Royal China, Bandra West, Mumbai

Restaurant Name: Royal China
Phone: +918591035874
Address: 2nd Floor, Damian House, Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Time: 11:30 AM – 03:30 PM & 7:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 2, 400
Cuisines: Chinese, Asian, Seafood, Desserts
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Indoor Seating, Family Friendly, Wifi, Table booking recommended, Desserts and Bakes

Royal China, Bandra West, Mumbai: About

Twice as nice,” that’s the verdict of today’s review. Mumbai has two Royal China. The flagship at Fort and the relocated, reopened Bandra RC (which is under review today). I have lunch with two of my favourite foodies in Bandra and my joy doubles. Sure, the Times Food Award winner Royal China Fort has stood the test of the time, since it first opened in 2003. Does the reopened, relocated Bandra Royal China pass the test of consistency?
“I was most delighted that Royal China decided to return to Bandra in close proximity to my home,”says the vivacious, award-winning PR & Marketing professional Nikhila Palat, who’s been a long time regular at RC , Fort.
Her award-winning design, digital, PR & marketing boutique firm is in huge demand by several top luxury and hospitality brands. Equally discerning and refined of palate is the dapper creative director, copywriter Amish Chinai. The multi-talented marketing consultant for a firearms company is also an accomplished chef, who is in great demand for pre-marinated ready-to-cook meats and seafood.
Each one of us orders our favourite dishes from RC Fort and check to see if they retain their consistency.

Second Floor in Bandra

Walk up the non-descript entrance and into the second floored RC. It sprawls into pleasant and unobtrusive soothing grey interiors. Not as cozy as the Fort RC but the daylight from the windows is a pleasant change. Head of operations, Minoo Bulsara bustles around ensuring a seamless experience.

Dimsum and same same, almost

Happily RC has retained most of its Fort menu. However, they have recently introduced very few new dishes. “The dim sum were outstanding as we have come to expect from Royal China, specially the new prawn and crabmeat and the pepper chicken ones,” shares Amish Chinai as we nibble our way through the afternoon. We agree with him and add that, “The crispy prawn with burnt garlic crunched it’s way to dish of the day. ”
My verdict remains the same. We give full marks to the huge choice: steamed, baked or fried parcels of delight. We approve as much of those with thin and pliant casings with clean and pristine flavours as we do of those sometimes sparkled with spicy notes. Must ask for the translucent Crystal Dumplings, steamed long Cheung Fun and of course the Chicken and Prawn Sui Mai. Plenty of main courses too. Luscious, succulent pork belly, chicken sparkled with black bean sauce, prawns tossed in salt and pepper and mixed vegetable Hakka noodles. Superb egg fried rice too!

Michelle & Neville’s Royal China India

First the bad news. When Royal China opened in Mumbai in 2003, it was taken for granted that it was a franchise of the London Royal China. All our brand-conscious trendoids lined up, clutching their expensive bags and gasping with delight. Now the good news! No, RC Mumbai is not a franchise of the London RC (I discovered this when dining in RC London with Karan Kapoor), even though RC India had a chef/consultancy agreement with them. However, most importantly, RC Mumbai’s dim sum is as good, if not better, than the London RC. And even more heartening is the fact that the service is much much better than the London RC. Kudos to the globe trotting gourmet couple Michelle and Neville Vajifdar, London’s Regent university graduate couple who moved back to India and pioneered these consistently high quality, well-priced standalone Chinese restaurants.

Minus Points

Overcooked and dry Peking duck at Bandra. Oversweet, avoidable desserts. But then, most Chinese restaurants falteron desserts. And the bean paste stuffed desserts are doughy and avoidable.

My Point

Royal China reigns supreme for a seamlessly good dim sum experience. Attentive service (overseen by Arjun and Navin in Bandra and Jeff in Fort). Having eaten my way through Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Hong Kong, it has been my absolute joy to dine at Royal China (Fort, Bandra and recently in Delhi) again and again. In the flurry of restaurants vying to outdo each other and introduce a barrage of new, innovative, fusion, confusion dishes, it is creditable that RC goes against the tide and continues to serve up the same tried, tasted and tested menu, consistently so!