Food Review: Yauatcha, Bandra Kurla Complex

I wanted to visit the dimsum and tea house in Bandra Kurla Complex since the time it opened. The concept of pairing dimsum with teas was something that was new and interesting for me. Finally had a chance to visit the restaurant when they launched a new menu, basically they added new dishes in the already existing menu.

I went for lunch and Sandhya Johari, the Marketing Manager at Ka Hospitality kept me company and sportingly recommended her favourite dishes from the menu.

I started with a kiwi and lime cooler with a mix of vegetarian and non vegetarian dimsum; spicy sauce shredded fish, black pepper lamb roll - lamb filling wrapped in Chinese cabbage topped with black pepper sauce, crispy veg cheung fang - vegetarian tempura crispy rolls wrapped in translucent steamed rice sheets. The crispiness of cheung fang was well balanced with the beautiful soft stuffing inside and what made it even better was the hot soy sauce poured over it right at the table. But the lamb rolls are the winner for me. The flavour was very subtle and the lamb stuffing was so tender that it almost melted in my mouth. 

Half way through eating the dimsum I decided to try a tea. On the tea expert's recommendation I ordered a blue roast tea. Most of the teas are meant to be had without sugar, an odd taste for me but I tried and trust me it was really comforting.

For the mains I decided to go for honey smoked spare ribs - succulent pork spare ribs glazed with honey and smoked in house with jasmine tea and Malay lotus leaf rice - fried rice cooked with veggies wrapped in lotus leaf. Well, the spare ribs were one of the most tender and crispy pork preparations I've ever had. It had a nice sweet+spicy flavour with an added touch of smokiness. The Malay lotus leaf rice came packed in a dry lotus leaf and was fun to eat right from the little leaf parcel. While I was too full to order more I'd recommend that you order the rice with some sauce since it's a little dry.

Ordering dessert was a little tough given to all the beautiful looking sweetness I had seen on the dessert counter as I entered the restaurant. On Sandhya's recommendation I tried the jasmine cake - jasmine infused milk chocolate mousse, layered with feuilletine, sacher and jasmine ganache. The plating was enough for me to start drooling. As I cut through the soft cake there was a hard layer of chocolate inside. The cake was served with a dollop of ice-cream and chocolate praline on the side. With a typical case of 'pet to bhar gaya par dil nahi bhara' I finished my meal.

On my way out I spotted the pretty looking raspberry delice and kicked myself for not trying it and after reading The Big Bhookad's review I kick myself some more.

Must try -  Black pepper lamb roll, honey smoked spare ribs, jasmine cake.