Lit by thousands of lights, the interior sparkling, its renowned swing chairs beckoning, hordes of diners proving its popularity, Mowgli certainly raised our spirits on the cold, dreary November evening when we arrived at The Westgate for dinner.
Now located next to Sticks’n’Sushi, and the new Six By Nico READ OUR SIX BY NICO REVIEW HERE, Mowgli was previously perched further around the corner, but now in pride of place on the rooftop’s main drag, and fully booked when we arrived for dinner.
It moved in April, bringing with it founder Nisha Katona‘s signature Indian street food, and with the Christmas Feasting Menu at £35 for four courses to hand is already proving extremely popular, especially with a glass of bubbles or beer included in the price.
We waded in with a round of cocktails first, better to start the evening as you mean to go on! A memorable lychee rose martini, an overly sweet Rose & Raspberry Gin & Tonic and a delicious Sweet Delhi Heights – raspberries muddled with gin, ginger, lemon, passion fruit and apple juice.
Having ordered the Christmas Feasting Menu for the whole table, the dishes began appearing thick and fast – the Yoghurt Chat Bombs an absolute must. Like little nests; the light, crisp, crunchy puris are stuffed with chickpeas, spiced, sweet yoghurt, tamarind and coriander, the filling bursting out of their shells when you bite into them. A really novel dining experience, if a little messy.
Then the starters. Choose between fenugreek kissed fries with mowgli masala, gunpowder chicken golden fried in a chickpea batter with ginger, garlic and garam masala, or the Himalayan Cheese Toast with Coriander, red onion and green chilli dressing, sharp cheddar and an Indian pickle. A hard choice right?
We opted for one of each, the fenugreek fries more like patatas bravas in appearance, chunks of potato rather than chips, so quite filling, but tasty with masala flavouring. The Himalayan cheese toast – such a great take on a toastie – with that hint of heat and Indian pickle – was so moreish. As for the gunpowder chicken, it disappeared without a trace.
Before we’d even finished, the mains arrived. Why the rush? We had to make way for the roulette tiffins while we finished our starters which wasn’t ideal, but they stole the show – offering you three options – meat, veg and vegan.
All pot luck, depending on what they’re cooking in the kitchen, you don’t know what to expect, apart from the rice, which is exciting.
Tiffins are traditionally used in India to carry workers lunches, the metal compartments filled with food and then stacked. At Mowgli they’re unpacked at your table, this sharing mentality allowing you to try a bit of everything, no two people receiving the same.
From meat curries to dahls, paneer, chickpeas and lentils, it really is a feast, washed down with your complementary beer or glass of Prosecco, each dish delicious and a true medley of tastes and textures.
As if that wasn’t enough, dessert beckoned; the Mowgli Chocolate Brownie served warm with ice cream, or the mango sorbet. Due to their popularity the brownies had sold out, so we were offered the Gulab Jamun from the main menu instead – syrupy brown nutty milk doughballs sat in a bowl of fragrant syrup and served warm with ice cream. Oh so good.
All-in all a really fun evening – innovative, vibrant, crowd-pleasing food set against a really buzzing atmosphere. As for value for money, for £35 it’s hard to beat. And while Mowgli is a chain, the Oxford branch still holds its own as an enticing destination.
Book for Mowgli at Westgate Oxford at https://www.mowglistreetfood.com/restaurants/oxford/
For details of the Christmas feasting Menu go to https://www.mowglistreetfood.com/menus/oxford/christmas-feasting/
