Bengal right on the night… Paula Gracey rediscovers a flavoursome taste of India on Belfast’s Lisburn Road
THE Bengal Brasserie has long been a firm favourite of the Asian/Indian food scene in Belfast but it has been a while since I last paid a visit.
So, a freezing cold February evening was the perfect time to reacquaint myself and get warmed up with some delicious food and spicy flavours.
I took my bestie’ Louise, with me as she is a self-confessed Jalfrezi junkie and therefore the perfect judge of the hot stuff.
My palate is not so tolerant of hot and spicy but I love the depth of flavours that Indian food offers so we were coming at it from both sides of the heat spectrum.
You will find the Bengal Brasserie on the Lisburn Road, near M&S. When you go upstairs to the entrance, the noise from the busy road disappears as you enter the relaxing atmosphere with lovely dark wood and beautiful low lighting (I loved the little green lights in the ceiling!), very cosy.
They can accommodate all sizes of parties and can even host corporate events for up to 50 people in a private part of the restaurant which is a great idea for something a bit different to impress clients!
Once seated, we were immediately brought some hot and crunchy poppadoms with three different dips to get started while we perused the fabulous menu – so much choice!
We decided on the sharing platter (above) to begin with, the equivalent of Indian tapas. There were four different dishes and a dip comprising of veggie options, chicken, lamb and seafood, all so tasty and plenty for two of us.
Jalfrezi Queen went for, wait for it… Chicken Jalfrezi and pilau rice and I chose Tandoori Salmon and boiled rice, a delicious garlic naan bread was a must and we got stuck in.
My salmon was so soft and succulent, it just melted! The flavour was amazing, intense but not hot and the peppers and onions were perfectly cooked, so tasty.
The Jalfrezi was judged ‘best in show’ with just the right amount of heat and flavour.
We both absolutely loved the naan bread as it wasn’t too thick as some can be, this was slim, well cooked with bubbly bits and just enough garlic butter, just right – we ate the lot!
After all that lovely food, we had no room for dessert but as it often the case, there is always room for a Bailey’s coffee. The perfect end to a perfect meal. We will most definitely be back!
Expect to pay around £50 for two courses for two.
Mains
Fab wine selection
