At London's twin Bombay restaurants

20 June, 2014, London: I am leaving for Dartington Tagore Festival organized by the Dartington Hall Trust, Devon, UK. I had planned out this visit of mine in advance as Sir David Green, Chairman of Dartington Hall Trust, had extended an invitation to me to visit Dartington in mid January when I met him at the Diggi Palace in Jaipur, India.

On 18 June evening I went to the Indian High Commissioner, Mr Ranjan Mathai's residence at 9 Kensington Palace Gardens for a cocktail dinner party. I met members of a polo team from India at the party. The captain of the team Maharaj Narendra Singh was known to me and we caught up with each other. I also met quite a number of people, mostly polo lovers and prominent Indians in London.

Before going to the Indian High Commissioner's party, I took out some time to visit Mr Nirmal Sethia, whom I respect for his vast knowledge and wisdom.

Later in the evening, after the party at Kensington Palace Gardens, I went to the famous Indian restaurant Bombay Brasserie on Courtfield Road, not very far, for a dinner appointment with a friend of mine. This restaurant, operational since 1982, attracts the glitterati, politico's and industry barons seeking Indian dining experience. The menu is a mix of Mumbai's cultural diversity with influences from Parsi, Goan, Gujarati, Bengali as well as Portuguese and the Raj.

I may mention that Bombay Brasserie is the only restaurant of the Taj Group which is not located in their hotel premises. I found the food up to its reputation. My friend who had invited me to this restaurant, suggested that I should try out another restaurant in London called Bombay Palace.

On 19 June, I invited a hotelier friend of mine and his wife for dinner at the Bombay Palace on 50 Connaught Street, London. This restaurant, which has been running since 1981, went in for a massive refurbishment about two years ago and restored itself as an important destination at the Indian restaurant scene in London. This restaurant, one of the largest among Indian restaurant chains, belongs to Indian-American businessman Sant Singh Chatwal, also known as the “Curry Rajah”, is the father of Indian socialite and businessman Vikram Chatwal.

I think Bombay Palace is simple awesome and one of the best in London's Indian restaurant circuit.

ess bee