The traffic snarls of South Delhi, quietly give way to the roads of its adjacent town Faridabad. It was a long drive to the Radisson Blu Hotel in Faridabad, but the bright lit expansive lobby filled with chatter of hotel guests immediately lit my mood. Hotels indeed make me happy.
I was at the hotel’s Oriental restaurant House of Soy located on the first floor, to sample the Chinese New Year menu that has been curated to celebrate the arrival of the ‘Year of the Dog’, aka the Chinese New Year.
The restaurant was filled with the aroma of the delish buffet spread; the live stations were in action and tables were beautifully laid. We were seated at the restaurant’s Private Dining Room, yes the perks of being a writer.
My royal meal for the night started with the humble man chow soup but gradually gave way to the sumptuous spread of appetizers that included Minced basil Lamb in a crunchy cup, Peking Duck with Pickled Vegetables, Stuffed Chinese crepe with chilli sambal and an array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dimsums. The minced lamb in a crunchy cup was the star among the appetizers for me, the thought of it still makes me drool.
From the salad bar, the spicy cucumber and prawn salad caught my attention and I swear I can be on a salad diet all my life if all salads taste so good. Moving to the main course, the staple Kung Pao chicken was done well, the fish in orange sauce and Sichuan lamb too are a must try from this menu. The surprise were the vegetarian dishes, often given a step motherly treatment by lovers of Oriental cuisine. The Eggplant chilli bean sauce and the Stuffed steam zucchini with light soya sauce were flavorful and I even went for a second helping. We rounded of our meal with pretty looking desserts on our plate- Banana and cinnamon cigar with Jaggery syrup and Five spice chocolate mouse.
Chef Avanish Jain has curated a Chinese New Year menu that would leave any epicurean satiated. It is also priced right at about Rs 1600 and the elaborate oriental spread is on till 28th of February.
Chinese New Year menu or not, I am going back to House of Joy for its lively five star setting, impeccable service and food that is both cooked and served with heart. OF course it will be a long drive whenever I go back, but then good things never come easy.
Summary:The food at House of Soy is worth trying.
