Bombay Brasserie - over rated?

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Someone wrote:
> Hmm, a nice and formal welcome to be sure and those little folded popadom
> parcels were certainly to my liking (though not to the liking of the other
> person who ate with me).
>

I looked at the Bombay Brasserie last time I was in that part of London and it just didn't look like good value for money to me. The Millennium Gloucester's other restaurant, the Bugis Street Brasserie, is a little cracker though - very vigorous Singaporean street food at good prices in pleasant rather Colonial surroundings with friendly service.

Heading off topic:

I usually try to stay in South Ken when I'm in London. The Millennium Gloucester is a pretty good hotel, generally (and has the best blackout curtains in the known universe!) - I don't rate it as highly as the Copthorne which is my personal favourite affordable London hotel, but it's a definite half step up from the comfortable but rather faceless Holiday Inn over the road (which I first stayed in God-knows-how-long-ago when it was still the Penta!)

Oh and if you're in that part of South Ken and don't fancy hotel breakfast, you can get a gorgeous bacon butty or salt beef baguette and a smashing mug of tea (along with very good sandwiches, cakes etc) from the little caff outside Gloucester Road station - La Liaison I think it's called. Very popular (deservedly) with cabbies!

pete

NNTP-Posting-Date: 3 Nov 2003 08:36:45 GMT
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Gareth wrote:
> Hmm, a nice and formal welcome to be sure and those little folded popadom
> parcels were certainly to my liking (though not to the liking of the other
> person who ate with me).
>
> But the portions were very small (*almost* tempted to get a take-away on
the
> way home!) and there was surprisingly little variety - about 5 main dishes
> on the whole menu. The prices were about what you would expect from a 4
star
> *style* hotel restaurant so no real complaint is justified there but my
> wallet did feel the pinch, I feel, without justification.
>
> The food was nothing special - rather overblown with cumin and salt imho.
I
> can appreciate that the various ingredients - meat and chicken - were
> excellent quality but the overall result wasn't so good.
>
> Oddly the lack of variety on the menu raises questions before you even
> order. Even more oddly many of the dishes are very similar in terms of
> description - bland and colourless.
>
> I wonder why this place is so popular? A case of "Emperor's New Clothes"?
>
> Gareth.

I agree.  I am sure we all know local curry houses with tastier food.    The strong point is the size of the restaurant and decoration and feel of the place.    Try  "La Porte Des Indes" close to Selfridges.  It has the same nice feel and the food is better.

http://www.blueelephant.com/pi/london/

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