When it comes to comfort food, serial restaurateur Sandesh Reddy knows the way to our hearts. A childhood favourite, which has withstood the test of time — the Chicken Lollipop drenched in sweet tomato ketchup is part of The Chindian Food Festival at his restaurant, HuTong, this fortnight. Offering Chinese-Indian fusion cuisine — we have to admit that most of us grew up not knowing that it was a ‘fusion’ version, even when presented with the famous gobi manchurian! With guest chef Laichee from Darjeeling, curating this menu, yes, the Cauliflower Manchurian is part of the festival that is on till October 25. The chef admits, “Depending on the customer feedback — some of the dishes from this festival might find a place on the regular menu.”
Hoisin for some more?
With a bottomless cuppa jasmine tea on the side, we start off with a thick, hearty, Manchow Chicken soup that is wholesome with veggies and chicken and topped with crunchy noodles — this one is a keeper we declare. As we slurp it all up, we find ourselves picking sweet, sticky balls of puffed Lotus Seeds in Hoisin Sauce, an interesting shift from the usual sweet corn kernel. The Tangy Crispy Mushroom is saucy yet retains the crunch, while the Phuket Fish, dark with soya, is gently spiced and is polished off easily.
Sweet ribbons
For mains, we try ribbons of sweet Kway Teow Noodles, tossed in garlic and generously dotted with chicken. The Mandarin Noodles is a saucy pan-fried dish heaped with succulent chicken pieces and makes for a filling meal. However, saving the best for the last — knowing Sandy’s penchant for unique desserts — the Sticky Rice with Mango Ice Cream has us smitten. The ice cream, that is an in-house creation from their brand Batter, works delightfully with the deep-fried semolina-coated, sticky-rice, orbs that are warm centred and delicious.
The festival is on from October 11 to 25. Meal for two at INR 1,000 ++ approximately.