Bengaluru's iconic Chinese restaurant, The Rice Bowl, reopens on Lavelle Road

The Rice Bowl reopens with a menu that includes signatures and new dishes like Crab Fried Rice and Chilli Mustard Fish
The Rice Bowl
The Rice Bowl

Familiar flavours are always comforting. Dishes that evoke memories, whether it is that bowl of soup that you shared on your first date, or that big serving of fried rice that was more than enough for your entire family, are always special. There’s something nostalgic about a few old restaurants in Bengaluru that have stood the test of time. The Rice Bowl, which has reopened after renovation, is one such spot. The iconic Chinese restaurant located on Lavelle Road brings back some classics and new introductions. We visited on a pleasant Friday evening, when the city received light showers. It was the ideal weather to tuck into some Chinese food, and we started our meal with Chilli Garlic Prawns, Chilli Mustard Fish and Chicken Steamed Momos.

The prawns are one of their signature dishes from back in the day and it still remains a favourite. The juicy prawns with a hint of garlic were a great start. Chilli Mustard Fish is a new dish in the menu. The mustard-marinated fish was quite impressive. The piquant flavour of the mustard complemented the fish, and made it a winner. The Chicken Steamed Momos were also delicious. The minced chicken stuffing was flavourful and the dumplings were quite a mouthful. From the vegetarian options, we opted for Singapore Paneer. The soft cottage cheese strips were marinated well with a spicy red sauce that was a treat for our palates. For the main course, we chose Pad Thai, Chilli Chicken Garlic Noodles and Mix Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce. Apart from their signature Chinese dishes, Pad Thai is the new introduction. The popular Thai street dish was an amalgamation of flavours. The dish was a tad bit spicy, but the flavour of the peanuts and the sauce balanced it well.

The Rice Bowl always gets its noodles just right and the Chilli Garlic Noodles were on point. Neither too spicy nor too bland, these perfectly cooked noodles are unmissable and the Mix Vege-tables in Hot Garlic Sauce complemented it well. For dessert, we tried the Banoffee Pie and the Mango Cheesecake. The classic Banoffee Pie has the right balance of cream, bananas and caramel. And the seasonal Mango Cheesecake was airy and light — the perfect end to our elaborate meal. The Rice Bowl continues to keep up its standard of serving delectable Asian food. If you’ve been a regular, then it’s time to revisit, and if you are new to the city, then it’s time to check out this old Bengaluru gem.

Rs 1,200++ for two. At Lavelle Road

ayeshatabassum@ newindianexpress.com
@aishatax

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