Brilliant is a legendary Indian restaurant in Southall, which similar to myself, actually has its roots in Kenya! Having opened in London in 1975, this multi-generational family run restaurant has become an institution, having garnered the Royals as regular guests, and serve up hearty Punjabi cuisine with Kenyan influences.
It was my first time dining at the restaurant but I have had the owner Dipna’s cookbook for years and have made many a recipe from it! On arrival I was really impressed with the measures in place with regards to being Covid-19 safe. There is an automatic hand sanitiser dispenser at the door and your temperature is taken.
The restaurant is large and spacious and can take covers up to 220 people but during this period it was re-assuring to see that there was adequate spacing between tables and that all the staff were wearing masks. They also have a private banqueting suite, an outside Catering business, a cookery school and also sells its own brands of pickles and chutneys.
I was dining there with work wife Emma and our respective husbands which was great as we could try a wider variety of dishes. The menu is really extensive and caters well for all dietary requirements. Something that impressed me is that they actually also highlight the nutrition facts per dish on the menu.
The wine list is also really impressive and we decided to share Waddling Duck Sauvignon Blanc, which had lovely aromas and flavours of gooseberry, peach and passion fruit.
Then we nibbled on Papadoms and the most incredible selection of homemade chutneys I have ever been served at a restaurant!
For starters we tried the Tandoori Mixed Grill, Jeera Chicken, Papri Chaat and Vegetable Samosas.
In the mixed grill you get Tandoori Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Lamb Chops, Seekh Kebabs and Tandoori Prawns. The meat was all marinated really well and the kebabs melted in your mouth. My favourite from this platter was the Lamb Chops.
The Jeera Chicken was possibly my favourite starter – so full of flavour and the meat was so succulent. The chicken had been marinated in roasted cumin and black pepper and we are still dreaming of it days later!
The Vegetable Samosas were bite size and a lovely appetizer. It happened to have been World Samosa Day on the day that we dined at Brilliant so that was why we excitedly ordered them!
Finally the Papri Chaat was a lovely and cooling blend of spiced chick-pea and potatoes topped with savoury vermicelli, tamarind and yoghurt.
For mains we had quite a feast!
We shared Butter Chicken, Karahi Gosht, Dal Makhani, Alu Gobi and a selection of Naan, Roomali Roti, Stuffed Alu Paratha and rice.
My favourite curries to mop up my garlic Naan with were the butter chicken and the Dal and the Karahi Gosht was also rich and flavourful.
By now we were so full but we did try a portion of Kulfi and Gajar Ka Halwa, which is a warm carrot dessert, and it was divine.
I really enjoyed my meal at Brilliant. The service was excellent, Dipna and her dad were warm and hospitable and I felt really re-assured with all the precautions in place. The food was superb and we are already planning to come back and try some more of the dishes on the menu, especially the Masala Chicken which I have heard so much about!
If you are looking for hearty, authentic and delicious Indian cuisine this is definitely an Indian restaurant to add to your list!
For more information visit: https://www.brilliantrestaurant.com/
