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Copper Chimney, the international Indian restaurant group with venues across Indian, Kuwait, and the UAE opened its doors in the UK in London’s Shepherd’s Bush Westfield centre in 2019. Now fully re-opened post-pandemic, we at Vada popped in to try out the Copper Chimney menu.
Copper Chimney
Copper Chimney has a legacy dating back over 4 decades, starting in the heart of Bombay as the first restaurant with an open kitchen with live grills and female chefs. The brand has won numerous awards over the years, and has slowly expanded across the Middle East, and most recently found its way to the shores of the UK.
Copper Chimney Westfield has an inviting interior, with quite the visual aesthetic to consume as you enjoy your meal. Copper Bells adorn the ceiling of the main dining area, with warm hues and complex designs and patterned material used throughout the venue. All in all, a smart, modern interpretation of a traditional Indian restaurant.
The menu
The menu at Copper Chimney is dubbed “Indian Food, Made Unforgettable.” Unforgettable may be a bold claim throughout, but there were some standout options.
To start (which arrived after our mains – more on that later), we chose the Chandni Chowk Chaat (£7.25), Okra Kurkure (£6.95) and Minced Lamb Patti Samosas (£7.95). The Chandni Chowk Chaat, is made with chickpeas and spiced potatoes layered with fresh yoghurt and sweet and spicy chutney. This was moreish and well presented, ideal to be scooped up in a piece of naan. The deep fried Okra added plenty of crunch and a variety of texture to our table but the slices were too thin to be able to taste the vegetable properly. And the lamb samosas were rather forgettable.
As a main course we opted for a couple of portions of Pudina Grilled Chicken (£14.95), which is Tandoor-grilled with fresh mint and a 15-spice masala. The meat was deliciously tender, and the green hue of spice mix imbued light aromatic flavours. The Pudina Grilled Chicken is definitely a hit from the menu.
For dessert we ended up with a Gajar Pistachio Crumble (£6.75) and a sorbet (£5.25). The Gajar is a slow-cooked carrot pudding with cardamom and sweetened milk layered with chopped pistachio. Bursting with colour, flavour and balancing aromatic flavours with sweetness, this was a surprise hit we would definitely choose again.
The service
Greeted by a handsome host, this writer was seated with a drink order swiftly taken whilst waiting for my guest. However from that moment on service plummeted. Our waiter took our orders for starters and mains, but failed to place these order for starters with the kitchen. So when our mains arrived after some time, we had to follow up.
A similar situation occurred with dessert with only the sorbet arriving, and us left wondering what we had done wrong to be left in the lurch with only half the food we ordered. Eventually these problems were rectified but taking and checking orders with diners is a basic element of being a waiter that should not be so substantially lacking. We hope that this is an isolated incident.
Overall thoughts
Copper Chimney has chosen a location to offer something different amongst the many basic chain restaurants within the Westfield development. There are some stand-out memorable menu items like the Chandni Chowk Chaat, Pudina Grilled Chicken, and Gajar Pistachio Crumble, but other dishes need refinement to make them unforgettable.
Clearly we drew a short straw with bad service on our visit, but assuming this was one-off, Copper Chimney is worth a visit for those seeking some authentic Indian cuisine.
Copper Chimney is located at Ariel Way, Shepherds Bush, London, W12 7GA
For more information and to book, visit copperchimney.uk.
