Ayr Spice Indian Restaurant offers two special Valentine’s Day menus

Celebrity TV chef Mafiz Ali has concocted not just one, but TWO enchantingly romantic menus at Ayr Spice Indian Restaurant in Minishant, South Ayrshire to celebrate St Valentine‘s Day on Tuesday 14 February.

And the restaurant’s history and beautiful setting will add additional touches of spice and romance to what will undoubtedly be a night to remember for everyone fortunate enough to be there.


For Ayr Spice Indian Cuisine is housed in the fine old red sandstone Memorial church at the entrance to the picturesque village of Minishant, 5 miles south of Ayr on the A77. The church was erected by the thread magnate Sir Peter Coats of nearby Auchendrane, in loving memory of his wife Glorianna, who died in 1877.

The special St Valentine’s Day menu will be available from Friday 19 February to Saturday 18 February by prior booking only. Normal A la carte menu always available.


Ayr Spice Bangladeshi Restaurant, Minishant
St Valentine’s Day, 2012
Candle-light dinner
Welcome rose and a glass of sparkling (Asti) for each couple

Set meal A: £16.95

Starters:

* Honey Dew Melon
* Machli roll (spicy mashed fish roll)
* Piaza Bora (onion bhaji) – onion and ground lentils deep-fried with herbs and spices
* Tikka Delight – an assortment of chicken and lamb tikka and sheek kebab served on a sizzler

Main courses:

* Sally Jadalo chicken or lamb cooked in honey and apricot (Mafiz’s own recipe)
* Badami Passanda chicken or lamb – tender lamb or chicken marinated in yogurt in a special blend of herbs, spices and almonds in a light and creamy sauce with a dash of red wine.
* Chicken or lamb Tofa – a very special dish from the Chilaura district - roasted pieces of chicken or lamb cooked with green chillies, tamarind, fresh coriander and green pepper and served with an aromatically-spiced sauce.
* Shobji special Kufta – lightly-spiced mixed vegetables cooked in a spicy sauce with baked tomato and capsicum and garnished with spring-onion and coriander.

Coconut, lemon or fried rice
Choice of naan bread


Set meal B: £19.95

Starters:

* Tandoori lamb chops (lamb chops in a specially-prepared spice sauce)
* Priya Goshty roll – lamb or chicken cooked with fresh onion and spices and served with a lightly-fried Puri-bread.
* Bengali stir-fry – delicious filet of fresh-water fish marinated in Ayr Spice “Spicy sauce” with fresh herbs and grilled in a charcoal oven.
* Salmon samosa

Main courses:

* Mango extra murgi korma – chicken with almonds and sliced mango cooked in a rich, creamy sauce with a dash of “Grand Marnier” – the perfect Valentine’s special!
* Tetul Tanga – chicken, lamb or vegetable Kofta cooked in a home-made spicy and sour sauce creating a unique flavour and garnished with spring-onion and coriander – highly recommended!
* Beef Shatkova Bhuna - beef slice cooked with Shatkova (citrus fruit) from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh with a unique, authentic, sour flavour.
* Tikka sliced chicken or lamb – barbecued lamb or chicken cooked with mushrooms, green peppers, onion and selected herbs (Jagannath pur style)

Mafiz’s special rice, lemon or fried rice
Choice of naan bread

Desserts:

* Gulab jam
* Kufi – Bangladeshi ice-cream


BOOKING:

Mafiz Ali
Ayr Spice Indian Restaurant
The Old Minishant Memorial Church
22 Ayr Road
Minishant
Ayrshire
KA19 8EX

Tel: 01292 441 413

Web: www.ayrspice.info

CKD Galbraith report encouraging 2012 start for Ayrshire housing market

Scotland’s leading independent property consultancy, CKD Galbraith has reported a slightly more positive start to the year than expected, having experienced an encouraging level of activity in the Ayrshire property market.

Following research conducted by CKD Galbraith’s Ayr office for the first month of 2012, the firm noted an increase in the number of property viewings and new applicants registering.

The number of property viewings during January 2012 is up 50% on the same period for 2011, whilst the number of new buyers registered with the firm and actively seeking property in Ayrshire has increased by 63%.

Throughout 2011, CKD Galbraith sold property in excess of £200million across the whole of Scotland and the like-for-like data for 2011 compared to 2010 showed that viewing figures were up last year for the firm as a whole by a staggering 148%, with the number of properties sold during 2011 increasing by 16%.


Bob Cherry (pictured above), partner of CKD Galbraith and head of residential in the Ayr office said: “We have been encouraged by the recent more positive interest we have witnessed recently for the start of the year, and we hope that this might indicate a degree of confidence returning to the property market.

“There are serious buyers out there willing to purchase, but it remains very much a buyer’s market, so it is critical that property is priced accordingly and professional marketing is more important than ever. We believe now may prove the right time to buy.”

Prices achieved for all properties sold by the firm during 2012 were, like 2011, on average within 0.5% of the asking price, highlighting the firm’s unrivalled local knowledge of the market and expertise in setting prudent valuations.

There are currently over 2400 active buyers registered on the firm’s advanced marketing database with approximately 20% being cash buyers.


A recent example of a positive property sale in the area is Duisk Lodge (pictured above) by Barrhill, Ayrshire, a delightful country house in private wooded grounds. It was marketed at offers over £225,000 and sold at the closing date for £311,000 in October 2011 after receiving four offers of interest.


Currently for sale through CKD Galbraith’s Ayr office at offers over £180,000 is Nether Failford (pictured above) in South Ayrshire, an attractive Victorian Coach House requiring complete refurbishment in a sought after rural location. This property recently came on to the market at the beginning of January and has already received 36 viewings and five notes of interest.

About CKD Galbraith

CKD Galbraith is an independent property consultancy specialising in serving the needs of private clients. It employs over 200 people in offices in Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth, Cupar, Inverness, Aberfeldy, Castle Douglas, Ayr, Elgin, Galashiels, Kelso and Peebles.

The partnership provides the full range of property consulting services across the commercial, residential and rural sectors throughout Scotland. The company enjoys a successful relationship with its associate firm in London, CKD Kennedy Macpherson.

The company’s rural arm specialises in farm sales and purchases, the management and sale of large estates and woodland, valuations and building surveying work.

www.ckdgalbraith.co.uk

CKD Galbraith’s Ayr Office is a Founder Member of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.

Alloway steps back in time to celebrate life of Burns

The fourth Alloway 1759 event on Sunday 29 January celebrating the birth and life of Scotland’s national Bard, Robert Burns has again been hailed as a resounding success.

People from all over South Ayrshire and some from well beyond, enjoyed sights, sounds and tastes from a bygone era, marking the work and legend of the nation’s greatest Scot.


Opening the event, South Ayrshire Provost Winifred Sloan (pictured above said: “Alloway 1759 is now in its fourth year – having been created to mark the Year of Homecoming in 2009 – and it has fast become a ‘must see’ attraction.

“Alloway village was transformed into a time gone by and it really added to the fun family event. There really was something for everyone to enjoy, music, poetry, acting, singing, dancing, walks and much more.

“The work of Burns was brought to life and everyone had a great time.”


Councillor Margaret Toner, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Tourism and Leisure for South Ayrshire Council said: “Every year this excellent event keeps growing, with new and innovative ideas on ways to celebrate the life and works of Robert Burns.

“It is now an established part of the national Winter Festivals programme, offering an afternoon as much about fun and celebration as it is about inspiration, education and information and I think that’s exactly how Rabbie himself would have wanted it.”

“South Ayrshire Council is committed to encouraging tourism and the promotion of all that we do best – and what better way to put the area on the map so early in the New Year than celebrating the life, work and legacy that is Rabbie Burns?”


Events in Alloway took place in and around Burns Cottage and the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum and many of them were free. Visitors enjoyed celtic music, Ayrshire Farmers Market, Maybole Pipe Band, the arrival of Rabbie, an outdoor Ceilidh, Hipshot theatre company, Alloway Amble, poetry recitals, singing, haggis hurling and much more.

All weekend there were guided tours of Rozelle House available.

Alloway 1759 was the first of two annual events in South Ayrshire celebrating Burns.

The next event, the Burns an’ a’ that! Festival will take place from Wednesday 30 May to Sunday 3 June 2012.

For information about events in South Ayrshire CLICK HERE

South Ayrshire Council is a Founder Member of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.

Ayr Racecourse stages Winter Warmer Raceday

Ayr Racecourse stages its third January meeting on Monday 30 January with the Winter Warmer Raceday due off at 12.50pm with the opening race The BetVictor.com Novices’ Hurdle.


There will be eight races on the card and the feature race is the BetVictor.com Handicap Hurdle Race due off at 3.25pm.

Leading trainers at the track Jim Goldie, Lucinda Russell and Donald McCain should all have runners and the afternoon ends with the Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor.com Standard National Hunt Flat Race for conditional and amateur jockeys.

Ayr raced on Tuesday 17 January with Donald McCain and Jason Maguire teaming up for a double initiated by Lexi’s Boy (5/2) in the BetVictor.com Maiden Hurdle followed by Total Rebellion (16/1) in the Play Casino At BetVictor.com Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

A hefty gamble was landed on Yes Tom (7/4 fav) in the Bet Mobile At BetVictor.com Novices Chase for County Antrim based trainer Roy Wilson and jockey Paddy Brennan. Biggest priced winner on the day was Shooting Times (25/1) for Dumfries trainer Andrew Parker and young jockey Robert McCarth.

Find out more about the Winter Warmer Raceday: CLICK HERE

Ayr Racecourse and the associated Western House Hotel are Founder Members of The Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.