Joy Bangla

Went to Joy Bangla just on a whim while living in Castleford — we fancied a meal but didn’t fancy going into Leeds. We were glad we called in, as the food was really good.
We went for the Bangla Mix Cocktail for starter, which fed 2, and was a selection of onion bhajis, veg samosas, chicken tikka, sheek kebab, and chicken pakora. Each of the mini starters was delicious, nicely flavoured and spiced — hot without being too hot.
I went for a Chicken Modumoti for main, being a fan of the slightly milder and fruitier curries. It’s chicken cooked in a butter sauce with honey, coconut, almonds, sultanas, and cream. It was gorgeous, so full of flavour and spices. While I admit to being a bit of a wuss with curries (my spice limit is probably a Roghan Josh — definitely can’t take a Madras on), I do like something with a bit of heat to it, and this hit the spot nicely.
The thing that let this restaurant down for me mainly was the atmosphere — it was really quiet, and initially there was no music playing so we felt a bit self conscious while talking. I think this may have just been an oversight as halfway through our meal someone put the music on and it was a lot more comfortable.
We’ve been back a couple of times since, and it’s always been fairly quiet which is a shame, but does feel like a hidden gem.