Loyalty on the menu
THESE are the toughest of times for restaurants, but the Bombay Brasserie and Quilon, which were established 35 and 20 years ago, respectively, in London, have a loyal clientele. Executive chef Sriram Aylur tells me that although delivery is within a five-mile radius, “what is touching is that some customers are 40 or 50 miles away – they organise a cab service”. The average spend is £70-80. The two kitchens are now combined at Bombay Brasserie near Gloucester Road Tube station. And the favourite items are chicken tikka makhni, achari tikka, tandoori chicken and baigan bharta from the Bombay Brasserie, and prawn masala from Quilon. When restaurants are finally allowed to reopen, the Bombay Brasserie will be spacious enough to accommodate 90-100 socially distanced customers. The takeaway and delivery model is not economically sustainable in the long run, but “it keeps us connected to our guests who have been coming to us for years”, adds Sriram.