BENGALURU: Chinese New Year is a deeply symbolic and colourful festival, and to bring a little of this festive cheer to Bengaluru, Yauatcha has introduced a special menu for all the Chinese food lovers out there. Apart from just the mouthwatering dishes on this special menu, pretty red lanterns hung all across the restaurant give it that festive feel. We started the meal with two types of dumplings – the Spicy Red Dumpling and the Olive Dumpling. The first thing that struck us about both these dishes was the how perfectly thin the outer layer was, which allowed us to fully taste the fillings of both, which is often lost when the coating is too dense. Both dumplings were delicious and with varying textures.
The Golden Fortune Prawn in lime sauce is supposed to represent good luck, as seafood is considered lucky in China. The prawns were fresh, juicy and the subtle flavour of lime complemented the meat perfectly. We then tried the Crispy Red Snapper in XO Sauce, which was beautifully plated, and the soft fish and the strong flavours of the sauce packed a punch after the subtle flavours of the earlier dishes.
For the vegetarians, the Crispy Tofu in Spicy Hakka Sauce is a good option.
For mains, we had the Black Truffle and Asaparagus Fried Rice, and it was our personal favourite. The rice was so good, with that lovely flavour of truffles, made us want to eat it plain, and we kept going in for more spoonfuls. We tried another main – Shredded Pork Loin in Hoisin Sauce – which was also very good, and when paired with the truffle rice, the two were the formed the perfect harmony of strong and subtle.
For dessert, the tried the Haoyun Lantern Petit Gâteau, which was almost too pretty to eat. Shaped like a lantern, the coming together of the caramel and citrus flavours, truly made us feel lucky to be ending this great meal on a delicious note. Paired with some of their signature cocktails, this special a la carte menu is a must for anyone looking to bring some good juju into their lives.
The Chinese New Year menu is on till March 4. Cost for two: `2,800