There are few things that Chinese food can’t cure. From colds to heart-breaks to hunger, it brings moments of pure peace, especially for those whose childhood eating-out experiences pinnacled on Chinese. New Dragon, opened recently, opposite Varsha Apartment at Elamkulam, offers the typical Indian-Chinese fare. Formerly Golden Dragon, the décor is pretty much the same—heavy red curtains that let little day light in, ornate wooden partitions and an endless loop of Chinese music. Kiran V.M., the proprietor, has retained the menu more or less, with just a few additions.
The Executive Lunch, is one such. Priced at Rs. 149, it includes a soup of choice, egg fried rice or noodles, Chinese chappati, crispy chilli potato or dry cauliflower chilli, chicken Manchurian or chicken Hong Kong (gravy) and lime juice.
Starting with soup, picking chicken manchow over a mind-boggling variety—Thai yong kai, spicy seafood, pepper lemon, corn and crab, spinach with tofu to start with—was not easy. But it was just how one wants a soup—hot and spicy with generous quantities of shredded chicken. The combo usually offers only egg fried rice/noodles, but it could be replaced by something else on the main menu like a regular chicken fried rice, a mixed fried rice, Manchurian fried rice, dragon special fried rice or anything on the menu. The variety is exhaustive in the case of noodles too—hakka, butter garlic, plain garlic, chap-cha, or the Singapore mei-foon to begin with.
The Chinese chappathi, evokes curiosity with its strange moniker, but it is nothing but fried maida roti, crunchy and ideally paired with chilli gravy. The Chicken Hong Kong gravy is thick and appears almost black, but the soya sauce flavoured curry is a dish by itself that could be savoured with the rice or noodles or just scooped up and slurped. The Manchurian gravy, the other option, is as good, only brighter in colour. The crispy vegetable (potato or cauliflower) is true value for money, complementing the non-vegetarian meal well. The lime juice, sweet and chilled, at the end of the meal is a perfect way to wash down the meal.
For vegetarians, the elements in the combo meal can be replaced by vegetarian dishes.
Aimed at professionals, the executive lunch has been conceived in such a way as to provide a little bit of everything, says Kiran. The portion size is small and thereby perfect for a quick lunch. It does not leave you too full, so it’s ideal for a workaday lunch, he says. Only recently launched, the combo meal is being well-received, Kiran adds.
The combo meal is available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
