Takeaway review: TCK Deli, Preston market hall

Lunch-time is a competitive market.

Where once a simple tuna butty may have cut the mustard, today’s more discerning consumers have a much wider choice of what to eat, whether on the go or stuck at their desk.

Preston Market has some cracking options for the hungriest of lunch-time visitors, with a couple of curry stalls among them.

I paid a visit to TCK Deli one afternoon, when the stall was fairly busy with a few other customers.

The firm opened its stall in Preston Market Hall early last year, adding to another similar unit it already has at Blackburn Market.

The chap serving was helpful and friendly, and soon had my food boxed up in tubs and a big brown paper bag.

Trying to be eco-friendly, I declined his offer of a plastic bag to put round the paper bag.

Big mistake - a few yards outside the Market Hall and the paper bag handles tore off, sending my curry crashing onto the pavement in a blur of bright red sauce.

Thankfully, I managed to grab the tub and shove the lid back on before the rest of my lunch met a terminally messy fate.

I’m glad I managed to rescue the remainder as it was worth saving!

The chicken biryani was a good filling option and a bargain at £3.50 - about the same price of a sandwich from some of the nearby shops.

The rice was fluffy, and there was plenty of chicken and vegetables, in a good-sized lunch option.

There was just the right amount of spice in the sauce to give it warm flavour without being overpowering.

My eating out buddy was treated to the paneer tikka masala (£4) with a portion of rice.

Again, this was a decent dish, with a rich sauce complimenting the soft cheese chunks and veg, though being a big fan of paneer, I’d have liked a little more of it in the mix.

We also had a couple of onion bhajis, which had nice and crisp batter, were not greasy and would make a great grab-on-the-go lunch snack when a full, sit-down curry isn’t quite practical.

The best thing about TCK is that it is an affordable lunch-time alternative, with filling food on offer for the price of a pre-packaged supermarket meal deal.

However, as TCK’s Preston branch doesn’t have to appear to have a website (or a phone number online), it really is dependent on passing trade - and loyal diners - for its custom.