This weekend, step into the Pondichery Café at Sofitel, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai for an authentic Chinese food treat. The restaurant is celebrating the ‘Cantonese Culinary Route’. As you enter you can’t but help soak in the ambience – a white wall stacked with face masks, Chinese paper lanterns and tables lit with candles. It just welcomes you with the feel of Chinese culture along with a taste of authentic Cantonese food.
Being used to the ‘Indianised’ Chinese options, the lack of spices might put you off. And that’s the very reason you should give it a try. The lack of anything spicy gives you a chance to experience the authentic flavour of each ingredient making it a tasteful meal.
Cantonese food boasts of steamed or lightly cooked food, with minimal oil and healthy offerings. We started off with a bowl of clear chicken soup and steamed momos. The momos aren’t really too much of a palate shocker especially if you have eaten them before. You will love the bland flavour. If you love spice in your food then go ahead and add that fiery Schezwan sauce, chili sauce and soy sauce.
The stir-fried vegetables that came next took the cake! The Wok stations have a variety of of healthy green options; allowing you a chance to make your own meal, which you can then handover to the chef. Tossing them with chicken (you can choose any meat) and soy sauce, you have a meal that is not just filling but also healthy and tasty. The lack of spices lets you enjoy the taste of every veggie and even if you overeat you don’t have to worry about that slightly bloated feeling, which comes with stuffing yourself.
The chef’s recommendations include friend Cantonese Choy Sum, Kale with garlic, Shrimps with Longjing tea, pan-fried Codfish in soya sauce, scaled Cantonese water spinach, Truffle prawns, stewed white Cabbage with mushroom and fish maw soup. The dessert is limited to a slice of sago pudding with mango puree.
The festival ends this weekend on March 6th. So head over to Sofitel if you are looking for a healthy, tasty and authentic option.
