h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Which is a curry dish cooked in a heavy iron wok like device (a balti - whence the name comes)
Lots of places will tell you this is a traditional Indian dish but it was, in fact, invented on the Stratford Road, Birmingham (UK) as a meal for the various workers going to/ from the British Leyland factories. The latter no longer exists, but the former have expanded to take over the UK fast food market....and are on their way to taking over the world!

If you are in Birmingham - visit the "Royal Naim" restaurant for the evidence Yum!

Many fantastic Balti restaurants can be found in the Selly Oak area along Bristol Road (A38). If you can put up with all the students then try them out since there's always some sort of atmosphere. My preference is the Khanum (just opposite Tesco) where I graduated from Madrases to Vindaloos to Phalls before they offered to cook me up my own ridiculously hot dish (The Khanum Killer - and as of yet I'm the only one they've served it to.....and yes I am proud of that). They also have spicy mint sauce which is novel.

This year i have been mostly eating ....Chicken Bhunas (medium hot - strong tomato base)

Speak to me of table naans and restaurants which allow you to bring in your own drinks oh wise one.

The above-mentioned Royal Naim's on Stratford Road for one.

The above-named Khanum for another. It ahs no bar so you haave no choice but to bring in your own drinks from the handily-located "Liquor Locker" next door.

There is also the "Star of India", in the city centre, which is the real McCoy Indian restaurant complete with cushions instead of chairs and magnificently turbanned waiters etc.
I found it completely by accident on my first day at uni and it then took me nearly 4 years to find it again as Birmingham City council completely rebuilt the inner ring-road in the interim to confuse me .

So where abouts is the Star of India then. Sounds interesting enough to try and get a trip there the next time I'm up that way.

Thinking about it, I may have gotten the name wrong, and this is all subject to a hazy memory and an over-zealous planning authority but here goes:
I'm guessing you'll be coming up the M1 from London? Anyhow - you probably know how to get to New Street so I'll go from there - you need to go under the bull ring building itself on the James Watt Queensway east which slopes downhill from the station. At the bottom of the hill it is crossed by a smaller road - turn right onto this. (If you come to a roundabout you have missed it - go round and try again ).
You then want to take an almost immediate right again before "Mr. Egg" takeaway and find somewhere to park. The restaurant is on this corner....or was 5 years ago!

Ok so somewhere round New street. I'll have to have a look next time I'm up that way. It'll be something to do whilst I wait for my friend to pick me up from the station

The smaller road, that's the one at the traffic lights isn't it (Turning right takes you out past a couple of clubs, towards one of the theatres and a lot of chineese restraunts)