Giving a refreshing twist to India's new, favourite quick nosh, dimsums at Spices in JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai are a much welcome treat in Mumbai's culinary scene
By: Karishma Suri
Posted on: May 18, 2015
LF Says: ★★★★
Spreading Chinese joy all around the world, Spices at JW Marriott is the latest to be bitten by the dimsum bug. Who doesn't love those tiny wrapped pockets of joy that just melt in the mouth? Perfectly stuffed and accompanied by just the right sauces, a reservation is all you need to ensure you feel wholesome.
Just one more, please
Adding a credible name to Spices, Chef Tenzin Khechok, Dimsum Chef, brings to the table outstanding quality and unparalleled flavours to JW Mariott. Mumbai. With a smile on his face, passion and humility in his eyes, his food does all the talking necessary. Believing that dimsums should be made fresh every day, freezing his produce for another day is not an option for him. He ensures that all the orders are picked up by him to control the quality and even enjoys working on Sunday brunches as it provides him with an opportunity to experiment and introduce something new for the guests.
This new Dimsum Chef at JW Marriott Mumbai has worked in the kitchens of Hakkasan Mumbai and Yautcha Mumbai. And it was for his introduction we all had gathered at JW Marriott Mumbai’s recent Dimsum week.
Time to tantalise
An opportunity to indulge in an extensive array of miniature taste explosions with Chef Tenzin's specially crafted lovelies, these dimsums are now added to the regular menu at the restaurant. The authentic menu has an exceptional selection of delicacies to cater to varied preferences, with some signature dimsums being Truffle Edamame Dumpling, White Radish Cake, Wild Mushroom Crystal Dumpling, Prawn and Crab Dumpling, Spanish Rolls with Prawn and Water Chestnut, Prawn and Chicken Sui Mai, Hargav Dumpling and Chocklet Bon.
The White radish cake, though fried and slightly on the oilier side, manages to satiate a guilty but delicious craving thanks to a spice mix, which should be available for purchase for days when you need a pick-me-up. The edamame and truffle dumpling, while soft, lacked a little more truffle flavouring for me personally, but going by the popularity of this famed combination, this signature dimsum is here to stay. My favourite from the selection, the vegetable Shanghai pan-fried dimsum, was delectable because of two reasons. One, being pan-fried, it wasn't oily. It perfectly balanced between succulently soft with a perfect crack to signal its precision while being fried. Two, its Shanghai sauce was delicious and I found myself reaching out to it more often than I would expect because of its freshness and ability to tickle the tastebuds. The vegetable crystal dumpling with water chesnut, vegetable chive dumpling and the wild mushroom and pokchoy crystal dimsums need strong accompaniments to add some flavour to suit the Indian palate.
For non-vegetarians, the options are endless as they can, with good reason, dig into the sumptuous vegetarian dimsums as well. But the Prawn and Crab dumpling, though very oily, offers delicious flavours that demand a second helping. Sesame Prawn Toast, again high on the oil side, didn't please as much as it should have because the taste of the oil overpowered everything else. Don't miss the Spanish rolls with Prawn and Water Chestnut! The perfect crunch of the water chestnut adds to the juicy prawns.
End it on a sweet note with their Chocklet bon, which is a sweet take on their steamed bread with a chocolate stuffing, but don't set your sweet tooth on it as it was slightly on the chewy side and the chocolate seemed lost in the bun unfortunately.
Prepared and served in traditional bamboo steamers and available in options like fried, steamed and pan-fried, these dimsums complete the offering at Spices making it a destination to satiate any and cravings oriental, Thai and pan Asian. A little more pizzazz to suit the Indian palate, and little less grease to cater to the increasingly health-conscious fine diner will do wonders to Chef Khechok’s already interesting menu!
LF Says: ★★★★
Coordinates: JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai, Juhu Tara Road, Mumbai, India
Ratings range from zero to five stars and signify the reviewer’s thoughts on the menu, taste, ambience and service.
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