Chopsticks pe charcha

FOOD PALATABLEPACKAGING NEATSERVICE RESPONSIVECOST POCKET FRIENDLYVERDICT 14Experts wondering why people have settled for and love desi Chinese an oxymoron brought to life by the exigencies of the demandsupply nature of the food industry need to consider a few things before they let judgments roll off the canon of their tongues Firstly such a meal almost never pinches the pocket and secondly you can seldom go wrong with it So the opening of yet another Chindian delivery joint among the trillions that have come to exist calls for a taste test at leastSituated in Santacruz West Sichuan Pepper House has fast become popular in the short five months of its existence On a day when its pouring and most Mumbaikars are reconsidering their weekend plans this takeaway doesnt fail to mdash as intended mdash deliverVeg spring rollsIt takes a while an hour and 10 minutes but despite the delay and the added hour after which the food is finally consumed the fried chicken wontons Rs 290 manage to remain crispy Of course its no pork wontons but the chicken untraditionally stuffed with a meatballlike filling instead of a wellcooked mince is savoury It would have been nice if they had provided a wedge of lime because a good wonton is always best enjoyed with a discerning squeezeThe veg spring roll Rs 240 has a nice fulsome blanket and the filling is juicy piquant and spicy Made with carrots and cabbage which have the pleasant acidity of a pickled condiment perhaps it was that this relish adds body and crunch to the otherwise greasy coatingChicken burnt garlic fried and special chicken in sichuan sauceThe chicken barbecue Rs 290 has supple meat and a peppery sauce which with its lingering spiciness brought in by the finely chopped red chillies helps bind the dish together It tasted good but could have used a better sidekick something that would neutralise the brine from the soy the kick from the pepper and the hotness from the chillies like chunks of fresh scallion or blanched broccoli rather than the deadbeat pieces of capsicum it came with The sauce too had it been slightly less runny would have made for a delicious and denser coating on the meat and while it tastes pretty good its not barbecue from any angleNow done with the appetisers lets move the mains beginning with the chicken burnt garlic rice Rs 240 which is indicated as a favourite on the delivery app It is indeed a good recommendation and features crunchy and flavourful bits of garlic that are not flaky And though the rice on the whole is palatable the chicken in it tastes slightly bland But this is a common phenomenon with midlevel and pocketfriendly eateries mdash no one ever cares about flavouring the meat in the rice which could uplift it manifoldChickenBarbecueThe special chicken in Sichuan sauce Rs 280 is a little like that kid in class who has potential but never tops So its tasty but has this vinegary spiciness you know like that almostacrid smell of chillies Brownie points to the eatery for throwing in broccoli button mushrooms and pok choy While no manna from heaven the portions pricing and overall taste is good and it is only possible to enjoy this stuff if you allow yourself to make a concession with a little help from the popular Mumbai phrase mdash itna paisa mein itnaich milegaAt Sichuan Pepper House House 9 1st Floor Gaothan Lane 2 Santacruz West Time 12 pm to 4 pm 7 pm to 1 am Call 750667066644 EXCEPTIONAL 34 EXCELLENT 24 VERY GOOD 14 GOOD 054 AVERAGESichuan Pepper House didnt know we were there The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for mealsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates