Dashanzi

Where splendid paintings meet plush blue carpets It's recherche for my reviews to begin with a title not directly connected with food, but then there would perhaps be no other term(s) which would own the word 'justifiable'. The left side of the standard staircase leading to the multi-cuisine Lotus Cafe (separate review available) begins to what arguably is amongst the most majestic entrances to a restaurant one will see. It isn't just about the exquisite paintings, which range from shade-mix of multiple colours to random visages; perhaps if Picasso wanted to go on an outing in the city, he wouldn't have looked any beyond this restaurant. The exterior, amongst other embellishments,  has a grand blue carpet (which jointly manages to steal the show along with the paintings), which leads to the plush dining room; I reckon the restaurant must be wearing goggles with a cigar in its chops, and saying "Who needs a red carpet when we have a royal blue one". It has got a cool design and the vibrance. The chandeliers aren't amongst the fanciest ones anymore, but still quite attractive. They very likely give a vibe of old times, given their shape&pattern, and also, perhaps, look like hung, big bulbs in a colonial mansion. But they do help create the vibe of a dim bar-suited atmosphere. One of the changes I really appreciate compared to my previous visit is that now the 10-odd table doored dining zone has low noise from the music playing outside (earlier, the noise here was pretty loud). The other seating space, including the bar counter, remains open and exposed to music. The default large, white clay dishes remain, keeping up with the overall elegance of the atmosphere/setting. The menu needs to be a bit more descriptive, though. Previous visit (before the rejig) I tried chef-special duck rolls and sea bass. While the former was very dry and didn't pair well along the sides it was served along, the latter was above average. However, upon pointing out the same, the chef visited me and was happy to offer desserts of my choice to ameliorate the experience. The cheesecake and Creme Brulee were delicious and among the best I have tasted at similar-level restaurants. Recent visit (post the rejig) There was an Indonesian Food Festival which had just begun. It was my first bash at this cuisine, which was outstanding, as one will find in the review ahead. In the main course, we ordered: A lamb dish- With pepper and ginger flavour (but not so vital to get the sensation in the nose), it had a rich texture, wasn't spicy and was nowhere close to the Western preparation; perhaps the best main course dish of the three we ordered. Pork ribs- Described as sweet but were hot&sweet, and the aftertaste was quite hot. Again, a different one compared to the typical Western preparation, but I have eaten pork dishes, which aren't very dissimilar to Chinese preparation. It tasted very nice. One criticism here would be two of the ribs had hardly any meat on them, and on another two pieces, tiny bones seemed to have found themselves in the meat, making it at times challenging to scoff. In between, the Indonesian chef personally came to ask if everything was going well, and we had a good conversation. In the desserts, we ordered: Japanese cheesecake- Rich-textured, medium-sweet, spongy mawa-esque cake on a slightly watery side served with vanilla ice cream. Kolak Kreme Brulee- A limited-time Indonesian preparation, was medium-sweet and the difference in taste when compared to a regular creme brulee could be felt. Lavender Ice Cream- Another chef came personally to give the final touch-ups and sprayed something on it. A sui-generis preparation, different from the traditional back current ice cream, was coated with a dulcified whipped cream, but the very ice cream was less sweet. Between them stood a semi-thick, medium-sweet layer. I felt that the dessert would have tasted much better had the whipped cream, despite its attractive covering, not been a companion to the ice cream. The outside view is just as majestic.  Coming here again soon!

Amazing food! Especially the sushi and sashimi. Chef Gaurav does a great job! However it’s the service of Jervis that makes us want to go here again and again. He’s just that good! Just one complaint if any is that the reservation guy is a bit rude and there’s no loyalty shown by him to customers who’ve visited the restaurant often. Unlike Royal China or HakkaSan where returning customers are treated very well. Overall good food and drinks are amazing. A serene and lovely place to spend a romantic evening or a fun night with friends/family alike.

Ok let’s be honest. This place isn’t cheap. The food has to be exceptional for it to make sense. So what did I think. Service was amazing. Sumedh and Suini were fantastic and attentive and informative. Good recommendations and totally on point at all times. The food. Well some of the dishes were very good - black cod, the burnt garlic rice, the calamari and the king prawns. The desserts that were recommended were outstanding. Thank you for making me try them. The Japanese milk cake, wow! Some of the food was ok. New Zealand lamb tasted fine but had no punch or real flavour. The noodles were good but needed depth of flavour and heat. We didn’t try the dim sum as it wasn’t available and no one fancies the sushi even though I’m a fan. Overall for a special occasion and if you choose well it’s worth a try. You won’t be let down by the service.