Sir Anthony Hopkins, Will Smith, Prince Charles, Tom Cruise, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman, Goldie Hawn, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Mel Gibson, Danny DeVito and Sir Elton John are just some of the famous faces that have become fans of Bombay Brasserie over the years. In fact, if you want to indulge in a spectacular curry with celebrity connections you’ll be hard pressed to find another Indian restaurant in the capital that can come even close to competing.

The Venue
Just around the corner from Gloucester Road tube (although this is South Ken so most people have their own drivers or at the very least arrive by taxi), Bombay Brasserie is a neighbourhood Indian restaurant whose simple name belies the fact that it’s a haven for discerning diners who don’t blink at shelling out serious cash for stunning cuisine. As you’d expect given its A-list enthusiasts, the entrance is discreet with just a lone, smartly uniformed doorman standing in the street to greet you and direct you to the left of the atrium. The pocket sized corridor housing the cloakroom is so narrow and cramped that you’ll find yourself queuing if you arrive at the same time as even a couple of other diners. However, the bar area beyond it is surprisingly spacious and although the cream marble interior styling of the bar feels a little austere to begin with, the warmth of the greeting that you receive from the staff behind the bar immediately counters the coolness of the decor. If you don’t want to proceed directly to your table in the restaurant, they’ll quickly settle you in at a table and offer advice on the cocktail menu whilst serving up small bowls of nibbles including sweet chilli almonds and spicy rice crackers that are so good you’ll find it hard to tear yourself away and move on to your table.

The recently refurbished restaurant itself is divided into two distinct areas – the main area is the more glamorous of the two (the ceiling had to be specially reinforced to withstand the weight of the enormous chandeliers) and tables are well spaced apart in the centre of the room although the tables with banquette seating are the more popular option in this vast space as the arrangement feels slightly cosier despite the fact that even the Indian art hanging on the walls, the gilt mirrors and the padded backs of the banquettes are on a grand scale. However, the lighting is rather dazzling in the first area of the restaurant (it wouldn’t hurt them to turn it down a notch or two or simply opt for warmer coloured light bulbs).

If you’d prefer a more relaxed experience you’re better off requesting a table in the second room that’s more intimately lit and styled along a conservatory theme. And, if you’re feeling really ravenous, there’s also a small chef’s table where you can watch and learn as a special six course set menu is created mere millimetres away from you. In fact, the second room is so much more relaxed than the main room that there are even sofas arranged around low tables if you don’t fancy sitting on formal seating plus an open plan dining area with a long table and its own sofas on a raised area - ideal for larger groups who don’t want to be too shut away from their fellow diners just because they’re celebrating.

The Atmosphere
Although the ornate furnishings in the main room can initially make the restaurant feel very formal, Bombay Brasserie does succeed in combining the top level service that you’d expect to find at a restaurant serving cuisine of this calibre and at prices this high, with a friendly familiarity. Regulars are greeted by name and staff are keen to keep abreast of their news but crumbs are deftly cleaned away between each course, food is served and empty plates cleared from the correct side and napkins folded if you leave the table. Although there are many well known faces on any given night it’s very far away from a look-at-me, spot the celebrity dining experience. In fact, refreshingly for such a feted restaurant, at Bombay Brasserie it really is all about enjoying the superlative dishes.

The Food
The menu at Bombay Brasserie features classic dishes but also lots of innovative twists and unusual combinations of ingredients presented with plenty of flair so it’s a fantastic choice of restaurant if you’re dining as part of a group with wide ranging tastes when it comes to Indian cuisine. Menus include lunch and tiffin menus, not forgetting the special six course menu that’s only available when you eat at the chef’s table. The restaurant caters superbly for vegetarians too with twelve different options. However, it’s the dinner menu that really pulls out all the stops and although your wallet may not thank you for opting to savour three courses, your taste buds certainly will. The best bet at Bombay Brasserie is to accept that you’re going to be spending a lot of money, try and divert your eyes away from the prices for individual dishes and enjoy the fact that it’s likely to be one of the best meals you’ve ever eaten.

Starters range in price from £5 for a spiced tomato and lentil broth and peak at £12 for Tellicherry pepper crabmeat. However, the lamb kebabs on sugarcane candies (£10.50) are one of the stand-outs and although the portion size is minute, the presentation is exquisite (they arrive delicately balanced on two of four shot glasses on a rectangular plate, the other two containing a mint and yoghurt sauce). The lamb is so tender and subtly flavoured that you may not notice at first that you can bite into the sugarcane that the meat is skewered on – give it a go for a surprise shot of sweetness. If you prefer seafood, the green mango flavoured king prawns are a must and the fact that you can taste the flavour of the prawns even when they’re combined with green mango is further evidence that this is the brainchild of no ordinary chef although at £11.50 for two king prawns be prepared to do a double-take when they first arrive at the table.

The main courses are just as impressive and thankfully the portion size is much more generous. The roast duck (£22) with kumquat and ginger chutney is perfectly cooked to order and arrives sliced into plump pieces. Really tender, it’ll practically fall apart under your fork and the tangy chutney that accompanies it really brings out the rich flavours of the duck. However, you shouldn’t leave Bombay Brasserie without sampling one of their signature dishes – the monkfish wrapped in a copy of the Bombay Brasserie Times (£23). The colour print out that covers the dish when it arrives at the table looks a little tacky and it would be more impressive if it was wrapped in authentic newspaper but when this is removed with a flourish to reveal two paper parcels piled with monkfish, this is easily forgiven. In fact there’s so much monkfish that you’ll struggle to finish the second parcel. The flakes of lightly steamed fish are coated in dry spices and although the seasoning is fairly hot, there’s a sweet aftertaste that ensures they’re palatable for even the most delicate of Western palates.

It’s worth taking your time to browse the side orders too rather than ordering rice as a default setting – the mint paratha (£3) is a refreshing accompaniment to the spicy food and is large enough for two to share. The sauteed spinach with garlic (£4.50) is a huge portion that you are unlikely to finish between two but makes an excellent addition to any of the dishes on the menu whilst the haricot beans with pine nuts (£4.50) add a satisfying crunch to main courses that would otherwise be very soft on your palate.

Whilst you won’t want the main courses to end as the food is so phenomenal, they have a final flourish up their sleeve. As soon as the empty plates are cleared away, you’ll find a small bowl placed in front of you with what appears to be a small mint on it. Don’t try and eat it – wait a moment or two and the waiter will reappear with an ornate silver tea pot to pour hot water onto it so that it transforms into a hot towel before your eyes. Guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of even the most jaded of diners. Moving on to desserts (all priced at £6.50), the crepes and carrot rolls (£6.50) are much more delicate than they sound from the name of the dish - light and fluffy and not at all heavy, making them a good choice for rounding off the meal. The large scoop of cardamom ice cream is decidedly moreish however and the lightly spiced cream is so addictive that even if your clothes are straining at the seams, you’ll be determined to finish it. If you really haven’t room, opt for one of the many teas on the menu or heat up proceedings with the restaurant’s legendary flambe Cobra Coffee.

The Drink
Start or end your evening in the bar over a whisky, bourbon or a few cocktails. A choice of eight martinis includes inventive options such as the Chocolate and Chilli Martini (£9) and the Watermelon and Basil Martini (£10.50). If martinis are a little strong before dinner, the Mango Bellini (£9.50) and one of the house specials, the Bombay Breeze (£9) are both excellent options. The Mango Bellini is a delicate orange shade and its fairly viscous consistency thanks to the mango puree that’s blended throughout the drink makes an interesting change to a classic Champagne cocktail. As for the Bombay Breeze, its combination of sharp and sweet flavours (fresh tamarind, gin and sweet and sour mix) is as moreish as fizzy sour mix Haribo but far more sophisticated.

When it comes to the wine, it’s incredibly competitively priced although as any discerning drinker will know, you generally get what you pay for. That said, it’s nice that if the need arises you can splurge on food and pull back some of the money on the wine. Bottles of white wine start at £14 for an Umbrian Trebbiano and creep to £23 for the cheapest bottle of red, a Billi Billi Shiraz, Mount Langi Ghiran 2004. There are plenty of choices if you like to order by the glass too including a robust red Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir from New Zealand for £8.50 and a Pinot Grigio, Vigneto Cantarelle, Le Vigne 2007 for just £6.50. As you’d expect at a celebrity haunt there are plenty of bottles of Champagne permanently on ice and non-alcoholic cocktails for any teetotallers.

The Last Word
With its roll call of celebrity fans, inventive, high end Indian cuisine and South Kensington location, Bombay Brasserie is certainly no ordinary neighbourhood Indian restaurant. However, whilst its prices may be prohibitively expensive for many, if you have the cash to splash it’s certainly money well spent.

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