There's no dearth of Chinese eateries in town. But Hao Shi Nian Nian steers clear of the bastardized and opts for the authentic

India fought China in 1962, and lost. The bhai-bhai bonhomie has never been quite the same since then, with news trickling in every once in a while about Chinese intrusion in Indian land. But while we look at China's military might with some trepidation, the love for Chinese food has not been a victim of the tension that exists between the two countries. We have made Chinese dishes our own, prompting food writers to smirk at such bastardized preparations as Punjabi Chinese. There are eateries that even serve vegetarian Chinese!u00a0 Which is where restaurants like Hao Shi Nian Nian come in.

It's a good-good life
Hao Shi Nian Nian, which means here's to good life, has dared to stick its neck out and serve authentic Chinese to a people used to a queer mix of Chinese and Punjabi cuisines. The affable Chinese chef at the restaurant told us that all spices used in the kitchen are imported from China to give the food that extra authentic edge. But doesn't that increase the cost overheads? The reasoning is simple: The restaurant serves a clientele that travels frequently and is thus aware of the quality of food in other lands. So Chinese dishes at Hao Shi have to taste like Chinese dishes in China, if the restaurant has to stay ahead of competition. The impressive number of diners on a weekday proved that the strategy is working.u00a0
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Eat what you see
We ordered whatever caught our eye. Steamed rice, double cooked pork, spicy Sichuan fried rice with mixed meats and stir fried squid with XO sauce. The last one, for a bit of adventure. Whatever doubts we had about authentic Chinese being bland were quelled after the first morsel. Hao Shi knows its food and doesn't let authenticity take away taste. Which should be bad news for those who have served anything in the name of Chinese so far. And good news for those who vote for China's hare over India's tortoise.u00a0u00a0