Along the winding Dukes Lane in the Brighton lanes is Mowgli – an Indian street food restaurant glowing like a warm lantern. The restaurant is draped with hundreds of fairy lights, you can sit on a swing while you dine in the window and the staff are genuinely friendly without ever being overbearing.
We went to try the Mowgli Christmas Feasting Menu, a new £40 per person festive offering. On arrival, we could choose a glass of bubbles or a mocktail. I chose bubbles and my partner chose the Mango Tonic. An arrival drink as part of a set menu makes the experience feel special.
Things To Do In Brighton This December
Mowgli is so confident in its famous Yoghurt Chat Bombs, the self-proclaimed “heart of Mowgli,” that that’s what it offers as the starter or street plates. These were honestly one of the highlights of the whole experience. They really are little bombs of delight: crisp shells that burst into layers of zest, zing, cool yoghurt, sweet tamarind, coriander and chickpeas, with just the right sharp pop of pomegranate. I would just go back to eat those. A vegan option of this dish is also available.
For the second street plate, we tried a mix between us. The Gunpowder Chicken was a favourite: tender fried bites, fragrant with ginger, garlic and garam masala, wrapped in fresh leaves with a spicy lift. The Fenugreek Kissed Fries were simple but addictive, coated in turmeric and the signature Mowgli masala. We were tempted by the Himalayan Cheese Toast, which is the other dish on offer, but thought we might get too full up if we went for cheese on toast before two other courses.
The tiffins arrived stacked in their silver tins, a lovely nod to the tradition. Between us we sampled a mix of meat and veg dishes (the “food roulette” concept is fun). Standouts included: a juicy, fragrant lamb dish full of warmth and depth, a comforting, creamy daal that felt like the soul of the meal and the house chicken curry, aromatic and balanced. These dishes are bigger than they look. We felt really full and satisfied. The tiffin boxes come with fluffy basmati rice steamed with crackled cumin, simple but flawless and everything comes out when it’s ready for the real street food experience.
We did ask about the “total pot luck” approach because I had some sort of fantasy of a spinning roulette wheel in the kitchen. They apparently use whatever they have most of in the kitchen, which on one hand is great for reducing food waste but on the other, I wonder if a specific festive dish for a Christmas menu would feel more special. It depends whether you enjoy the surprise or prefer being able to choose. We got really lucky with the dishes we received and maybe all of the dishes at Mowgli are as delicious.
Dessert kept things light and joyful, which is a relief for full tummies. We chose ice-cream cones: one salted caramel and one mango sorbet. These were both yummy and I would recommend mango sorbet in particular for a sweet, cooling finish after the richness of the meal.
At £40 per person, including a drink Mowgli’s Christmas Feasting menu menu feels generous and genuinely festive without leaning on cliches. I love the creativity and will certainly be returning, especially if I have enough of the Turkey Christmas dinners through December!
Mowgli Brighton | Website
Address: Mowgli Brighton, 12-14 Dukes Lane, Brighton, BN1 1BG
