For MSG-free, olive oil enhanced Chinese

Martin's the Chinese nook in Malad, offers a separate 'fit and healthy' menu that boasts of Chinese soups, salads and stir-fry made using olive oil

Weekends in Malad typically mean serpentine queues outside three of Orlem's most popular Chinese joints: JB Dynasty, Uncle's Kitchen and Maldrin's.

So, when Martin's The Chinese Nook opened, the idea to dish out 'healthy Chinese' read: minus MSG and food colour, and cooked in olive oil probably had more to do with good business sense than genuine concern for our arteries.

Martin's has clearly managed to pique local interest with its 'healthy' menu, gauging by the crowd, the Saturday night we stopped by.



The place is inviting and cosy, and the lighting is just right. As we wait for our order, we are transported 4,000 years to ancient China, when chopsticks replaced knives as a sign of respect for scholars over warriors, courtesy the bespectacled chef smiling down on us from the red walls of the eatery.

Barely having chewed on that, we move on to discover that wontons or steamed dumplings are more commonly served in soups than eaten as starters.

There's lots more to learn, but we turn our attention to scanning the menu instead. We start with the Veg Thai Herb Soup (Rs 80), which has a strong flavour of lemon grass, tasty, but a tad too spicy for our liking.
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Next, we tuck into the Crispy Spinach Baby Corn (Rs 110) starter, which proves to be a definite winner.

We love the sweet and crunchy combo of the spinach that perfectly complements the tender babycorn. The Chicken Salt and Pepper (Rs 120) is strictly okay.

Martin's also has a Fit and Healthy menu that offers food cooked in olive oil, the manager informs us. And so we sample the Steamed Chicken Dimsum (Rs 110).
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Delicately flavoured, light and soft, the dimsums work well as a starter or even an accompaniment to the main course.

We order the Veg Fried Rice (Rs 90), Thai Pot Rice Chicken (Rs 130) and the Roast Lamb in Schezwan Sauce (Rs 175), next.
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The Veg Fried Rice and Thai Pot Rice Chicken were average, but the Roast Lamb in Schezwan Sauce was better, adding just the right amount of spice to the rice.

Martin's is reasonably priced; the service is prompt and the portions generous enough for two people. We were too stuffed for dessert, but we'll certainly be back soon for more.

AT: Martin's The Chinese Nook, shop 1 and 2, Lourdes Heritage Cooperative Society Ltd, opposite Orlem Church, Marve Road, Malad (W).
Call 28056655
Martin's The Chinese Nook didn't
know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for all meals