Brummies’ love affair with curry is a never-ending story and whilst there is a plethora of choice in the city, from high end fine dining to casual street food venues, there’s a new kid on the block ready to make you fall in love with curry all over again.
Dil Se, a sleek new restaurant offering a contemporary fusion of North and South Indian cuisine, is set to open its doors in Mailbox in late May and will offer something completely different by focusing on the delicate flavours of South Indian cuisine.
Dil Se, which means ‘from the heart’, will focus its culinary journey on Southern Indian, with a particular emphasis on Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar Coast, which has nearly 600km of Arabian Sea shoreline. Hence the cuisine is heavily influenced by fish and coconut dishes.
The face behind the brand is entrepreneur, Tito Jerard, who will also showcase his Sri Lankan heritage. Tito who has run restaurants across the Black Country, will be supported by investors Twinkle Mehan and Vinu Joseph.
Located on the first floor of Mailbox and replacing the Armani unit, the restaurant will provide 20 new jobs when it opens at the end of May.
The stylish, 100 cover restaurant will house three distinct sections across the 4500 square foot space – a formal dining area, a cosy space for the Dil Se’s speciality Bombay Brunch and private booths with LED lights to create a relaxed ambience.
The gleaming interior reflects a stylish, contemporary vibe with an opulent gold marble bar, textured granite wall features, floral decorations, and eye-catching lighting.
Tito said: “There’s a distinct taste and experience between North and South Indian cuisine. Coming from Sri Lanka, cooking and eating are simple pleasures and bring people together in so many ways. The fresh ingredients, flavours and style of cooking in Sri Lanka are very similar to that in South India, so we wanted Dil Se to offer a comprehensive experience of India.”
“Having a love for food and working in the hospitality industry my ambition is to showcase high quality Indian food. South Indian cuisine is predominantly plant based, including vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, making it a healthier option. We use coconut in many dishes as well as gluten free flours and offer a wide range of vegan and gluten free dishes.”
Exceutive Chef, Sanjay Das, has created a mouth-watering menu of traditional South and North Indian food including Dosa, pav bhaji, thali and a range of Indo Chinese dishes. Those with a sweet tooth won’t be able to resist the tempting desserts including ras malai, gajar halwa cheesecake and rava kessari.
Manager, Tarandeep Sandher, reflected: “For sustenance or indulgence, food should be made from the heart, either when feeding others or on your own. It shouldn’t matter if it’s a quick bite or a special gathering, food should be honoured and be made ‘Dil se’ or ‘from the heart’.
“Our aim is to deliver a memorable and affordable dining experience with cuisine that harmoniously blends traditional ingredients with modern culinary artistry.”
Diners will be eager to enjoy their Bombay Bottomless Brunch and Indian afternoon tea, providing a stylish new destination to catch up with friends and family. Cocktail lovers will be delighted with the selection of cocktails, mocktails and Indian inspired speciality drinks.
Sophia Clarke, Mailbox REIT Asset Manager, added: “We are delighted that Tito Jerard and his team have chosen to open their new restaurant concept, Dil Se, at Mailbox. Dil Se is a very welcome addition to our diverse, modern, and vibrant dining offering, and we have no doubt that it will prove to be extremely popular amongst our office occupiers, residents and guests.”
For more information and to make a booking, head to at www.dilsedining.com