Premier Hospitality

Indian Tiffin Room

Indian Tiffin Room
Written by Roma Publications

Indian Tiffin Room

Indian Tiffin Room

Acclaimed Cheadle restaurant, Indian Tiffin Room has now expanded with a second, larger branch in First Street, Manchester City Centre. Delivering bona fide Indian street food specialities, and a rustic interior to boot, Indian Tiffin Room is most definitely the new destination diner within the city.

The restaurant is set out on the ground floor – with additional ancillaries on the first floor including staff areas and offices. Authenticity is something that is reflected through not only the cuisine at the Indian Tiffin Room, but also the design. Raw and edgy interiors meet colourful materials and stunning artwork, to form this unique Indian restaurant brand.

Lewis and Hickey Architects were responsible for the design aspects of the restaurant, transforming the site into a spectacular representation of an Indian setting, with a great sense of playfulness as well as conviviality. The developments took place in November 2015 and were complete by the end of February 2016.

Fatimah Vadia, Interior Designer at Lewis & Hickey, spoke with Premier Hospitality to discuss the developments at the new Indian restaurant. Fatimah commented:

“Since the opening, the feedback has been really good! People seem to love all the different fun elements integrated within the restaurant. The extensive ceiling height gives the space an open and airy feel, as well as a sense of extravagance – this is one aspect that makes the venue diverse, as opposed to the frequent intimate theme that exists within many restaurants.

“The feature containers are unusual – there is a large blue container at ground level which is the kitchen itself, and another container on top of that. There are quite a few different zones that we have created within the space such as the bar area which is synonymous with the way the truckers stop for food in India – that area displays attractive lighting made with tyres and parts of bikes.”

Intricate wooden huts are embellished with pretty bunting and lanterns, and fascinatingly, this very bunting is sourced from India – adding an extra touch of authenticity to the design. Tables with little wheels on appear to look like carts, and are accompanied by bench seating and colourful upholstery. Each booth has its own colour palette, keeping the area fresh and vibrant.

Another striking element within the venue is the enormous 3.5m high graffiti wall that has been commissioned by a graffiti artist well known within the Manchester city area – displaying various significant images such as a large tiger, and a rickshaw – a traditional vehicle in India. Classic Indian food and spices also feature on this wall.

Referencing the ‘tiffin’ within the restaurant name, the restaurant acquired several tiffins – traditional Indian metal vessels in which lunch is carried in – and transformed them into eye-catching lighting installations.

“Another area positioned at the rear of the venue appears almost like an outdoor space which functions as a multi-purpose space. The main dining area sees the hustle and bustle coming from the kitchen – originally we planned to keep the kitchen at the rear of the restaurant, however we realised that to maximise the potential of the site it was best to bring out the kitchen into the space, this way it became part of the experience for diners.

Chevrons, yellow lines and zebra crossing markings are displayed across the floor, adding a further sense of playfulness to the venue with a journey for customers to undergo, as well as taking the ‘street food’ concept quite literally.

“My biggest challenge was probably recreating the buzz of the Indian street food theme, and ensuring an authentic atmosphere.”

Delicious Tiffin dishes on the menu include starters such as samosa, chilli paneer, gobi Manchurian and beetroot shami kebab. Diners can also choose from a selection of main courses including lamb kashmiri, jumbo prawn masala, grilled kebabs and the innovative Indo’Chinese – comprising an Indian take on Chinese food.

When asked what it means to her to be involved, Fatimah responded with:

“It’s massive – it’s really unique in the sense that nothing was secured in the venue except from the main tables and chairs within the main dining area; everything was designed by myself and made bespoke – from the bar stools and bar tops to the booths and hut. Everything has been specifically made so diners won’t see these elements elsewhere, which is really special.”

Indian Tiffin Room

P&A Services

P&A Services specialise in catering equipment, from kitchen design and supply, through to installation, maintenance and on occasion, special projects. The company was established in 1979 (going limited in 1986) and has worked on a range of projects, from cafés and shops through to multinational companies.

Past projects completed by P&A Services include a canteen refurbishment for Bakkavour; a series of redesign and installations for Almond Pubs; and the refurbishment of the kitchen and associated works at Oldham Civic Centre. In addition, P&A Services also undertake regular maintenance work for many clients including the likes of Astra Zeneca, Oldham Schools and University of Derby, amongst others.

Working on Indian Tiffin Room, P&A Services designed the kitchen and bar and supplied and installed associated equipment.

P&A Services Managing Director, Phil Severn, said:

“We worked with the client on their previous restaurant and being a company who regularly undertakes repeat work, we were keen to work with them again – especially on a project as exciting as this!”

Phil added:

“At P&A Services we always strive to work to the highest level of quality, whilst also providing excellent value.”

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Roma Publications