Copper Chimney

Shopping malls are not exactly renowned for great food, but things have been looking up more recently, with UK malls investing more and more in some proper grub to break up a big shopping expedition. Most of us still have a thread of scepticism running through us as we peer through the windows of a restaurant at Westfield, but White City is fast becoming a bit of a dining destination thanks to solid, unfussy cooking at restaurants like Copper Chimney.

Copper Chimney is well-established and well-respected in India and the Middle East, so it brings a bit of pedigree to Westfield’s dining strip. As you walk in you’re faced with a glass-fronted open kitchen, where chefs are busy twirling flatbreads through the air and monitoring bubbling curries. A series of copper pendant lights hang from the ceiling and there are plants everywhere, cascading from the ceiling and lining the backs of banquettes. It’s all very aesthetically pleasing and manages to be smart and relaxed all at once.

As it turns out, one of those flatbreads was destined for us, and it arrives as a huge, crisp bowl, doused in herb butter. We love the contrast between the thicker, crunchier edges and gossamer-thin centre, and it makes for excellent dipping with chutneys.

Elsewhere there are some good tandoor grill items - the reshmi malai chicken has a nice bit of char on the outside from the yoghurt marinade, but the inside is beautiful and juicy. Vegetarians are also well catered for with a surprisingly good tandoori sweet potato, which has sweetness, spice, tang and smokiness from the clay oven. Keep an eye out also for a pretty good whole curried lamb shank, and save some room for the slow-cooked black dal maharaja, which holds a candle to Dishoom’s famous equivalent with its depth of flavour.

If you like Indian sweets, Copper Chimney’s desserts are perfectly good, though we’d invest the stomach space in more of the excellent curries and sundries. Throw in speedy, friendly service and a lovely cocktail menu (the Tandoori Ananas is a highlight), and Copper Chimney is absolutely worth a visit if you’re resting tired feet after a hard day’s shopping.

Department store dining has certainly upped its game in recent years and you need look no further than the bijou Shepherd’s Bush branch of Westfield to see the evidence. As well as being home to designer labels such as Burberry and Gucci, the shopping hotspot also houses Restaurant Street, a dedicated strip of dine-in eateries where you will find Copper Chimney.

Originally established in 1972, Copper Chimney already operates locations in India, Kuwait and the UAE, but this is the group’s first London outpost. The dining room here is a stylish, contemporary space featuring wicker chairs, verdant green plantlife and an abundance of natural daylight.

The tempting menu at Copper Chimney is divided up between starter plates, curries, tandoor grills, biryanis and sides, with all dishes being Halal-friendly. Kickstart your meal with the likes of minced lamb samosas or Delhi-style fried chicken, before moving on to classic curries such as lamb rogan josh or butter chicken. Next up, take your pick of dishes cooked on the tandoor grill: sea bass marinated in mint and lemon chutney perhaps, or maybe chargrilled chicken tikka? Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find hearty biryanis, filled with prawn, chicken or vegetables.

Vegetarian diners aren’t left out of the fun either, with plant-based foodies able to enjoy dishes such as paneer masala, black lentils slow cooked in tomatoes and spices or chargrilled cheese mushrooms infused with a hint of coriander. To round off your meal, tuck into tempting dessert options including gulab jamun and kufli.

If you are shopping with the little ones, Copper Chimney has a dedicated kids menu to keep them entertained, while Budget-minded diners can take advantage of Copper Chimney’s lunch meal deal, where guests can enjoy discounted main courses, as well as cut-price beers or house wines.

Speaking of the drinks, expect fun house cocktails, alongside wines, spirits and mocktails.