Of rice and soup.

After visiting Korum mall and booking lovely leather shoes for my better (?) half we headed home. The bike took a different turn on the service road. And we stopped in front of “royal challenge” restaurant on service road, next to express highway. We always used to pass by this restaurant and wonder its quality. it looked lovely from with its sheer glass windows and bright yellow lights .I argued about McDonalds and its economical value. Better (?) half argued about going there for a long time and its too late (we had parked outside the restaurant) swallowing my arguments we headed in the restaurant. They showed us the basement. I wondered where we are heading. It was good. The ambiance was soft with ceiling having false greenery, its soft lights and surreal wildlife paintings. (One of which of lionesses felt almost human eye like to me). The restaurant was quiet minus soft cliché instrumental music of Kenny g. with a few customers enjoying food and drink.
We ordered for a hot and sour soup and tandoori gobhi. The service was medium. Not to fast hurrying to go and not too boringly slow. The hot and sour was subtle in taste with sharp taste of celery distinct. Silvers of mushrooms carrots and spring onions dotted the light brown steaming base. I felt almost criminal by contaminating the soup with anything so I had it JLT. The tandoori gobhi was nice, gobhi was a tad bitty (maybe undercooked) but the charcoal flavor of the tandoor and tangy marination flavor compensated for it. The main course was triple sichuan fried rice which compensated for rice and gravy. Lovely and subtle in taste. Not too much salt not too sour, the fried noodles used as garnish added crispy texture to every bite. The rice was cooked to perfection and fragrance that only basmati can carry away. Again taste of celery (no other herb folks? Celery brought in bulk from Crawford market hehe…that’s nasty me) dominated the flavor. But it was not overpowering (thank goodness) I minused the dessert but better (?) half wanted something and rabri found its way on the table. He liked the taste. I had a spoonful and had to restrain my self to having another one. Smooth creamy thick concoction speckled with almond and pistachio bits, not the piercing sweet but just hint of sweetness it was ambrosia. The bill was great too and budgeting and saving went down the drain for the time being but I felt that we spent right and the experience was good and as we headed back home, on bike in airy atmosphere, stomach and soul satiated thinking we wouldn’t mind to frequent this restaurant again