FOOD REVIEW: 19 Oriental Avenue, Shangri-La Hotel, NEW MENU
RATING: * * *

Shangri-La hotel’s, 19 Oriental Avenue, a sojourn for epicureans looking to indulge their tastebuds in eclectic oriental cuisine, all served under one roof, recently launched a brand new menu that they claim is a rich accumulation of age old recipes evolved to the next level of modernity.

One does appreciate the endeavour to keep the recipes sacrosanct without much tweaking to suit the Indian palette, unless specifically demanded, a little bit of customization could do wonders for the new menu.

In the Japanese menu, you could start your meal with skewered chicken balls called Tsukune, an appetizer from the Robatayaki or charcoal grill inorder to indulge in a flavour not so unfamiliar to your tastebuds. Neba Neba, a kind of salad made from salmon fillet, cuttle fish, lady finger and asparagus with a dash of wasabi sauce is tangy and tasty and a must have for those who relish fish. Okonomiyaki, made of  batter fried cake filled with cabbage and pork and topped with bonito flakes, teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise, a kind of street food, from Japan that would look more like a pizza prima facie, is also quite delicious. Shakekawamaki, a crispy salmon skin reverse roll is avoidable. Stick to the regular sushi platter if you have a predilection for raw fish.

In Thai, the Lamb Salad with chilli makes for an interesting accompaniment for your drinks. Poh pia thod - Thai fried spring rolls stuffed with vegetables and glass noodles is an interesting dish in terms of ingredients and presentation but may appear tad bit bland especially if it is had without a sauce.

Try and reserve Chinese for your main course. Although, the Butterfly Prawns with sweet and sour make for a good choice of an appetizer especially for those who like sea food. The Peking Duck soup however, is disappointing and insipid as is the Fried Tofu. Crispy Fried Pork in sweet and sour sauce is good as is Chef Wang’s style - Stir Fried Chicken in Wild Pepper sauce. Have them with the Szechwan fried noodles. Scallop with Black Beans and Glass Noodles is rather tender and sumptuous.

Add the finishing touch to your meal with the Ice Cream Tempura and the Pumpkin custard.

So for a complete oriental experience, hit the 19 Oriental Avenue. Make sure you make reservations in advance especially during the lunch hour when the restaurant is a choc-a-block with foodies.