A food fusion is coming to this Linlithgow restaurant with a proud family tradition

The Ashmaan restaurant and takeaway’s new range of ice cream is already a hit and further changes to come include a dessert parlour and pizza on the menu

The recipes used by the tandoori specialists are handed down through the generations of the Ahmed family, originally from the Pakistani Punjab. Now they want to offer something new, as well as their traditional dishes.

An ice cream stall has already taken pride of place at the front of the restaurant and is proving popular with diners in the restaurant, as well as those who want to take a sweet delight away.

Farooq, the youngest of the siblings who run the establishment founded on Mill Road in 1984, said: “The biggest thing for us has always been quality, from the freshest ingredients to the best recipes and cooking techniques. We want to keep that going but with some additions.

“We have already brought in ice cream and there’s more to come.”

A family business at the heart of the community. Right to left, Farooq, Ackie, Tariq and Kausar at The Ashmaan | The Ashmaan

A taste of Italy next to a curry

Later this year The Ashmaan is due to install a pizza oven for a new offering for diners, takeaways and delivery customers.

Farooq said: “Everyone has different tastes and we want to be able to offer something for all our customers.

“Proper pizza has to be made using the techniques Italians have mastered over many, many years. That is why, for instance, we are buying a full size, restaurant-standard pizza oven. You might think you could just put it in the tandoori oven, like our naans, but that would not work as well and we want to keep our standards as high as possible.”

Something for dessert?

Then there are plans to expand the restaurant to include a dessert parlour.

Farooq, whose father Rashid began the business, said: “There isn’t a dessert parlour in this area. If someone wants to sit down with a coffee and a fresh waffle we will be the place to go when our parlour opens early next year.

“Our whole approach has always been to offer the best food we can and we hope our father would have been proud of us. Our mother, Rashida Begum, as well – she used to make pizzas for us at home with a naan base but I think she would appreciate that The Ashmaan is going to do it the traditional way.”

To learn more about The Ashmaan, book a table or read the menu go to www.theashmaan.co.uk or call 01506 845097.