A plate of assorted dim sums accompanied by sauces
Situated in south-Mumbai’s plush Pedder Road locality, Buddha Belly is the new dim sum joint to add to your list of must-visit restaurants. This brightly lit eatery with white walls and bright green décor touches has a cool, easy-going vibe.
A venture that was started by four dim-sum-loving friends, each representing their city of birth namely, New York, London, Dubai and Mumbai, have played an important part in Buddha Belly’s belief – organic, healthy food with no preservatives and MSG.
The core values seemed interesting and I was looking forward to trying out some yummy dim sums.
So, after taking a corner table and looking at the concised menu, that listed at least 25 Dim sum varieties, I chose to try out the Chicken Shiu Mai Dim sum. It was basically a piece of chicken wrapped flour to make a little meat dumpling. It was served along with four different sauces – garlic sauce, black bean sauce, schezuan sauce and sour cream sauce. The amalgamation of tastes was not bad, but was too bland for my liking and I was slightly disappointed.
After trying a number of dim sums suggested by the chef I finally found my favourites – chicken baked bean roll and spinach prawn roll. Both rolls were steamed and topped with a tasty sauce that enhanced their flavour.
In the vegetarian variety, the Chinese mushroom dim sum lived up to my expectations. Mushrooms sautéed in butter and some spices were stuffed into the dim sum and then steamed to perfection bringing out a slightly strong taste of mushrooms.
The dim sums were good, but no matter how many you eat you still don’t feel full. So I settled for the Khao Suey which seemed to be a hit at the neighbouring tables. And yes, it was worth all the gung ho!
The delicious Khao suey at Buddha belly
The Khao Suey gravy was scrumptious and had the right amount of spices. The quantity was perfect for one person and the price was extremely reasonable. A chicken Khao Suey cost Rs. 175 and a veg one is tagged at Rs. 150. The Dim sums are priced at Rs. 150 for four pieces, Non Veg and Rs. 125 for four, Veg.
For dessert I tried the Nutella chocolate mousse as recommended by the chef and I was left drooling for more. An ardent chocolate fan, this is something I would want to go back for.
All in all, Buddha Belly is the new hub for reasonable, good food with a comforting ambience.
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