Did you know that the Ritz Carlton is usually the abode of our cricket teams when they are in town? And that the Ritz Carlton Bangalore is the first Ritz Carlton hotel in India? Well, trivia aside, if you’ve seen the property, it’s quite a work of art. Centrally located and generously adorned with beautiful art pieces & murals, the décor and the interiors of the hotel has a tasteful blend of the international brand with hues of Indian culture. A couple of weeks back, Gargi had invited us over for a meal at the Lantern. We have had quite a few lunches at the Lantern, and the selection of dim sums were creative and delectable. So we were quite eager to try out the new menu, and that kick started the weekend.

The restaurant spans across several levels reserved for events and parties. At the ground floor, Lantern has a beautiful interior area and calm al fresco dining section. Motifs, clayware, paintings – the restaurant transports you to a different time. Our meal started with some comforting Wonton Soup that came with flavorsome dumplings, a refreshing start. A series of delicious dim sums followed – I can never resist them! The Xiao Long Baos had the perfect texture, translucent – the fillings were subtle and very nice. The Bokchoy mushroom dumpling is one of the most delicious that I’ve ever had, a good crunch. But we absolutely loved their Baked Chicken Puff, there’s also a pork variant now! The puff pastry is so soft and fresh, it’s a total melt in the mouth!

My favorite Asian meal is one where I load up on dim sums and then have some staple. Lantern embraced that principle quite well. After the fresh and delectable appetizers, our mains were again going to be some good comfort food. As part of their new menu, Lantern has expanded its menu to more provinces in China, imbibing some regional delicacies into their offering. We tried quite an assortment, in tasting portions. Yes, their regular portions are much larger!

The King Prawns in Singapore Curry Sauce was an instant hit. Yellow curry, we had that with some simple, fragrant sticky rice, prawns well sized and succulent. This was delicious. The Chicken in Spicy Sichuan Pepper Sauce was tough competition on the prawns, and if I weren’t so in love with sea food, the hot and spicy chicken dish was totally on point! The Lotus Root and Snow Peas in Kim Yam sauce were a dish on their own, like an Asian salad, quite enjoyable, while the Sautéed Haricot Beans were just the right bit of stir fry with chili sauce. A couple of sorbets and ice creams concluded our meal.

SUMMARY

Lantern is the kind of place that makes a meal special. You could order the regular dishes, but the flavors in each of those would have an interesting complexity. The décor is intrinsic, I love the ambiance, and beautiful little corners where they have tables – ensuring there’s a sense of exclusivity and privacy despite being in a restaurant. And we got to fly off our first Chinese Lantern, that was really amazing! Highly recommended for couples, family and actually just about anyone who appreciates good Chinese food.

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