» Indian Summer restaurant
Andrew Kay enjoys the heat of Indian Summer
I took my first lone holiday when I was 20-years-old and have enjoyed the experience ever since. I rather like being able to please myself, do what I like when I want to. It has also meant that I have years of experience of eating alone. I have eaten alone in some very nice places and nearly always had a good time. I take no nonsense, I will not be hidden away in some dark corner by the kitchen or the lavvies; no I bluntly state that I don’t like that table and demand another. Some places baulk at the idea of giving a good table to a solo diner but when that diner is me they are making a terrible mistake.
A few weeks ago I had an hour and an appetite to kill. I was in the centre of town and wandering aimlessly. Well actually I was taking aim, aiming to avoid falling over the proliferation of A boards that litter our streets. If the council spent time dealing with these hazards and left our dogs alone then I might have more time for them.
“I love the combination of crisped rice with chick peas, potatoes, herbs, tamarind and yogurt”
Anyway I fell over one at Indian Summer announcing a two course lunch with a glass of wine for £10. Well that seemed a reasonable deal to me so I slipped in, sat at a prominent table for four and waited for a waiter. Before long one came along and delivered the lunch menu. Now I like that: A board says £10, menu offered is that menu. Too many places offer a cheap deal and then give you the a la carte.
I read through quickly and ordered a glass of white wine. It arrived fast and was crisp, cool and delicious. It was also a good size, not a thimble as I have seen too often when the drink is included.
I started with bhel poori. I love the combination of crisped rice with chick peas, potatoes, herbs, tamarind and yogurt and this certainly had my tongue wagging, pretty damned perfect and again generous to a fault.
I was apprehensive about my next choice, at these prices how could they do king prawn curry? But they did and very nice it was too, creamy, packed with taut prawns and just the right amount of fire for the time of day. It came with boiled rice and a decent salad on the side. I was impressed to say the least. I celebrated with a supplementary glass of white wine, well why not, I am a grown up now, almost.
I have been a fan of Indian Summer for as long as it has been around. Their modern take on Indian food lacks compromise, their presentation is good and their service slick.
My lunch was delicious and great value and I will certainly return. I thought I had managed to go unnoticed but just as my second glass arrived an old friend came over and asked what I was doing. Well there was no denying the sneaky lunch alone, and even less denying that I was playing Scrabble online once again, this time appropriately with a gentleman in Mumbai. How we laughed, well actually how they laughed at me, a sad old git once again dining alone. They left and I returned to my mission of thrashing the world at word games.
Indian Summer, 69 East Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1HQ.
T: 01273 711001
www.indian-summer.org.uk
