Chinese whispers

Rashmi Uday Singh

There is a new arrival in the city. London, Singapore and now Mumbai. As expected, Mumbai’s well-travelled diners welcome ‘Royal China’ with open arms and it has been packed from the day it opened in the Fort area. I dine here four times and am delighted that it’s the same London fare.

At a weekday lunch I find Randheer and Rishi Kapoor dining with sisters Rima and Ritu, designers Haseena Jethmalani with Leetu Shivdasani, film makers, editors and others and all are equally delighted with the authentic flavours. Here’s my tried and tasted opinion…

GOOD NEWS…

• Dimsum lovers, make a beeline at lunch time. Outstanding, thin-skinned, translucent dimsum, served fresh and hot in bamboo baskets (Rs 125 to Rs 175 for four dumplings). Scallop dumpling, steamed curry squid to steamed prawn dumplings chicken mushroom bun, the must-try Cheung fun, etc.
• A must-try is the aromatic duck (Rs 950) served in all its crisp glory, pancakes, plum sauce et al. Go for the flavorful and moist ‘Fukien rice’ (Rs 250), chicken in black bean sauce (Rs 250), plenty of seafood, quails and abalone too.
• Veggies are well-taken care of, be it the choice of dimsum (cheung fun, glutinous rice in lotus leaf) or main course (Rs 225) (braised woodear and asparagus, tofu, mushrooms, Shaolin monks vegetable pot) and more.
• Comfy though predictable décor, with wooden Chinese screens, carpeting and paintings.

BAD NEWS…

• Service can be slow and confused.
• Dim sum served only at lunchtime.
• Outpriced executive lunch (Rs 450)
• Some of the flavours can be alien to the Indian palate, a bit too bland (Empress chicken with ginger ) or on the sweeter side (chicken in yellow bean sauce).
• The desserts (tiramisu, chilled mango pudding) could do with fine-tuning.

MY VIEW

Royal China is for you if you love authentic Chinese food. Not meant for you if you like spicy, full-bodied desi Chinese food. Veggies can happily zoom in here and so can dim sum buffs. But please be prepared for a longish wait and some confused service. Other than that, you’ll end up complimenting Phiroze Vajifdar and Byram Jeejeebhoy for bringing China to Mumbai (via London).

Royal China
Sterling Movie Hall
Fort, Mumbai
tel: (022) 56355310 / 56355311