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Naans eat free...

Kirsty Elleray
4/12/2003

A RESTAURANT owner will curry favour with 800 pensioners - by offering free tandoori turkey over the Christmas holidays.

Sufi Khandoker is offering a free eight-course banquet to 800 pensioners at The Khandoker restaurant in Didsbury on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. And generous Sufi reckons the giveaway will cost him £15,000.

He's ditching the traditional roast bird with stuffing for the spicier delights of turkey biryani, turkey massala and fried tandori turkey.

Since January 2003, Sufi has been giving a full meal on the house to 20 OAPs at his Indian restaurant on Kingsway on Mondays and Tuesdays. But this year on top of his regular weekly service he is putting on an extra special event to celebrate being in business for 20 years.

The 44-year-old said: "It is the 20th anniversary of my restaurant, which opened in 1983, and I wanted to do something special and different, so I will be serving meals on Christmas Day and Boxing Day as part of the celebrations.

"I have never been open on Christmas Day before, it is especially for the pensioners.

"I am hoping that over the two days we will provide meals for 800 pensioners, it will be something nice for them to do, as it will be a social event and some pensioners don't have family to go to. I have also invited MP Keith Bradley to come some time during the day.

"I was planning to be there but I unfortunately can't make it, so my manager will be looking after everything. There will be lots of variety on the eight course turkey menu, including mixed starters and papadums, and there will also be alternatives for people who don't like spicy food, like fried chicken."

Although the event could cost Sufi £15,000 over the two days he says it is worth it. "I will be too old one day and I hope people will do things to look after me. It will be good for them to get out and meet people as well as get their lunch," Sufi added.

The Khandoker Restaurant is at 812 Kingsway in East Didsbury and the Christmas curry will be free of charge to pensioners between 12pm and 10pm on Christmas Day and from 12 noon to 4pm on Boxing Day. Advanced bookings can be made to ensure that places are available by December 15.

For more information call the restaurant in the evenings on: 0161 434 3596.