Four years call for a little celebration, and Far East marks the occasion with a seven-dish menu that is colourful, varied, and theatrical. The Hanging chicken with Thai chilli jam is a case in point. The fried chicken arrived suspended above glass noodles, giving the dish a dramatic appearance. The chicken is fried perfectly, with a crisp exterior and tender meat. The noodles beneath it are tossed with tomato, onion, and other ingredients that lend a tangy, savoury flavour.

Next up was the Bang bang prawn nest, which was equally playful. This featured Prawns glazed in oil that were placed over lettuce and coleslaw, with a nest of dried glass noodles, adding height and crunch.

We moved to another prawn dish next; The fire cracker prawn taco. The prawns are tucked into a crisp shell, topped with sesame and finished with Szechuan sauce and chilli. The sesame gave the taco a nutty edge, with the sauce adding warmth and a slight numbing quality. We enjoyed it as a compact, flavour-packed bite.

The Banana wrapped steamed fish takes a gentler approach. Here, the tender fish is wrapped in a banana leaf and infused with cilantro garlic sauce. The leaf kept the fish moist, while the sauce gave it a fragrant lift. There was no need for excessive seasoning here, as the delicacy of the fish was part of its appeal.

The Seafood cocktail in coconut shell was more indulgent, bringing together prawns, fish, and calamari in a coconut-rich Thai yellow curry sauce. The sauce was creamy and aromatic, with enough spice to keep the richness in check. The prawns were particularly good at carrying the curry, whereas the calamari added a firmer texture to the mix.

We tried the comforting Tom yum omu rice next, which came with its own fair share of theatrics. Must admit, the sight of opening and splitting the soft, fluffy omelette onto the rice below was deeply satisfying. The fragrant rice consisted of chicken, with lemongrass lending a clear citrusy note.

For dessert, the Pandan custard toast with coconut ice cream offerred a satisfying combination of warm and cold. The toast was buttery and crisp around the edges. The pandan custard was gently sweet, with the cool and creamy coconut ice cream completing the dish. As part of its anniversary celebrations, the diner is also offering lucky dips and discounts to customers.

Meal for two: INR 1,000. 12 pm to 11 pm. At Far East, Nungambakkam.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.