For the love of dimsums...!

I’ve often passed by Hao Shi Nian Nian - located in the bylanes of the Greater Kailash Part 2 M-Block market - and it’s always intimidated me with its imposing structure of 3 floors, with a name that unlike most of the restaurants offering Oriental fare, was not China something or the other.

I’m pleased to announce my intimidation is well and truly a thing of the past.

It was a smart move by Hao Shi Nian Nian to pay extra attention to dimsums or dumplings like some of us like to call it, as Chef Nawal Prakash (Vice-president, Under one roof hotel consultants) comments on the regular Indian-Chinese eater, “First, we like our Chinese to be distinctly Punjabi in its flavours , Second we love our dimsums”

So how does the eatery compare, especially with a fare (dimsums) that are honestly available at every nook and corner, from hole in the wall food joints to exotic designer restaurants?

It is undoubtedly a classy version of the regular-joe dimsums that Hao Shi Nian Nian serves up.

As soon as we made ourselves rather comfortable with a potent Watermelon Margarita and Cranberry Sangria (a good choice of refreshing accompaniments with what was to follow we were told), out marched an army of waiting staff armed with piping hot dimsums.

There were the Cantonese style open dimsums - available with a choice of Prawn, Chicken and Vegetable as a filling – and we were already smacking our lips.

The Kothey which are steamed dumplings slightly pan fried till the beginnings of crispness comes on is better enjoyed dipped into one of the three colourful sauces;

The Lamb pancake dumpling was a disappointment, not really making an impact with its flavour, almost bordering on no flavour actually.

All photos courtesy Hao Shi Nian Nian except the one above

But the one that emitted the almost obscene sounding oohs and aahs from us, was the Pork Bao; Bao is essentially a pillowy soft bun that is steamed. With a distinctly sweet and sour flavour to the Pork filling and the lightness of the bread, this one is a standout winner!

What Chef Nawal has also done well are the vegetarian dimsums; in not just offering a competitive variety but also making sure that steamed vegetarian dimsums does not necessarily equal boring. Try the steamed treasure vegetable dumpling with a filling of mixed vegetables and button mushrooms.


Yes, we left the restaurant stuffed to our very core. Alas, such sacrifices must be made, for the eternal love of dimsums!


Where else could one go searching for delectable dimsums. Do tell us.

A copy of this review has also appeared in Financial World

All good things don't always come in threes

Photos courtesy: rottentomatoes.com 

The funny foursome is back. In Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,

Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Gloria the hippo and Melman the giraffe are still trying to get back home to New York, having lost their way in Part 1 of the much-loved sequel. And they’re still getting into a lot of trouble all the way from Madagascar to New York enroute Monaco, Rome and London.

This time they must join a circus and reinvent it Madagascar-style, all to get to the Big Apple and also more importantly escape the clutches of French animal inspector Capitaine Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand) who must have Alex in her prized collection.

A circus in the storyline obviously means more characters join the pack, who are fun but not really memorable.

 There’s tiger Vitaly (Bryan Cranston) who’s hurt, low on confidence and sports a mean Russian accent. He was once the circus' main attraction but an accident ruins his star-act. 

There’s jaguar Gia (Jessica Chastain) who’s sole purpose for being brought in may just to provide Alex with a love interest, but she’s nowhere near as spunky as him.

 By far the most lovable is Stefano the sea lion and an Italian one at that (Martin Short) and the love story that actually works is the one between the slobbering Sonya the bear and Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen).

The character of Chantel is one that we predict you’ll enjoy the most – she hunts with her nose and in the middle finds time to touch-up her blood red lipstick. The 3D effects, and there’s ample of it, adds that extra bit of fun to the film which will work well if the giggling kids in the cinema were anything to go by.

All in all a fun film, but one that pales in comparison to the laughter of Part 1 and the sheer genius of Part 2.

Note: This article has also appeared in the 9 June edition of Financial World

Ridley Scott's glitzy but ditzy sci-fi

Prometheus hasn’t exactly got the most prolific release in India. But one may still feel the urge to not miss this one. 

Reason number one: It’s a Ridley Scott film. 

Reason number two: it’s a sci-fi Ridley Scott film. The excitement was palpable and with good reason. Scott gave us the chills with 1979’s breakthrough sci-fi film Alien and then perfected that genre with Blade Runner (1982.) He returns 30 years later with Prometheus and no he hasn’t lost his touch.

Dazzling design, technical mastery and the specialist of special effects work very well together in Prometheus and almost cover up a very basic flaw, that of a weak storyline. If only there was a smashing story.

Alas, there isn’t.

Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) are two archaeologists at the heart of a life-changing startling discovery (that’s how it’s projected but hardly how it seems). In 2089, they’ve found a 35,000-year-old cave painting that shows humans worshiping an enormous figure who’s pointing to the stars. What’s more, similar paintings spanning various civilizations over several centuries have been found (slightly unlikely).The scientists believe that these paintings point to the origins of life and where we came from. Lo and behold, a rich benefactor to spend trillions of dollars is found and off they fly in a spaceship (named Prometheus) to find the reason for our existence.

There is a scene in the film when other members of the motley crew onboard is explained their mission. They seem a trifle unconvinced – we felt the same.

As the mission progresses and the crew find this planet in some corner of the Universe, please note they seem to find it easily enough, things start going wrong and the body count starts increasing, starting from the least important actor to the most important one.

What kills them and how grisly are the ET’s this time is what you can hope to discover should you choose to watch Prometheus. Amongst the other actors Michael Fassbender as Prometheus’ very own android is chillingly perfect and Charlize Theron as the spaceship’s captain is chillingly wasted.

Photos courtesy: Prometheus' official websit

I mean, we’re talking about something as monumental as the origins of life, so a little emotion please.

Note: This article has also appeared in the 9 June edition of Financial World