I visited one of Glasgow's oldest Indian restaurants that has been serving Glaswegians for over 60 years

The Shish Mahal in Kelvinbridge is a busy neighbourhood spot where generations of Glaswegians have gone to taste the delights of Indian cooking. It was only last year that international travel and hospitality magazine Time Out named the West End as one of the coolest places in the world and we would be remiss not to mention the Shish Mahal as part of that conversation which was founded by Ali Ahmed Aslam in 1964.

Those who know about the Shish Mahal continue to flock to the restaurant regularly and although they may no longer be in their original premises on Gibson Street, you can’t speak about Indian food in Glasgow and not mention the restaurant.

I went to the restaurant on Saturday night to sample a meal at the Glasgow institution and it would be fair to say that I was more than happy with what I found.

From the moment I entered the restaurant on Park Road, I was immediately met with a warm welcome by the staff who couldn’t have been any friendlier. You feel a sense of tradition here right away as, after you have taken your seat, the waiter immediately places a napkin on your lap. Although many Indian restaurants in Glasgow have succumbed to having Tennent’s on draught, it was pleasant to hear that the Shish offered both Cobra and Kingfisher on draught.

There was no waiting around for our drinks as they were brought to the table swiftly - it was time to order our meal. I opted for the chicken tikka which was served with rice and a bhoona sauce which I had chosen.

It did of course mean that I had resisted the dish which locals and tourists seek whenever they arrive at the Shish Mahal which is the world famous chicken tikka masala. It was invented at the Shish Mahal by Mr Ali who moved to Glasgow from Pakistan as a young boy. Indian restaurants were springing up all across Britain though Glaswegians palates hadn’t quite become accustomed to the aromatic flavours of Indian cooking. Glasgow had become a much more multi-cultural city since the age of the British Empire, but rationing had just ended 10 years prior when meat was taken off the ration in 1954 and Scots were pretty used to bland dishes.

The innovative chef was always looking to please his customers. A beacon of hospitality, Ali was constantly listening to feedback from regulars, and in the 70s when he had heard from a few Glaswegians that the traditional chicken tikka was too dry, he set about making a new sauce for the local palate.

The original sauce was invented on the fly, when Ali added a tin of condensed tomato soup to the mix in an effort to make the dish a bit more ‘wet’. The sauce was developed over time to include yoghurt, tomatoes, garlic, cream, ginger and other traditional Indian spices. In an interview with the AFP news agency, he described the moment he came up with one of Britain’s favourite dishes, saying: "Chicken tikka masala was invented in this restaurant, we used to make chicken tikka, and one day a customer said, ‘I’d take some sauce with that, this is a bit dry’

"We thought we’d better cook the chicken with some sauce. So from here we cooked chicken tikka with a sauce that contains yoghurt, cream, and spices. It’s a dish prepared according to our customer’s taste, usually they don’t take hot curry, that’s why we cook it with yoghurt and cream."

There are plenty of other fantastic dishes on the menu with diners recommended to head straight for the Ali’s house favourites part of the meu where you will find a selection of tasty curry dishes such as house madras, rogan josh and korma amongst others.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable meal and after being at the heart of Glaswegian hospitality for six decades, this remains a timeless classic where you can still enjoy a great night out.

Shish Mahal Restaurant, 60-68 Park Rd, Glasgow G4 9JF. You can find out more about the restaurant and explore their menu here.