Chef Dipna Anand to open first solo restaurant
The informal 70-cover site will open on 20 February, showcasing the Punjabi-style cooking that her family restaurant, Brilliant in Southall, is known for.
Guests at the new opening will eat from a thali – a round metal platter – with a selection of dishes based off the original Brilliant menu, including chicken tikka masala, papri chaat and tandoori mixed grill.
Anand’s grandfather Bishen Dass opened the first Brilliant restaurant, nightclub and hotel in Kenya in the 1950’s, before her father Gulu brought the restaurant to the UK in 1975.
The family restaurant, which is co-owned by Anand and still run by her brother and father, still serves the original recipes that date back over 65 years.
“For years I’ve been asked when am I going to open in central London and I’m so excited that the time is finally right to bring my love of Indian cuisine and Punjabi taste to Londoners,” says Anand.
“Indian food and culture is all about sharing and togetherness and that’s what Dip in Brilliant is about. I wanted to open a casual trendy Punjabi café style dining room where guests can dip in and enjoy enticing hearty Indian cuisine full of flavour yet balanced in level of spice. I look forward to welcoming guests who I hope will become a part of the Brilliant family”.
