When it comes to opening a restaurant, the safest cuisine to bank on is Chinese. Sticking to the formula is the recently launched Nom Nom at Ashok. After its success in Mumbai, Nom Nom might add a new zing to the hotel as well. With an area of 11,000 sq. ft. and a seating capacity of 170 covers, Nom Nom is definitely spacious.
I like their step seating arrangement right in the middle of the restaurant which, after every few steps, gives the feel of a private dining space. The view from the top is spectacular too.
The menu is extensive and covers delicacies from Yue, Chuan, Hui, Lu, Min, Su, Xiang and Zhe styles of cooking from amongst China’s 23 provinces. I started with one of my favourites — curry laksa soup. It was a prawn laksa that served as the perfect antidote for my cold, though I would have preferred it served piping hot.
The chef followed my soup with numerous variations of dim sums, of which steamed sea crab dim sum was just amazing. Even the crystal prawn one was delicious. Deep fried prawn money bag failed to impress me as the batter was too crunchy and didn’t blend with the prawn inside. Crispy corn in plum chilli was good. Lemon grass prawns tossed in Hangzhou sauce were amazing. I loved the tanginess and flavour of the prawn. Shredded lamb was perfectly crunchy and had the right balance of the spices. Opting for a glass noodle in between turned out to be a wise decision. White fungus in the salad, slippery and tangy with a little bit of spiciness, was yummy. Oven baked black cod fillet with butter and cheese crust was flavoursome but seemed a bit dry inside.
Nom Nom signature rice noodles with chicken/prawn curry is a nice option. People who like their food spicy should opt for spicy fried chicken with cashew nuts. Due to its thick soy sauce curry, it goes well with steamed rice and completes the meal. To undo the effect of the spice, I opted for some desserts. On chef’s recommendation, I opted for caramelized rambutan and lemon grass ice cream. Rambutan was below average and bitter, but the lemon grass ice cream was just amazing, though the lemon grass aroma could have been a little more dominant.
Meal for two: Rs. 2500
