Roti Bar, Huddersfield

Roti Bar is a smart looking place in Huddersfield that, from the moment you walk in the door, doesn’t know what it is. It shares its space with a post office, does a Full English Breakfast , steak pie , samosa chaat , omelette and a commemorative mug. I like quirky, and so I have high hopes.

The Asian sounding food sounds good and interesting - and they take samoasas seriously so ....

The queueing experience was chaotic and lengthy. I would have walked out had I not been (a) hungry (b) short on time and (c) seen some of the food coming out. While waiting I was temporarily excited to see a heating oven labelled “vegan pies” which on closer inspection contained only chocolate croissants. It is a bit disorganised.I don't think they have settled in yet.

The menu is unlike any other - fusion food where it should never be fused - and cocktails - in a small-town lunchtime diner - in a post office. What can possibly go wrong. Well a huge delay to the food for a start. Charging me £2.95 for mini samosas that I was told were £1.95 (that are not on the weird menu - as many of the food items are not). 

On arrival, the mini samosas are ok actually. The tiny nature means too much pastry is inevitable but if you can get past the price (I can’t) , the filling is tasty and spicy , the salad is good and so it’s not a bad mini starter. 

The samosa chat is better. Covered in crispy bits and bobs (some of which looks like Aldi cornflakes but may not be) - there are also nuts and salad and raw onions thinly sliced which work wel). 

The pastry is excellent (same as the mini samosas but built to fullscale it has a better ratio with the filling ) , the filling is the same as the minis - tasty and spicy with identifiable vegetables. A nice white sauce and a tamarind sauce on top make a lovely meal. 

There is no chana , maybe I am being presumptuous expecting that but without it , it’s samosas with salad , sauce and a crunchy topping. At £5 that’s quite a bit - but probably worth it, although for £2 you could better samosas at Kebabish up road with less style. 

This place has real potential. When it decides what it is, makes the menu easier to folllow (it needs to be a clear menu set out logically and then a clear blackboard with specials on it) then the chef, who clearly knows what he is doing, will get the recognition and customers he deserves. It’s a new startup though and I feel this will come with time and I intend to come back and explore the rest of the menu. 

For a first visit , a 7.0 for the Samosa Chatt With a 5 for the mini samosa.