Secunderabad exudes a timeless charm that beckons daydreamers with its exquisite British-era churches, historic gymkhanas, picturesque vintage neighbourhoods, and bustling streets dotted with a variety of fine dines, cafés, and street food. We had the pleasure of visiting this quaint part of the city to review the newly opened third branch of Ohris Chinese fine dining restaurant, Mings Court at Secunderabad.As we entered the zen-like interiors of the luxe indoor space, the soft red light emanated by hanging lanterns immediately drew us in, while the minimalist moss green walls with wainscoting and Chinese handpainted murals on the walls elevated the warm interiors
.Our taste buds were tantalised by the Strawberry Mint drink, infused with Chinese tea and fruity compote, which refreshed us to the core. Smokey drink enthusiasts can go for the other variant, Smoked Tangerine which will treat their taste buds to citrus notes infused with smoked rosemary.
Pan-Asian starters
We began our Eastern culinary exploration with four plates of veg and non-veg starters for a sensational start. We especially enjoyed the Lotus Stem and Water Chestnut, where the vegetable — native to China was made suitable to Hyderabadis’ palates with a gentle tossing in Thai Red Chilli Sauce, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds that added to its sweet-savoury flavour. The Chicken Taipei was a crispy delight, stir-fried inhouse-made sweet and spicy sauce along with shredded vegetables, dominated by ginger-garlic flavours. We then bite into The Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns, a similar variant that treated us to burnt garlic flavour.
Veg options like Crispy Chilli Potatoes and Fried Spring Rolls were also on offer, with the latter bearing an extra crispy crunch lent by the thin wrapping of wanton sheets instead of the usual cornflour dough sheets. We dipped it in the Thai red chilli sauce with the honey blend to get a winsome taste. We also enjoyed the melt-in-mouth Tofu and Brocolli, a curry-based dish prepared in chilli basil sauce and consisting of crunchy celery and scallions for a nutrient-rich addition to our platter.
Invention on plate
The main course menu offers classic Chinese dishes such as Jiang Chilli Chicken, Konjee Crispy Lamb, and Cantonese Fried Noodles, alongside contemporary and inventive dishes such as Spiced Sesame Chicken, Prawn Suimai, and many others.
We opted for the Stir-Fried Prawn Sizzler crafted with exotic vegetables and paired it with Steamed Jasmine Rice. Each spoonful of the long-grain fragrant rice mixed with curry was a feast to our senses. However, we consider the pillow-soft steamed fish in lemon butter sauce as a clear winner in gravies for its rich and slightly sour flavour. Thai cuisine enthusiasts can indulge in the Vegetable Thai Curry, prepared in coconut sauce and Galangal, which offers a sweetening taste.
Speaking of sweets, the dine-in had an array of delights like Fried Ice Cream, Rose Petal Ice Cream, Chocolate Rolls, and more. We feted on each of them, declaring The Rose Petal ice-cream as a musttry for its overpowering sweet and aromatic flavour lent by rose petals. Overall, the dining experience at Mings Court left us impressed, with its exquisite Chinese and other panAsian eats making it a top-on list of recommendations.
Rs.1,400 for two. At Secunderabad.
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