The iconic restaurant at The Taj Mahal Hotel in the Capital, House of Ming, is now under revamp for the second time. SHALINI SAKSENA tells you what’s in store for the patrons six months down the line

Delhittes love eating out — pandemic or no pandemic. If there is a lockdown we end up ordering online otherwise we head to our favourite restaurant. Nothing smells or tastes better than Chinese food — our version of it of course. And which place to head if not the House of Ming (HOM) at The Taj Mahal Hotel in the Capital which began its journey in 1978.

After 43 years of being in business the HOM is now going for its second revamp; the first happened in 2010. Hem Godayal, the restaurant manager, who has been here since 1982, tells you that in the second round of revamp the patrons will not only see a completed changed look of the restaurant but there will be some changes in the menu as well.

“When the restaurant began its journey in 1978, the decor was in tune with the Ming Dynasty colours and the painting on the walls depicted the same. It was something out of the world back then. Then came the revamp in 2010. This was more in tune with the modern look; everything was changed including the lighting. Now, that HOM is going for its second revamp, it will have a more modern look,” Godayal says.

He gives a sneak peek of what one can expect. The carpet will be done away with. The number of seating will be reduced to 110 pax. However, it will have better placing and seating. There will be two completely private dining areas and two semi-private. There will be changes in the menu as well.

Fret not, while the restaurant may be closed for the next six months or so, the team of chefs will continue to serve dishes in the basement of the hotel albeit with reduced menu.

Sous chef HOM, Salem Lepcha, who is from Darjeeling and been working for almost 10 years at the restaurant, tells you that while there will be a few signature dishes from the old on the new revamped menu, they will add a few dishes from Northern China; something that has not be explored before. The chef and his team have already started exploring the dishes they would want to serve keeping in the mind Indian palate.

But as a last hurrah for this menu, he gets down to serving dishes that became must trys. But not before he tells you that there is no specific drink that goes well with this kind of food except Chinese tea. However, he does recommend the restaurant’s signature drink — sweet, salty and sour lemonade.

The first is a salad of pickled cucumbers with pineapple. The name doesn’t sound appetising but one bite and one can make a meal out of it. The sweet and sour cucumber is a burst of flavours. Chef Salem tells you that he puts sugar and spices to give that extra bite. Next comes dishes from 2010 — steamed chicken and prawn siu mai and Har gau; Char siu bao (pork buns) from 1987 and assorted mushroom, cheese dumplings from 2016. Believe it is not these can’t ever be confused with momos. Each dumpling has a distinct flavour and the shell is light. If you don’t like your meat to be on the sweeter side, avoid pork buns.

The butteffly prawns, which were introduced in 2007, are another must have for a couple of reasons. First, the sheer of it; they are tiger prawns and the second is that they are cooked to perfection topped with garlic sauce. A surprised dish is the crispy fried duck. It tastes almost like chicken with no after taste or smell of the fat that can be off putting for many. Godayal tells you that there is a way to cook it — Peking duck needs the right kind of wood to roast — it is applewood.

If you are vegetarian go for eggplant Chengdu style (1998), crispy spinach with almond flakes (1985-2000) and stir-fried haricot beans char choy (2011) as main course; add Udon noodles mixed greens (2010).

If you are non-vegetarian try the steamed sea bass hoemade soya sauce (1982), Chengdu chicken (1980) with seafood Jasmine fried rice (2010). If you are not a fish person, go for crispy lamb Beijing style. Give soups a miss even though they whet your appetite. When there is dessert on the list, you don’t want to be too full. While there aren’t many, we love to end things on a sweet note. Go for the classic date pancake introduced in 1978 with ice cream.