The Crispy Cheung Fun At Royal China Is Packed With Flavour

The first time I dined at Royal China was a couple of years ago when my father, who continues to be very excited about taking us to all his loved spots, presented it as a place in Delhi that had him hooked. 

Ever since, my Royal China visits have been many but the most recent one happened to serve one of the most delicious spreads I have had at the restaurant. Their new Shanghai Spring menu features some lip-smacking dishes that are totally worth the run to The Chanakya. 

What To Expect From The New Menu? 

Whenever at Royal China, a pro tip would be to straight head to their dim sum selection. And that I did with the new menu too. Without a second thought, I went with their Spicy Crispy Cheung Fun. There are certain dishes you go back to, even days later, for how they tasted on the palate, this cheung fun was one of those. Topped with fried garlic, stuffed with crunchy veggies, and paired with a flavourful soy sauce, it all came together as a comforting preparation you would want to go back to time and again. 

Another favourite from the menu was the basil fried rice. I paired it with the gravy of the mushroom pot rice. While the rice was a great standalone, it paired perfectly with the mushroom gravy. Pat on my back for the pairing. 

The Food Menu 

I would declare it sinful to stop at one dim sum order when dining at Royal China. I went in and ordered myself two more steamer baskets. Their truffle and edamame dumplings were slightly disappointing since they didn’t quite strike the texture that I was looking for. The creaminess was absent which was compensated by my second pick, the spinach and cheese dumplings. The latter won by miles and I suggest you try them too. 

Unlocking the risky foodie in me, I went in with the corn and water chestnut dumpling too. It simply did not work for me and you are free to owe that to my dislike for water chestnuts. A pass from my side.

I had been craving sweet, crispy lotus stem and when I saw it on the menu, I was quick to place the order.  The spicy lotus root arrived soggy and not as crispy as my palate had imagined it to be. Yet my love for Thai lotus root led me to finish half the portion and I realised that it was the in-house sauce that was truly working for the preparation.   

As a main course, I went in with the mushroom pot with rice. Featuring oyester, shiitake, and portobello mushrooms, the gravy was slightly sweeter for my liking and came paired with a hearty serving of rice. It all came together to create a mushroom-forward meal that can fill you up even before you know. But addictive enough to have you reaching back for what you think is your last bite.  

The dessert rarely misses my attention. And when I read they had a classic, pull-me-up nutella cake, I knew what I wanted. The days of pull me up cakes are long gone but what is evergreen is nutella. And I am a sucker for everything chocolate. The cake was decadent and not overly sweet which led me to take a few bites beyond my appetite.

Drinks Menu 

From the cocktail roster, I went for one of their signature cocktail— Jungle bird. The white rum based drink was delicious to say the least. With notes of grapefruit and pineapples, it was fruity enough to complement the light-bodied rum. If you are visiting Royal China, I would strongly urge that you try the drink before you step out of the restaurants. You will find yourself thanking me!

Impressed with my first pick, I went in with a bartender recommendation. Touch of Asia. When it is a G&T paired with galangal, kaffir, notes of lemon grass, and pink peppercorn. As a kaffir lime fan, the drink won me over. I would go back to it on every visit and so should you. 

A drink I was not a fan of was their espresso martini. The bitterness of the cocktail was dominating all the flavour profiles. I was hoping for sharp notes of dark chocolate and cocoa, but the hunt was a failure. I would not recommend.

Information 

Address: 03, Lower Ground Floor, The Chankya Mall, Yashwant Place, Community Centre, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

Price for two: INR 3,000

Timings: Lunch: 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM, Dinner: 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM

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