Glass noodles, Udan noodles, Pad Thai noodles, vermicelli noodles.. wait there is more! Phew, the list seems endless and quite overwhelming, even for someone who enjoys her noodles.
The Noodle Mania at China town in lieu of the Chinese new year [this is the Year of the Rat] is all about showing off the various kinds of noodles and the simple yet powerful flavours from the region. Garlic, broccoli, tofu, baby corn, greens were the highlight of these dishes, not to forget Mushrooms.
When chatting with Chef Ramkumar [who was there last evening, since the China town's chef was away in Singapore], I learnt that the Chinese value their noodles a bit too much. There is a saying that "longer the noodle, the longer the life"- which speaks volumes about their beliefs and life. I opened the evening with Dragon Heart [ a juice made with passion fruit, orange juice and grenadine syrup]
The Chinese New Year is the longest and the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar and brings family members together over a grand dinner. In keeping with this, gourmets at the China Town festival can enjoy the wide range of noodles with other lip-smacking dishes. And if you thought most of the dishes would be dominated by meat, you are in for a surprise. There are so many options for vegetarians, that one is literally spoilt for choice. Accompanying the food is of course the aromatic Chinese tea [jasmine] for those who enjoy the flavour. There are also four wholesome noodle meals which are served in a clay pot with vegetables and choice of meats - lard na (Thai flat noodles topped with delicates soya bean sauce), khao suay (Burmese curried noodle) and many more.
The glass noodle soup (glass noodles simmered in a clear soup flavoured with garlic, scallions, and celery) was just wow, they also had another soup- talumein soup (traditional Chinese thick soup with mushroom, broccoli, tomato and soft noodles) on the menu. As for the main courses include China Town mee hoon (rice noodles cooked in sweet and spicy sauce with prawns ), yam mein stir fried noodles (soft noodles cooked in spicy dark soya sauce with mushroom and tofu) and chilli basil bean sheet (transparent mung bean sheets cooked in chilli and basil sauce cooked with veg /prawns or seafood), among others.
As for dessert, there are 3 dessert options- Almond darsan [ wafer thin noodles deep friend, tossed in honey and slivered almonds], the banana wontons [ tiny fried wontons with caramalised banana filling] and the coconut dim sums [ dim sum with simple coconut filling] served over a spoon of honey. I personally loved the Darsan- crisp sweet [yet not overpowering] and the crunch of the almonds.
The festival is on till March 8th at Chinatown...
PS: pardon the bad pictures, took them on the phone
PS: pardon the bad pictures, took them on the phone
- Address: #74, Third Floor, Cathedral Road, Padupet, Gopalapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600086Phone:044 2811 2246
- Meal for 2- Rs 1000 [approx]
- Disclaimer: The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember these were just my views!! Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit :-)
Delicious! I love noodles.
ReplyDeleteThe foods still look good. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the honest review.