EXCLUSIVE ’24/7 VALENCIA’ INTERVIEW WITH INDIAN OWNER NAVDEEP SIDHU
On a Saturday night, a couple of the ‘24/7 Valencia’ team dined out at this deservedly popular Indian restaurant, right in the heart of the city. It was a mostly Spanish crowd with a pleasant & upbeat atmosphere. The genuine Indian cuisine was most enjoyable and the choice of dishes was equally impressive. With a helpful staff and a distinctive & fresh interior, eating out at ‘Bharat’ turned out to be a memorable experience. We recommend that you book beforehand as the restaurant is getting more known as time goes by. There is now an ample open-air terrace with a good view of Plaza Ayuntamiento. Post-dinner we interviewed Navdeep, our welcoming host, specifically for our readers…
1. Please tell us about your background and experience in the restaurant world…
I have been working in hospitality & cuisine for 30 years now. I had worked all my life in India beforehand. In 1989, I started out as a dishwasher and kitchen helper while I was studying catering & hotel management in Germany. I worked in different hotels and restaurants there. I came to Spain in 2001 and i worked in ‘Hotel Los Ángeles’ in Denia. After a couple of years, I found that the British are big curry lovers but there were no authentic Indian restaurants on the Costa Blanca. We founded the first ‘Bharat’ in Benidorm in 2003 and it has proved to be very popular. At the beginning of 2019, we began the new ‘Bharat’ in the city of Valencia.
2. What is the philosophy of ‘Bharat’?
Bharat means “India”. It is the real name of India, just like “España” is the real name of Spain. The name “Bharat” itself shows the authenticity of our Indian cuisine.
3. Could you describe the interior and the clientele?
The interior itself is designed to give a sense of the atmosphere of Jaipur, the pink city of India which is famous for tourism. The majority of our clientele is from Spain at the moment but we do have lots of British and European customers as well because we are located in the heart of Valencia.
4. Can you tell us about some of your many specialities?
As I and all of the staff are from the north of India, our specialities are our chilli chicken dishes and all the tandoori dishes.
5. Do you have a specal menu?
Yes, we do have a special menu which has four courses plus a bottle of wine, coffee & dessert all in MAHARAJAH style and the price is only 49€ per couple.
6. What desserts can we enjoy?
We make our own ‘Gulab Jamuns’ and ‘Kulfis’, which are mouth-watering.
7. How does Valencia compare to Benidorm?
Valencia and Benidorm are two different worlds! Benidorm is packed with young British people whilst Valencia has tourism from around the whole world.
BHARAT INDIAN-RESTAURANT
C/ Moratin n14 / corner of Las Barcas (Just off Plaza Ayuntamiento)
Reservations: 632 17 82 06
https://www.facebook.com/sidhumansher/
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1828315903957848/indian-restaurant-bharat/
Valencia
Zona Centro
Open Tuesday to Wednesday: 13.30h -15.30h / 19.00h -24h
Open Thursday to Saturday: 13.30h -15.30h / 19.30h -24h
Open Sunday 13.30h-15.30h
Closed Mondays
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