09 March,2014 11:18 AM IST | | Phorum Dalal
Who says vegetarians can't savour the best of South East Asian food? Go all out at The Asian Street Kitchen says Phorum Dalal
First there was New York, New York and then a coffee shop. Now, The Asian Street Kitchen has opened at Dev Prakash Building, Chowpatty.
The Asian Street Kitchen at Chowpatty
The germ of an idea to open an all-veg restaurant came to 27-year-old Arjun Dhinsa when he was studying in Singapore, and scurried to find a restaurant that served vegetarian dishes every time his mum came down to visit.
Three Mushroom Dumplings
We visit the restaurant on its opening day and it is packed. I spot a Gujarati grandfather lapping up Khowsuey, finishing every bite with "saru che (it is good)". We begin with Tom Kha (Rs 150), a coconut and coriander soup with mushrooms.
The Vietnamese Pho comes with a broth
It opens up the appetite pretty well. We bite into Katsu Shiitake Mushroom served with mustard mayo. Though well-seasoned, the deep-fried and crunchy dish was too oily for our liking. The next dish, discs of Grilled Aubergine topped with ginger garlic sauce is exquisitely tangy, charcoaled taste.
From the dumplings menu, we try the Asparagus, Water chestnut and Peas (Rs 390), Three Mushroom with Chilli oil (Rs 270) and Steamy Garlic Wantons with a red chilli drizzle. Each one has a distinct Asian flavour. While the first one is a burst of flavour and crunch in the mouth, the Mushroom with chilli oil is a classic. The garlic wanton goes well with the spicy peanut sauce.
The dish we try is the Vietnamese Pho, which is a broth of noodles topped with mint, sprouts, lemon, basil all soaked in soy. I sip the soothing broth, which is delightfully herby and refreshing. Our last dish before the dessert is Nasi Goreng. We raise a brow. This Indonesian dish is usually served with chunks of beef. The rice comes with a mushroom satay, which is well marinated in a coconut-based sauce. The rice, along with the crispy wafer, tofu and red chilli, is the winner of the day. This one is bold and deliciously spiced.
On a squeaky white plate, yet the Hazelnut Mousse Cake tempts us. Topped with a smooth ganache, covered in white chocolate and resting on a cake, this is a sin we are dying to commit. The empty plate leaves us with a chocolate high. We rest our case.
We cannot rate the review as it was a preview.
