Ging – Royal Orchid Central, MG Road, Bangalore

Restaurant Name: Ging – Royal Orchid Central
Phone: 022 6137 8080 / 080 49653042
Address: Royal Orchid Central, Level 10 (City View), Manipal Centre, Cubbon Road, Off MG Road, Bangalore, Karnataka 560042
Time: 5 PM to 1 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,000
Cuisines: Asian, Chinese
Facilities: Wheelchair Accessible, Full Bar Available, Valet Parking Available, Live Sports Screening, Brunch

Ging – Royal Orchid Central, MG Road, Bangalore: Decor

Royal Orchid Central is tucked away inside a commercial complex on Dickenson Road and I wouldn’t be surprised if this restaurant at the hotel has gone somewhat unnoticed. See it once and you’ll be wishing you’d discovered it sooner. Ging is on level 10 of the hotel and occupies the space that was previously Paparazzi. You reach the restaurant in dramatic fashion, descending a stairway with glass steps. It’s a space designed with clean lines and muted colors, with an ornate dragon made up entirely of China plates adorning one wall. Birdcage lamp shades light up the dining area. But the best lies beyond — the open deck leading off the dining room. It affords a fabulous view of Ulsoor Lake and beyond and is the perfect spot for sundowners, allowing you to watch dusk fall and pinpoints of light come up in the distance. This season, it’s windy and quite cold up there and the restaurant thoughtfully provides shawls. So lovely is the setting that it has quickly become one of my preferred places for a drink downtown.

Ging – Royal Orchid Central, MG Road, Bangalore: Food

The menu is more compact than in most Chinese restaurants and I give that a thumbs-up, to begin with. Ging also gets my vote for offering vegetarians a wide choice. I ate an entirely vegetarian meal on my first visit here and it was outstanding. The Baozzi is a Ging signature, where bao meets hot dog. I also enjoyed the Tofu Hot Bean Baozzi —- a soft, warm bao bun smothered with silken tofu in a punchy sauce. The Dim Sum is expertly shaped, with fillings ranging from Truffle Edamame to Chicken Pakchoi. From the selection of Little Plates, I would pick the Crispy Tofu, topped with fried garlic and Five Spice, besides the Prawn Toast — the retro favorite that is exceptionally well done here. The vegetarian version of this is made with a puree of water chestnuts, and is delicious. The Sharing Platters are larger portions and vegetarians will enjoy the Hot Sauce Eggplant, while the Okra Chicken is an unusual combination that works very well. I’ve eaten the Laksa here and it makes a delightful meal-in-a-bowl when you want a light dinner. I came upon Chindian Fried Rice on the menu and it made me smile. My favorite rice dish here is the Mushroom Hibachi Rice with shiitake and wood ear mushrooms lending it an earthy, smoky richness.

Dessert at Chinese restaurants has for long been a matter of choosing between Honey Noodles or Date Pancakes. Ging does it differently. Mochis, trending everywhere, are on the menu here. The beautifully crafted dessert is made of ice cream scoops wrapped in Japanese rice paste, and there’s a range of seasonal fruit flavors to choose from. If, like me, you are a fan of simple, old-fashioned cake, order the Rainbow Cake. The layers of sponge are sandwiched with butter cream, making for brightly-hued happiness on a plate.

Service:

I’ve enjoyed perfect service on all my visits here. Percy, the restaurant manager, does a fine job of extending personalised service to guests.

Plus and Minus:

The setting takes some beating and Ging can be your pick for a romantic date, an after-work office gathering or a family meal when you can dine on Chinese fare that’s a nice mix of classics and tasty innovations.