Here are two of my favourite places to get great vegan-friendly Indian food in Brighton.
Indian Summer
Whoever invented the idea of the thali, I owe you a debt of gratitude from the bottom of my heart.
Thalis are a chance to try a little bit of everything - lots of tiny pots of deliciousness, rice, bread, pickles, sometimes even dessert for good measure.
I went to Indian Summer just because I was craving a thali, and they do a vegan one.
When I looked round the restaurant, almost everyone in there was eating a thali. Now I know why: I'm happy to report Indian Summer's thali didn't disappoint - it was brimming with tiny delights. There were a tarka dal, channa masala, aloo baignan, vegetable kari, Indian salad, pickle, mango chutney, papad, roti and basmati rice. What more could you want?
It was a thali that was crammed with classics: tarka dal, channa masala, vegetable kari. There's a reason they're classics - what's more satisfying than a comforting helping of dal or a bowl of well-spiced chick peas? Better still, you get to enjoy everything together - when you need something to cut through a rich coconut sauce, you can use a sharp pickle to cut through it, and then head back to poppadoms for a bit of crunch, and then back to your dal again.
Bonus points for Indian Summer for having a couple of vegan dessert choices. I'd love to tell you what they're like, but after eating a whole thali, I really didn't have room for a sip of water, let alone any dessert!
Indian Summer
70 East St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, BN1 1HQ
01273 711001
Planet India
I went to Planet India for the first time recently and I loved it.
Planet India is all veggie, mostly vegan Indian restaurant. I loved it because the good was great, but that wasn't the only reason I loved it.
One of my reasons for my Planet India crush is they have khaman dhokla, which you don't see on menus often enough for my liking. Khaman dhokla are savoury gram flour cakes, risen with citric acid, which gives them an intriguing sour tang and a spongy light texture. (Hat tip to whoever writes the menu at Planet India. The description for the khaman dhokla is described as 'a savoury sponge cake, surprisingly light and moist. Doesn't sound that great, just trust me please... whatever, I know you are not gonna order it'. Spoiler: I did, and I definitely will do again!)
Another thing I love Planet India for is that you can either get a plate of a single curry, or a plate with two curries side by side. For someone who can never see a menu without wanting to order everything on it, the half-and-half option is clearly a winner.
I chose a Mombai potato curry, because carbs, and tardka dall, because sadly it's not often vegan so it's another thing I jump at the chance to order whenever I see it.
Clearly, this post is sponsored by 'things I love but which you don't see on menus a lot so I feel duty bound to order them when I see them', because I'd like to make an honourable mention of thelpa - chapati type bread infused with fenugreek leaves.
The only downside of Planet India is the view - it looks out onto a bit of scrubby lawn, some sprawling roads and concrete as far as the eye can see. If that's what you're looking at, I recommend turning your chair around and looking into the restaurant: it's really cosy and welcoming - like having dinner in someone's living room. Even better, it's like having dinner in the living room of someone that's really taken great care to make sure you're having a good time and you're well fed with all manner of good, rarely seen delights.
For the quality of the food, and the quality of the service, Planet India seems way too cheap. It's a gift not only for empty bellies but for empty wallets too. Recommended.
Planet India
4 Richmond Parade, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, BN2 9PH
01273 818149
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