It’s been a busy year for the Sethi siblings, the trio behind JKS Restaurants and a good chunk of London’s most in-demand dining rooms, from Gymkhana to Hoppers. Within the past six months, Gymkhana has opened its doors in Las Vegas, and Ambassadors’ Clubhouse has landed in New York. The London hospitality giants are officially trans-Atlantic.
Back in London, though, it feels like a good moment to check in on one of the originals. Brigadiers has been holding court in the City since 2018 – arguably long enough for the novelty to wear off, and for the after-work crowd to decide whether it’s still worth turning up for or not.
You’ll find Brigadiers in Bloomberg Arcade. As its name suggests, the restaurant is an homage to the Indian Army brigadier; specifically the Sethi family’s grandfather. It’s a weekday evening and the city is functioning as you’d imagine – loosened ties and groups of slightly exhausted-looking City men wherever you look.
In contrast to other Indian restaurants in the JKS portfolio, Brigadiers markets itself as a BBQ Indian restaurant and live sports bar. While its corporate-building facade hits very few notes of originality, Brigadiers’ interiors transport you to a distinctive and alluring atmosphere. There is very little in the way of natural light, thanks to the fake windows and dramatic, red and brassy brown colour palette; its dim lighting is more akin to a Mayfair nightclub.
Fancy hiring a private poker room to accompany your tandoori lamb chops? How about a pool table? You can do it all within your chosen chamber: Brigadiers is home to numerous decadent spaces. There is a posh dining room, numerous private rooms, the aforementioned pool room, a poker room and The Tap Room.
We sit comfortably in the latter, eye-to-eye with a vast bar surrounded by smart swivel chairs, and within view of roughly six TV screens. Each one is playing a different sport, which is both entertaining and oddly demanding of your attention – especially when slopping curry down your front is a real possibility. It does mean that enjoyment of your company is firmly optional, though, which likely comes as a relief for the numerous groups of workplace teams who dine around us.
Entertainment is possibly as integral to the Brigadiers experience as a good plate of food. Inside, it feels like it’s always five o’clock; Brigadiers sucks you into a time warp effect that is reminiscent of an airport bar. As long as a good game of cricket is on and the Singha is flowing, who really cares? Guests are invited to stick around and forget about the spreadsheets that await them on the other side of the door.
Service here is part of the charm. Dressed in a crisp uniform – as are the majority of the staff – our host for the evening is Prashant, the General Manager who has been part of the Brigadiers family since it landed on the city map. Endlessly accommodating and cheerful, Prashant guides us through the restaurant’s extensive menu. Categories of food include ‘beer snacks’, ‘sizzlers and kebabs’ and ‘rotisserie and wood oven’.
Judging by the magnitude of the poppadum and dip platter that dominates our table for two, portion sizes here are fit for the entire brigade. Needless to say, it’s a sharing ethos. To start things off, I suggest ordering a lychee martini, which is a nice balance of sweet and punchy. We sample a range of starters, including a mountain of uber-seasoned Tellicherry fry prawn, soft-shell crab and squid. They sit in a tangy, spicy tomato pachadi. The seafood varieties are crispy and spicy; great beer food. Konkani Coast Masala Scallops are perhaps a little off-piste and lacking in texture and flavour, but sometimes it’s good not to rest entirely on your laurels.
The house favourites are the sizzling mixed grills and the house curries, but we opt for Prashant’s personal recommendation, goat shoulder atop a generous serving of paratha and topped with onions. Hailing from the ‘wood oven’ menu, there’s a lovely charred flavour that infuses the meat, which is – as is the theme – rich with tandoor spice and nicely caramelised, shifting between tender and crisp. In hindsight, extra garlic naan was a little lacklustre and certainly unnecessary, but it feels criminal not to put in an order. The daal (a side order, if you are the size of a Viking) tastes overwhelmingly like burnt garlic, and didn’t quite balance things out as hoped.
Overall, this is a place for informal meals when your spirits are in need of an ultra-spiced pick-me-up, either to celebrate or commiserate the team’s quarter. Heaped grills and curries in a venue that encourages a little hedonism. Nothing about this concept is groundbreaking, but it makes for a refreshing change from soulless city pubs and high street chains. Stick to the crowd-pleasers and it’s easy to see the appeal. Veer slightly off-piste at your own risk.
While it’s not as refined as some of the other JKS restaurants, Brigadiers still offers a certain escapism from the working week. City life feels a little less serious here. So I think it’s safe to assume that it’s here to stay.
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1-5 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR; Brigadiers
