Marks and Spencer Takeaways

Two years ago – back when everybody except me ate gold for breakfast – takeaways were just another dinner choice, whatever day of the week. But now, I reckon people see them more as a treat; when you factor in your main meal, plus rice or naan, it can easily work out at €12 for one person’s dinner.

Up in the wilds of Wicklow, there is no Indian take-away. The closest we have is Roundwood’s local chipper, the Village Takeaway. It’s just about ok: for emergencies only. But last weekend, after a very boozy night in Dublin and in the middle of a big house move, cooking from scratch was not an option.

Marks and Spencer to the rescue! One quick stop in the Frascati centre and €10.99 later, we had a delicious Indian Takeaway for two. The Mild and Spicy takeaway included a Chicken Korma, Vegetable Curry, and a Lamb dish, as well as naan bread and rice. I did have a bit of a moan about the small size of the naan breads, but there turned out to be plenty of food for two. For €10.99, I reckon this is a bargain.

This isn’t the most earth-shatteringly amazing Indian food you’ll ever eat, but it’s still very good and I enjoyed every last morsel. It had great flavours and a good mix of items, while I also got the satisfaction of value for money: €5.50 per person for a big, delicious Indian feast is very good indeed. Indeed, I think this takeaway is a great value alternative to the Meal Deal for Two (€12.50), which is only available every other weekend.

M&S’s Indian offering is streets ahead of Tesco’s similar takeaway, or anything else I’ve found in other Irish supermarkets. I’m also a big fan of their Thai Takeaway for two.