On the inside, the ambience of Chi Asian Cookhouse is surprisingly, and very pleasantly so. There's a summery warmth to the decor, the bright yellows and greens pleasantly sunny, the space sparsely filled and the entire effect both cheery and light. When we arrive for an early lunch, we are greeted by the restaurant's promoter Anubhav Gupta, who tells us of the idea behind the decor. It turns out that the word “Chi” means 'natural energy' and the etymological explanation of the Chi logogram, is steam rising from rice as it cooks. The idea of a cookhouse, which is basically a dining area in an industry or factory, has also been explored in the design, and so, along with the no-frill seating which can accommodate large groups, the restaurant also makes use of industry motifs likes pipes, iron grills etc.
The over all effect is pleasing, but also not quite what you expect from the usual run-of-the-mill Asian cuisine restaurants. We take this to be a good sign, and go through the tasting menu prepared by the executive chef Mohan Singh Chauhan. This is meant to give us a complete idea of what Chi has on offer, and picks the best of each course.
We begin with chiang mai glass noodle chicken soup, and are pleased, if not entirely blown away by it. It's good, wholesome soup, and while not different from the other chian mai soups I've had, it doesn't give us any other reason to complain. Coupled with the Ho Chi Minh chicken satay and cha ca thang (soft Vietnamese basa fish seasoned with turmeric and dill), both of which are flavoured beautifully and cooked to perfection, the meal is off to a good, solid start.
The next item on the menu, though, is below average, and more than anything else, seems almost unnecessary. On paper, the goi cuan chay (fresh rice pair rolls with relish of peanuts) sounds intriguing. In reality, it is bland and doesn't excite the palate, or for that matter, cleanse it.
Meanwhile, two mocktails have appeared on the table, and one of them especially shines. The Beijing martini is wonderful, with just the right mix of sweetness, crispness and acidity. Perhaps a bit low on the ice, but that is always easy to rectify.
It is perhaps the next round of dishes that really define the meal for us –– the dimsums. Chi has really set the bar high on this aspect, with unusual dimsums that are unlike the usual fare you might be used to. We find ourselves looking forward each dish, surprising in both taste and presentation. There is the banana leaf with sticky rice and minced chicken dimsum, which wrapped and cooked wonderfully well, the ratio of rice to chicken just right, and then there is the fish with Thai curry paste, which is tiny tumblers full of fish in excellently flavoured curry. The tofu tausi is average, but again, presented quite delicately. The prawn cheung fun, though is a tricky one. It isn't flavoured much, but the prawn itself is cooked well, and to any bona fide sea food fan, it's a good dish.
For the mains, we settle for a portion of cheating chilli prawns and jiao chicken, with some veg japchae (gluten free Korean work tossed cellophane noodles with shiitake). This prawn dish is spicy and fiery, and will satisfy any adventurous foodie. The chicken is a bit of a disappointment, though, because in front of the other experimentally sound dishes, it pales and becomes just about average. The noodles keep both mains good company, and are cooked very well, spiced lightly but not blandly.
It's time for dessert, and it is wonderful to see Chi stay away from the usual cakes and pastries, which are always good but so expected. Instead, we find ourselves facing coconut pancakes with orange drizzle and vanilla ice-cream. The entire dish comes together quite harmoniously and makes for a good end to a good meal.
