Though I chronicle much of my Delhi life on this blog, most restaurant reviews go up on Zomato (follow me here) and TripAdvisor (follow me here) directly. As a foodie, I take my dining experiences very seriously! I recently had a meal at Omya- the Indian Restaurant at the newly revamped Oberoi Hotel, Delhi. I rated the placed only above average due to the lackluster service despite its high price point. You can read about the experience here. After reading the review, Simon Rastrick, the Executive Assistant Manager- Food and Beverage of the Oberoi Hotel, reached out to me offering a new culinary experience at their Chinese restaurant Baoshuan; to give the hotel another chance.
The meal began with a hot towel, various kinds of crackers and delicious sauces
I’ve been a patron of the Oberoi hotel for years and felt very honoured by this overture, where the hotel probably felt my views were worthy of being changed! I took them up on their offer to review the Chinese restaurant for people that may be interested. Please keep in mind that such reviews must be read with a grain of salt, as a regular customer’s experience may differ from one specially hosted by the restaurant.
Prawn Wonton with Sweet Chilli Jam
Baoshuan replaces the iconic Taipan, the concept of which has been significantly changed. Where Taipan was known for its delicious dimsum spread, Baoshuan has considerably reduced the selection on the menu, concentrating on making each dish really stand out. Instead of an unlimited dimsum lunch, they now offer a main course and starter along with dimsum servings of choice. The dimsum menu is largely limited to lunchtime, except for select seafood choices served at dinner.
The Peking Duck pancakes
The meal began with crackers of different kinds served with some lovely sauces. We ordered the “Prawn Wonton with Sweet Chilli Jam” as an appetizer, the “Moo Shu Pancake Wraps of Chilli Bean Paste, Egg and Mushroom with Peking Duck” and the “Dong Po Slow Braised Pork Belly with Pickled Ginger” for the main course. The restaurant manager Tenzing Tashi sent over a selection of dimsum that he felt best represented the restaurant. These included the “Soupy Dumpling”, the “Chicken Suimai” and the “Crab Dumpling”. For dessert, we were served the “Tea Smoked Banana, Nut Crumble, Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate” despite our full tummies!
A selection of dimsum. From top left: Soupy dumpling, chicken suimai, crab dumpling
Each dish was beautifully presented and perfectly cooked with a bouquet of subtle flavours. My personal favourites were the soupy dumplings which were unusual yet delicious; the Peking duck which was the correct balance of crispy and soft textures with a delicate zest; and the fantastic dessert which was a complimentary conglomeration of flavours. Perhaps the only criticism is on the pork belly which could’ve been slightly softer in texture to elevate it to the next level.
Braised pork belly. We ordered steamed rice to accompany it.
Tea smoked banana nut crumble with vanilla ice cream and chocolate
The service was highly attentive without being intrusive, and ensured we had a memorable experience. The place is definitely pricey but the food is worth the pretty penny. I’d like to thank the team at the Oberoi for this wonderful meal. Here’s hoping the other restaurants in the hotel fix their teething issues and rise to their Chinese counterpart soon!
Restaurant rating: 4.8/5
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