SANJAY
PUNJABI
China 1
G 05, Morya Landmark 1, Off Link Road, Andheri Lokhandwala, Andheri West, Mumbai Phone No 022 42723333
​
The daughter finally agreed to step out in the midst of her exams and we were overjoyed. We the threesome headed for this place on the afternoon of 31st March 2014, Monday at 1330 hours. (It was Gudi Padwa and hence I had a holiday, before anyone asks).
Valet Parking, check. Located on a road parallel to the Andheri Link Road, this restaurant doesn't tom tom itself from the roof tops. I have not seen its ads spilling out from the dailies or its offers screaming out of deal sites. In fact the only way I had discovered it was a chance walk in some time ago. You have a genial lady, Stephie answering your phone call for reservations and greeting you when you reach there. She ushers you inside the restaurant and offers you your choice of seat.
A large large place, you couldn't have imagined the size from the exterior. Decent ambiance, soothing one befitting a fine dining experience, though a shade on the darker side. You are informed that soups and starters would be served on the table and for the main course and the desserts you will have to help yourself. Bring it on...
The choice of Non Veg soup today was Sweet Corn Chicken soup. I am not the sweet corn types hence I ordered a very little quantity for Sonam and Shikha each. They both had a sip of it and returned the verdict. Thumbs down. Too bland for their comfort, not enough zing.
The starters were next. Chicken Puff (decent), Chicken wings (decent), Hakka chicken (Yummy), Fish (Yummy again. Boiled fish chunks in greenish parsley sauce, melting in the mouth) and chicken dimsums (decent). Having learnt and regretted from experience before, we were very judicious about stuffing our tummies with starters alone.
We were also offered a choice of drinks. We ordered for one Peach Iced tea for Sonam, Lemon iced tea for Shikha and a fresh lime soda for myself. The iced teas were awesome and I rued my choice. My fresh lime soda seemed flat and I presume they must have used a large 1.5 litre bottle of soda to make many such concoctions over a period of time, resulting in the lowering of the fizz quotient drastically. Reminder to self next time: Always have a bottle opened up on the table itself.
Then we got up for the main course. And it is here that the restaurant hits a sixer. Imagine the choice of items: Steamed crab in Ginger spring onion sauce- Juicy, largish crab pieces, denuded of the hard shell, so that the upper thin crust can easily be removed by biting it off. The soft meat inside was ten times worth every attempt made to scrape it out. When I saw my little one helping herself with this and making honest attempts to extract the flesh, I knew that my day was made.Prawns in Hunan Sauce - The jumbo sized prawns in the orange Hunan sauce warmed the cockles of my heart.Spicy Double cooked lamb - Gave it a miss, but Shikha had it. (I am discovering newer things about her each day!) Sapo chicken and shredded chicken Homemade style - one black, the other white - both fantastic. Burnt Garlic fried rice and Chilly Butter noodles - The garlic content could have been much more in the rice and I am not a noodles person.
Again learning from experience before, we consciously reserved a part of the real estate for desserts quota. The line up was as follows: Fresh fruits (water melon, chickoo, papaya, apple, green grapes and musk melon), assorted pastries, hot brownies, strawberry jelly, fruit custard, caramel custard, honey noodles, four varieties of ice creams (vanilla, strawberry, butter scotch and chocolate), cream cakes, non cream cakes and a chocolate sauce flowing fountain. The pics can only do full justice here.
A special mention must be made of the staff member Krishna and the general manager Mr Harjit Singh. The latter was a very warm person, found interacting with the patrons and taking utter care in attending to them and making them comfortable.
Full marks. Every bit worth of the 703 INR charged for the lunch buffet Mon - Fri.
The ratings, they go like this:
The Food Quotient : Food Quality 3.5 / 5, Food Variety 4 / 5, Food Choices 4 / 5, Food Portion ---
The other Determinants : Location 3.5 / 5, Cleanliness 3 / 5, Service 4.5 / 5
The Hygiene Factors : Ambiance 3 / 5, Space quotient 3.5 / 5, Delivery time 3.5 / 5
The Conclusives : Food Price 3.5 / 5, Honesty 4 / 5, Overall Experience 4 / 5, Will I Visit again 3.5 / 5
