imagination running wild with thoughts of impossibly chic decor in keeping with its status.

But it's not really like that. Although neat and well-maintained, head chef and owner Sitab Khan has opted for comfort rather than the sometimes clinical chrome and light oak approach of numerous other Asian restaurants.

In fact, reproduced paintings on the walls featuring bottles of red wine and French waiters carrying trays of drinks made me wonder whether we hadn't accidentally walked into a new Mediterranean restaurant instead.

These, along with a drinks trolley, a curved shelving unit with a piano keyboard incorporated into its side and saxophone-tinged background music in the style of Kenny G, lent Bilash a quirky, almost 1980s air.

As we walked to our table, a group of what appeared to be regulars sat chatting at the bar. And, as we sat down, the glass partition through which diners can see Sitab and his team at work in the kitchen, filled me with confidence about the meal ahead.

A quick glance at the wine list did reveal there was a degree of truth in the mythology about Bilash though. If you've got a spare 200 sovs burning a hole in your pocket, you might want to blow it on a bottle of Cristal champagne. Or if you're feeling the pinch, you could try the Bollinger at £86.50. No wonder the MPs love it here.

But given that we have to manage on Express & Star petty cash, rather than Parliamentary expenses, we opted for two glasses of Pinot Grigio, which came in at a far more realistic £4.50 each. When these arrived, they were served with a large jug of iced water - a really nice touch that I wish more restaurants would adopt.

Poppadoms, priced reasonably at £1.50 each, came served with a variety of pickles and dips which hinted at why this restaurant has acquired its enviable culinary kudos.

Forget runny raitas and shop-bought pickles - these ramekins contained an explosion of flavours quite unlike the norm.

Following this, my starter of tiger prawn in red pepper sauce came nestling in a perfect puri and accompanied by, among other delights, shredded carrot marinated in lime juice. Sensational.

My partner was equally full of praise for her maacher shami kebab - shaped and spiced minced fish, shallow fried and drizzled with tamarind sauce.

For mains, I opted for murghi diya doniya, priced £14.50, which gained Sitab two curry chef of the year awards. It was easy to see, or rather taste why, as every flavour in this dish, including garlic, coriander, mint, ginger, chives and green chillies, sang in perfect unison. However, this was somewhat marred by an undue amount of oil which left an unappealing pool at the bottom of my plate.

This was served with stir-fried noodles and accompanied by an egg paratha, a delicious (and, quite possibly highly calorific,) creation involving deep-fried chapati coated in beaten egg.

Feeling that spring had arrived, my partner chose Kashmiri gohst rezala £14.90 - thinly-sliced fillets of lamb marinated with an extensive list of ingredients and cooked slowly, allowing all the flavours to infuse. But again, while bursting with taste, this dish was also unfortunately oozing with grease.

She accompanied this with pilau rice, while we, at our waiter's suggestion, shared a side dish of bhindi bhajee - okra cooked with spices.

By the time the dessert tray (another curiously old-fashioned touch) was brought round, consuming more food was simply not an option due to both of us feeling full.

Here, the French influence returned, with a selection of confections bought in from Patisserie Valerie in Dudley Street. I did wonder why, especially as there were no Asian-influenced alternatives on offer.

If there's one thing I'd like to see more of in Indian/Bangladeshi restaurants, it's authentic desserts and, while the selection on offer at Bilash was significantly better than the usual collection of frozen, commercial delights (chocolate bombe, anyone?), it left me feeling an opportunity had been missed.

So, two perfect coffees rounded off an experience which, while dispelling many myths, also raised some questions.

Firstly, why the reputation for being expensive? This can only be down to the drinks and side order menu. Our okra "side" dish, at £6.50, cost almost as much as the starter and the flamboyance of the wine list has already been discussed.

Our total bill came to £74.75 - not cheap, by any means, but not quite the stuff of legend I'd been warned about.

As to the nods across the Channel to all things Gallic, I'm not sure. Maybe Sitab visits France regularly, or feels this lends his restaurant a certain je ne sais quoi.

But despite a few minus points, Bilash still stands head and shoulders over many in the city thanks to an obvious flair in the kitchen and an imaginative use of ingredients.

Overall, it was a positive experience, while Sitab and his team are to be applauded for their culinary achievements and for being one of the all-too-few prestigious restaurants in Wolverhampton city centre.

ADDRESS

Bilash, 2 Cheapside, Wolverhampton WV1 1TU

Tel: 01902 311991

Web: www.thebilash.co.uk

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Aloo chop: Mashed potato, formed into a patty and then marinated in special spices and herbs before being shallow fried (£5.95); Luknow qalmi lamb chop : Lamb chop marinated and roasted in a tandoor (£6.90); Kakuri sheek kebab: Lean minced lamb marinated in onion paste, ginger, fresh lime, coriander and chilli and then coated with red onion and pepper before being cooked in a clay oven (£7.95)

MAINS

Tandoori king prawn: Tiger prawn marinated with garlic and ginger, yoghurt, chilli paste, turmeric, chilli, garam massala, tamarind and then roasted in a tandoor (£20.90); Panir chilli massala: Paneer cheese, cooked Punjabi-style with curd yoghurt, onions, green pepper, tomatoes, chillies, turmeric and garam massala (£10.50); Lobster chor chori: Diced lobster, cooked with caramelised onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilli, garam massala and tomatoes (£28.90); Bilash super: Chicken tikka in spicy tomato sauce - the restaurant's own recipe. According to the menu: "Once you have tried this dish, you will never try another chicken dish anywhere, anytime." (£13.90)