Daata’s double success in Irish curry awards
DAATA in Greystones has won the ‘Best Newcomer’ category in this year’s Irish Curry Awards, while its sister restaurant in Bray has won the silver in ‘Best Neighbourhood’.
Speaking at the Greystones restaurant, proprietor Waseem Saeed said that the whole family is thrilled at the success of Daata in the awards. Waseem’s wife Rahad is the chef behind the Greystones premises.
‘ This was the first one for Greystones and Bray, we never went for it before. So to win two the first time was great,’ said Waseem.
The judges came for their meal and didn’t make themselves known until after they had eaten, so it was a real experience, and on a busy Saturday night.
Waseem’s uncle Mohammed opened in Bray as a take-away only in 1998. Rahad started working there in 2000. Since then, she and Waseem worked there until they opened in Greystones in July 2017.
The Bray premises later moved to the seafront, starting as a takeaway and shop, developing to a sit-down restaurant alongside the takeaway. It’s built up to the point where getting a seat at the weekend can be tricky.
Both premises are busy, Bray particularly with deliveries and takeaways. ‘Summertime is particularly busy in Bray’.
The family, natives of Pakistan and now based in Charlesland, knew that there was a demand in Greystones for another restaurant.
‘We were always looking for a place in Greystones,’ said Waseem.
A year later, the Church Road premises has become a very welcome part of the town’s local landscape.
Both restaurants serve delicious, fresh food with a wealth of delicious flavours in each dish.
An estimated 700 curry houses operate successfully between Ballyferriter in Kerry and Ballycastle in Antrim.
These awards were created by Belfast-based restaurateur Askir Ali to recognise the contribution made to Ireland’s food scene by hundreds of Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and other Asian chefs, restaurant workers and managers.
‘Curry may have been born in India, but it has grown and matured across Ireland,’ Askir Ali said. ‘ The Irish Curry Awards are recognition of that. I was really surprised and thrilled to see the level of support that was out there for the Irish Curry
Awards and I am delighted that year three has been just as successful as the first. ‘Nominations were up this year and the standard was too. We had in place a broad mix of judges and food critics on board again this year.’ The Irish Curry Awards is a not-for-profit event with all profits donated to the Children’s Heartbeat Trust. All of the staff at both restaurants are very proud to have done so well in the awards.
Their customers know very well that the accolades were well earned.