As we enter the tastefully lit Imperial China, tranquillity surrounds us instantly. The décor, complete with Asian artistic charm, intensifies the overall experience further. After all, a restaurant is not only about food!

The set of old-world swinging Chinese fans on the ceiling is a showstopper. Chinese vases, paintings, crystal chandeliers and decorative Chinese umbrellas complement the restaurant, as much as the red colour prominent everywhere. The seating is around 46 in this luxurious property. The live piano is very soothing to the ears and definitely adds magic to the relaxed atmosphere. Here is the ambience that flatters food for sure. The convivial Yum Cha Food Festival at Imperial China, Hilton Mumbai, which started on the 6th September, culminates on 15th September, 2019.

This seems to be the place where you can probably sit for hours and enjoy the food as it slowly mesmerises you. The food is like a firework of flavours. There are around 15 starters in each set menu, and one can go for all, as the portions are bite-sized. It is interesting to see how even after eating atleast 10 starters of different kinds (we tried five seafood and five meat-based), we still feel light and crave for the next level.

There are three types of set menus in the festival: the veg, non-veg and seafood. The Seafood set menu is priced at INR 2050/- (plus taxes), whereas the Non-veg three-course menu costs INR 1850/- (plus taxes). If one opts for the non-veg menu, there are around 16 starters that will be served. For chicken-lovers, the starters like Chicken Piccata, Chicken Jade Wings, Chicken Shu Mai, General Tso’s Chicken, Drumstick Heaven, Chicken Lemongrass and Rapid Chicken offer a good choice of flavours. For lamb-lovers there are starters like Lamb Dumpling, Lamb Szechwan, Lamb Chilli Wine, Lamb Teriyaki and Lamb Asian. The pork-lovers have enough to choose from, among Pork Chilli, Pork Chilli Bean, Pork Tangerine and Pork Spare Ribs in Wine Sauce.

The starters in the Seafood Menu are finger-licking enough. You are spoilt for choice with a range of seafood offerings in the set menu. The prawn-lovers can go for various prawn-based Chinese delicacies like Prawn Wrapped Roll, Butterfly Prawn, Prawn Chilly, Prawn Curried, Vietnamese Prawns Roll, Seafood Wonton, Prawn Shanghai, Prawn Pepper Salt and Prawn Asian Sauce. The other starters in the Seafood Menu are with Basa fish: the options include Fish Hot Basil, Fish Pepper Fry, Fish Cantonese, Fish Pepper Tomato, Fish Chilli Garlic, Fish Oyster and Fish Chengdu.

The starters that we loved include Tso Chicken, Pork Chilli Bean, Pork Tangerine, Lamb Asian, Lamb Dumpling, Seafood Dumpling, Fish Basil, Prawns Chilli, Prawns Pepper Salt and Fish Cantonese.

The Main Course in the Seafood Menu offers you three options: prawns, fish cube and squids. Saucing is the king here. As we had enough of prawns and Basa fish, we wanted to try something with squids. Since the squids weren’t available, we opted for two non-veg main course dishes instead. In the seafood main course, Kung Pao, Chilli Basil, Szechwan, Black Bean, Thai Curry. Served with Jasmine Rice, Fried Rice and Noodles. If you plan to opt for the Non-Veg menu, then the choice of meat is chicken, lamb or pork. We opted for Kung Pao Lamb and Pork in BBQ sauce for our main-course dishes. Both were very flavourful. The pork was melting in the mouth and the spicy lamb had oodles of unimpeachable flavour!

We enjoyed both the desserts that came to the table. The Honey Noodles with Ice Cream and Date Pancakes with Ice Cream are great desserts, but I am partial to the Honey Noodles for the fact that it is mildly sweet and very light. Other dessert options like the Sago Melon Pudding and Tub Tim Grob sound interesting as well.

The award-winning Imperial China is a perfect treat for all Chinese foodies. As Hilton Mumbai International Airport brings to you China’s most celebrated tradition called the Yum Cha, Chef Thomas Lai presents different kinds of traditional Chinese delicacies. By the way, all through the festival, they have an interesting food challenge for you to participate, as you relish the Yum Cha food here. If you can finish one entire set menu ordered, then you get a 30% discount on the entire food bill. Now how cool is that!

Reservations: 022-28380000
Timing: 7.00 pm onwards