Dare I say this in November? Christmas has arrived in Brighton. The streets are twinkling, shop windows are flaunting their wares and aisle 3 is abundant with Advent calendars – for now.
Let’s Do This!
It feels just right to start our feasting in the year-round magical wonderland that is Mowgli Brighton. Dressed in our festive best, my husband, our teenage son, his bestie and I indulged in a first jolly night out at this fabulous Indian street food restaurant in The Lanes.
Greeted warmly by Luke and the team, we were given the option to sit on the signature swing seats despite the restaurant heaving with guests. The two boys immediately reverted to their younger selves and insisted that swinging into the season was the only way to go.
Christmas Feasting Menu
With a classic Cobra, a cola, mocktails and cocktails to start – oh my, their Masala Espresso Martini is gorgeous – we pored over the Christmas Feasting Menu. The menu is neatly packaged into three courses: street plates, tiffins and a dessert, all served with a glass of bubbles or a mocktail. The boys tend to play it tame when it comes to curry, but the temptation of Gunpowder Chicken and Himalayan Cheese on Toast lured them in.
Pretty Little Parcels
Two trays of Yoghurt Chat Bombs arrived at the table looking like pretty, bejewelled parcels. We were instructed to pop the whole crispy bomb into our mouths and wait for the taste explosion. And it came: yoghurt, tamarind, coriander and chickpeas made for a delightful and fresh mouthful, and the pomegranate gave a welcome zing. If we hadn’t been about to indulge in such a massive feast, I would have yummed them all up.
A Full Table
Our next courses came at pace and quickly filled the table with temptation. The Gunpowder Chicken, as predicted, went down a storm with the boys. These chicken poppers pack more of a grown-up punch than classic nuggets and were quickly devoured… they disappeared way too fast for my liking. The Himalayan Cheese Toast was, of course, totally delicious. Can you go wrong with any form of cheese on toast? The answer is no. Adding green chilli was new to me and will definitely feature in my future rounds.
Roulette & Rice
Next came the tiffins – Mowgli’s version of culinary roulette. You choose a category (‘Office Workers’, ‘Indian School’ or ‘Vegan School’) and await your pot-luck selection. Our luck was in: a comforting and deeply delicious Mother Butter Chicken, a fragrant South Indian-style House Chicken with the lightness of a Thai green curry, plus Darjeeling Tea Steeped Chickpeas, Picnic Potato Curry, basmati rice and the superb Temple Dhal.
Designed for sharing, the spread sent us into a joyful flurry of crossed forks as we all dug in. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too, especially in the ‘Vegan School’ tiffins, so everyone at the table is well catered for.
Room for Pud… only just
By this point, dessert felt ambitious. Portions here are generous, wonderfully so, meaning even hearty eaters might need a takeaway box. We certainly did, and we’re not at all disappointed to be re-living the feast at home. However, we couldn’t pass up the feasting menu finale – the ice cream cone, playful to the end and just light enough to keep a food coma at bay. Salted Caramel won the day, although my Mango Sorbet cleansed my palate perfectly.
Party Ready
What made our night out extra special was that we weren’t the only ones in the restaurant getting ahead on Christmas cheer. The restaurant was full of groups celebrating with the feasting menu alongside date nights and family treats. Mowgli Brighton already brings a sense of occasion to a meal out with gorgeous, playful interiors and theatrical serving style – add a bit of Christmas sparkle and it becomes the ultimate party spot. If you’re planning a festive night out in Brighton, add Mowgli to your must-book list.
