140 Courtfield Close, Courtfield Road,
London,
SW7 4UH
0871 971 7289
The ViewLondon Review
General Price Guide: Moderate.
Location and Punters:
The Bombay Brasserie in South Kensington (nearest tube station – Gloucester Road) is no ordinary Indian curry house. Its smart, upmarket image draws punters from far and wide. Curry cognoscenti certainly have this one noted in their address books!
Atmosphere and Décor:
As soon as you enter its portals, you cannot help but be impressed by the sumptuous setting, the colonial-style bar, laden with potted palms and the black and white pictures of the Raj adorning the walls.
There is even a pianist playing unobtrusively in one corner. From the high-ceilinged cocktail lounge, through to the light, airy conservatory, the ambience is one of pure, relaxed elegance. The conservatory is decked out with verdant hanging baskets of ferns and some unusual plants. A monkey mural extends the length of one wall. There is also an attractive veranda of colonial proportions to complete the scene.
Nosh and Drinks:
The menu is largely north Indian with particular emphasis on superb tandoori dishes from the region. Chillies are very much in evidence. Bowls of them adorn every table and they feature prominently in several dishes on the menu, such as Hyderabadi Bhuna Gosht (which translates as lamb with green chillies). From starters through to puddings, the quality of the cuisine is first rate. Tasty starters include the delicate samosas and fragrant kebabs.
The potato and dill soup is also delicious. Main courses worth homing in on are Chicken Narangi in a nut sauce or the vegetable Curry with generous servings of rice. There is an interesting selection of salads as well as the usual naans, poppadums and onion bhajis. Pudding – generally best avoided in most Indian restaurants - come up trumps at the Bombay Brasserie. Try Semiyan – a delicious dessert of sweet noodles.
On Sundays, the normal à-la-carte menu is replaced by a generous, "help yourself" style buffet at £16.95 per head (half price for under 12s). Encouraged by the delightful restaurant setting, one could easily be persuaded to linger over a Gin Sling cocktail before the meal or even plump for a Spiced Bloody Mary! Kingfisher beer is also available as well as the usual drinks’ list.
The Experience:
Wow! This is Indian at its best.
Bombay Brasserie has been reviewed by 2 users