High 5 for this Chinese encounter

The chic oriental d ufffdcor, imaginative dishes and signature Burnt Chilly Rice combine to make 5 Spice one of the most buzz-worthy, mid-level Chinese cuisine destinations in the city

The chic oriental d ufffdcor, imaginative dishes and signature Burnt Chilly Rice combine to make 5 Spice one of the most buzz-worthy, mid-level Chinese cuisine destinations in the city

After wowing patrons at Fort, Bandra and Oshiwara, 5 Spice opened it characteristic oriental doors in Malad. As you enter, you are greeted with the bar and desserts on offer -- both look irresistible and tempting. Unlike the Oshiwara outlet (where no alcohol is served) 5 Spice Malad offers plenty of delightful cocktails.

We start with the Long Island Ice Tea (Rs 240). TThe finished drink may look as innocent as iced tea, but it packs a major punch. 5 Spice serves it very strong (as we expected) with the basic recipe that equalled portions of vodka, gin, triple sec, rum and tequila. It was literally topped with Coke and a lemon wedge.

Heady! Potent! Worthy! The Crispy Thread Chicken (Rs 225) is a delight. Golden fried strips of extra crispy chicken dipped in egg and batter served with saut ufffded noodles stuck to it, is a visual and tasty experience. 5 Spice serves it with a special white sweetish sauce that enhances the flavor of the chicken - easily the best starter on the menu. Since the Crispy Chicken was such an epic win, we decided to try the Crispy Vegetables (Rs 210) -- it was a resounding success.

An assortment of golden fried vegetables (capsicum, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower) pan-fried to perfection, with flour, corn flour, pepper, sesame seeds and salts and enough water to make a thick batter coating vegetables. There were bites that made us believe we were eating chicken -- which is a great sign. The only downside is that a trained tongue will taste the batter at some point.

Next, the Chilly Chicken (Rs 225) was nice and medium spicy, full of flavour and melted in our mouths. Since Chilli Chicken is the most tried and tested dish, it is a great barometer to validate a Chinese restaurant. The 5 Spice Chilli Chicken made for an excellent dish and proved to be the ultimate mix of onion and garlic with chilli seasoning and pepper. Good.

To go with the Chilli Chicken, the pi ce de r ufffdsistance, the Burnt Chilli Rice (Rs 220) with its splash of vinegar, soy sauce and the bits of chicken, arrived stir-fried with binding pan-fried chillies. This is easily the best Chinese rice I've eaten in Mumbai. There are also the garlic iterations that substitute chillies for garlic. The rice can be eaten plain -- it's so delicious. The only grouse may be that it has an extremely oily base.

For dessert, the Death By Chocolate (Rs 140) (a marketing term for various desserts that feature dark chocolate or cocoa) is an absolute chocolate-y delight. Like the name promises this dessert will make you believe that not all chocolate is created equal. Soon, you will swoon with ecstasy at the first mouthful of it's meltingly delectable, molten-velvet interior, served with a scoop of Chocolate Ice-Cream and a creative design of chocolate sauce.

At Renis Apartment, near Inorbit Mall & Privilege Inn, off Link Road, lane opposite Greens Restaurant, Malad (W); Call 28760170, 28760171, 28760172, 28760173

5 Spice didn't know we were there.u00a0The Guideu00a0reviews anonymously and pays for meals.