Spice may be sneaky, subtle and sensational. I do not simply make this assertion to craft a tempting Alliteration. My current eating expertise at Yi Jing, Mumbai was a delicious three-hour demonstration of the identical. Yi Jing is ITC’s flagship Chinese language restaurant, which was first incubated at ITC Kohenur in HITEC Metropolis, Hyderabad. ITC Maratha, Mumbai marks its fourth outpost (after Delhi and Ahmedabad) within the nation. For my part, the town is greater than prepared for it. In a area brimming with Pan-Asian choices, a specialised method at this scale is bound to evoke curiosity. The group right here is knowledgeable, open to experiences and hungry for “genuine” flavours. Can Yi Jing handle to not simply impress them, however entice them to return? We discover out for ourselves.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
Our reservation is for dinner and we enter to discover a area with beautiful pink, black and beige accents. The placing distinction and floral motifs remind us of scarlet Cheongsam attire. Other than common tables, the restaurant has seating on the bar in addition to reside counters the place visitors can immerse themselves within the magic of woks, noodle-making, dim sum-shaping and extra. Chinese language delicacies has naturally theatrical parts and the restaurant invitations you to profit from it.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
On the helm of Yi Jing is Liang Xiao Qing, who’s nothing wanting a legend relating to this explicit delicacies. Armed with over 4 many years of expertise, Chef Liang is the recipient of a number of prestigious accolades and has wowed dignitaries all over the world along with his culinary prowess. He has additionally served as a bunch and decide in varied cooking exhibits and competitions. With Yi Jing, he will get to indicate Mumbai what it has been lacking relating to one thing as common as Chinese language meals. By way of our dialog, his emphasis on high quality substances and subtlety of method stand out. The dishes listed here are primarily centred round Sichuan and Hunan – and Chef Liang is set to move you there.
Let’s dive into our suggestions. In the event you like to start your meal with a soothing soup, you can’t go improper with the Vegetable Coriander Soup. Give us this easy, heart-warming broth each monsoon and winter night, and we can’t refuse. The Sichuan-style rooster & Mushroom Sizzling Pot Soup turned out to be a markedly potent counterpart. Whereas we relished it, brace yourselves for warmth after ordering it.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
The preliminary part of the menu will depart dim sum lovers spoilt for selection. We do not simply imply when it comes to filling. The dim sums at Yi Jing are miniature masterpieces when it comes to flavour and aesthetics. In their very own method, they redefine what we anticipate these crowd-favourite appetisers to be. Take, for example, the Hen Char Sui dumplings within the type of elegant swans. We’re within the behavior of photographing well-plated meals from completely different angles, and allow us to let you know, this one saved us occupied for a couple of minutes. Word the eye to element: the crisp exterior formed like wavy feathers, the white sesame on each ends, the eyes and the beak. After admiring their magnificence, we needed to metal ourselves earlier than disturbing after which consuming their type. However on doing so, we polished off every satisfyingly crispy chunk.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
Among the many vegetarian choices, do not miss the Sake and Edamame Dumplings, formed like Edamame pods. These melt-in-the-mouth bites have a touch of truffle, which brings an assured stability of flavours. We have now tried a number of truffle edamame dishes earlier than, however this one carried a sure sophistication. The guts-shaped Spicy Carrot And Wasabi Dumplings had been an prompt favorite too. The feel was the champion right here – we cherished how the warmth of the wasabi appeared virtually hidden in between strands of the grated carrot. One other texture deal with was the BBQ Pork Buns: cloud-like smooth buns that enclosed a candy and spicy meat stuffing. Whereas this explicit order was relatively tough to navigate with cutlery, the style triumphed above all else.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
We aren’t achieved with the appetisers. Past dimsums and dumplings, Yi Jing boasts a number of different choices for indulgence earlier than you attain the principle course. For an beautiful crunch, go along with the Stir Fried Water Chestnuts Wok Tossed With Crispy Chili. If you wish to play it protected, you possibly can select the comforts of traditional Cantonese-style Lotus Stem. These should not small chip-sized bites, however virtually skinny and crisp discs that will span a median palm. The restaurant sources them from Thailand and tosses them of their model of a candy chilli sauce. Seafood aficionados, do not hesitate earlier than ordering the King Prawn In Two Flavours. Measurement is the king right here, however so is the consistency of the peerlessly cooked fish and the robustness of flavours.
Yi Jing prides itself on its duck choices and is featured in almost each class on the menu. We favored the Crispy Cantonese Duck Cigar Roll served with plum sauce. However, in hindsight, we felt that the opposite starters left extra of an impression. Nonetheless, probably the most memorable a part of our meal was digging into the Beijing Duck from the Chinese language Barbeque part. This dish is an expertise in itself, and Chef Liang guided us by means of the completely different phases. The duck is served with a number of sides: one trio consists of hoisin sauce, garlic paste and fantastic sugar. The opposite consists of rice pancakes, spring onion and cucumber. As directed, we dipped the crispy skins into the sugar first. Our palette was thereafter prepared for the following expertise: the mixture of the opposite items with the edges within the type of a wrap. This medley was a success: we cherished the freshness of the greens, the tenderness of the meat and the salty-sweetness of the hoisin.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
Earlier than we transfer to the principle course, a quick concerning the cocktails at Yi Jing. The refreshing concoctions from the bar menu are impressed by the 4 seasons in China: Spring, Summer time, Winter and Autumn. We extremely advocate Shangai Rose (a gin-based cocktail with lavender, rose syrup, elderflower and a touch of cranberry juice). In the event you’re a fan of the pineapple and keenness fruit duo, go for the Ocha Bitter, made utilizing Roku gin. You can even ask the mixologist to customize a drink specifically for you, with a base of any spirit of your selection. On deciding on vodka, we had been handled to Sea Breeze, additionally that includes blue curacao, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice and soda.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
After the delights of the Beijing Duck, our expectations reached a notch increased. The Chengdu Model Sliced Lamb With Home Particular Chilly Powder was one of many delicacies we had been ready to strive all night. We had learnt that it is one of many menu’s key dishes that options Chef Liang’s favorite Sichuan peppers. He sources them by hand throughout his frequent travels to China. The fiery gravy was served with sticky jasmine rice. In most different eating places, a preferred pairing could be fried rice or hakka noodles. However what we appreciated concerning the selection of jasmine rice was that it allowed the distinctive aroma of the peppers to face out. The dish as a complete was thus a symphony, not a cacophony, of spice and warmth. The lamb, sourced from New Zealand, was juicy and succulent.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
In the event you’re on the lookout for a rooster choice, go along with the Stir-Fried Shredded Hen With Preserved Chilli Sauce. That is additionally a spicy gravy that packs a flavourful punch. We advocate relishing it with one more Yi Jing speciality: hand-pulled la-mian noodles. Do not forget to snag a seat on the reside counter and watch the cooks create this delicacy from scratch – counting on culinary strategies courting again 4000 years. The noodles themselves are so splendidly healthful: they made us rethink those we had been consuming up to now.
Picture Credit score: Yi Jing, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
To finish our feast, we first tried Yuzu Mascarpone Cheesecake, Hibiscus Scented Recent Seasonal Fruit Compote. It did not fairly hit the mark: the cheesecake was not as creamy because the mascarpone in its title would recommend, and the tartness of the sorbet was relatively overpowering. What we favored higher was the Peanut Marquise, Ginger-Pineapple Ice Cream & 5 Spiced Caramel. It is a decadent delight good for many who have reserved area of their tummies for dessert. However if you cannot deal with one thing too heavy, merely order the selfmade Ginger-Pineapple sorbet individually. This was expertly balanced: you might be first hit with the earthy flavour of ginger; simply as you anticipate the pungency to kick in, the tangy sweetness of pineapple involves your rescue. We might return for this.
Yi Jing shone a special gentle on Chinese language staples, in addition to the sort of spiciness and aromas we anticipate from them. We had been impressed with the stability of subtlety and robustness in each dish we tasted. Whether or not you get pleasure from Chinese language meals, prefer to discover Asian flavours or wish to take pleasure in a lavish gastronomic feast, Yi Jing guarantees an unbelievable expertise you shouldn’t miss out on.
The place: Yi Jing, Foyer Stage, ITC Maratha, A Luxurious Assortment Resort, Mumbai, Sahar, Andheri East
When: Lunch – 12:00 pm to 2:45 pm; Dinner – 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm; All Days of Week
Price for 2 (approx): INR.5000 plus taxes
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