The Bombay Brasserie

Bombay Brasserie played venue to my birthday recently and what a treat it was. From the skilled cocktail in the bar to the succulent and tasty fish main, the venue scored on all fronts for a perfect yet opulent Friday night Indian. The vast and grand dining room really is impressive, as is the service. Staff are agreeably professional yet friendly and great at helping with dilemmas and difficult choices, which with the ample menu, is inevitable. Local or authentic Indian cuisine it isn't, but for those special occasions it is a good choice.

In all the years that I have lived in the neighbourhood, I have never been to Bombay Brasserie, but always wanted to. Finally had dinner there and my only disappointment was that I didn't eat there sooner. The dining room is vast with the opulence of a 5 star hotel ball room. Decadent, enormous chandeliers twinkle on the ceiling of the dimly lit room which is packed (oddly) with Texan business man. A few gallon-hats short of a scene from ‘Dallas’ with J.R. types chowing down on exotic looking dishes, definitely a world away from Texas. In one corner, a famous Hollywood actor tucks into a discreet meal as he hides behind his handle-bar moustache whilst fellow diner ogle him.

The food is unique and the combinations are brave. Boldly spiced seared scallops with more than an inferno of chilli spice and turmeric, which surprisingly worked very well although was incredibly spicy. Tandoori Halibut on a bed of spicy prawns, crispy coated Tandoori chicken with curry leaves and dainty little potato cakes with a yogurt and sweet tamarind sauce, were all superb. The spicing was a little more subtle than the fiery scallop dish but every bit as enjoyable. More dishes came our way with a perfectly cooked chicken biryani, golden with saffron and turmeric spice, studded with tender chunks of flavoursome chicken. A pickled chicken tikka dishes with a tomato sauce and pickled baby red onions was beyond superb, a really great flavour sensation with the vinegar from the pickled onions really complimenting the spice layering of the dishes.

Desserts are always my least favourite part of the meal in an Indian restaurant. Modern Indian desserts don't cut it for me and this was no exception. A trio of minature desserts including a creme brulee (of sorts) with some kind of spiced cake slices layered into it, reminded me of a bread and butter pudding and was rather enjoyable but the orange scented sticky pancake was not my cup of chai and the chocolate shell filled with some type of creamy, sweet curd with cardamoms did little for me also. But I am a savoury girl anyway and after so many starters and mains, I was perfectly happy with the meal and will definitely be coming back to try the famous weekend buffet lunch (which I'm told you have to book weeks in advance) Great restaurant overall, surpassed my expectations.