Chilli, Manchow And Kung Pao: Chinese Restaurants In Indiranagar Serve It All

Kim Lee

Wanley

Run by a legit Chinese gentleman, Wanley is Indiranagar’s best present to us. Roast Pork. Check. Chilli Chicken. Check. Greasy fried rice and noodles. Check. Wanley does greasy Indian Chinese so well. The dimly-lit ambience, the checkered tablecloth and the red and black colour schemes create quite an “atmosphere”. If you are looking for fancy ambience, don’t bother going here, just do a takeaway or are going to get whiny about the hygiene, {it is suspect but we have never fallen sick yet}, then is place is not for you. But what we can guarantee is consistently delicious food, quick service and great value for money.

Technically not in Indiranagar, they are actually located in Jeevan Bheema Nagar. But Beijing Bites’ location is so close to Indiranagar {and they deliver all over}, that we are including them in the Indiranagar bunch. Their Honey Chilli Chicken, Crispy Peking Stir Fried Lamb, Drums Of Heaven and The Crispy Crunchy Spinach are all popular choices as starters. Though they offer Thai, stay away from the watery curries they call red curry and green curry, instead go for classics Chinese such as chilli garlic noodles, Chilli Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Vegetable Dumpling Manchurian and Stir Fried Broccoli all make a strong case of pairing up with their mixed fried rice or even an egg rice.

At the risk of going against the wind, we’d say avoid their buffets and instead order a la carte. Their assorted dim sum platters { six or nine pieces} come with chicken sui mai, grilled crab cakes and prawn Hargao for non vegetarians and vegetable sui mai, corn and water chestnut dumplings, and pan fried vegetable basil dumplings for vegetarians. They also have choices of wantons, spring rolls and dumplings too. Prawn Poppers With kaffir Lime Salt, Roast Duck In Chilli Plum Sauce, and Braised Lamb Chops are all highlights. Mainland China also offers a big enough selection of soups. Try the Shanghai Crabmeat soup and you won’t regret it. Vegetarians, you can pick from their stir fries of seasonal vegetables, while carnivores can try the Fiery Sapo Chicken served in a claypot.

No meal at Mamagoto is complete without tucking into their delicate dumplings. The Cheese and Truffle dumpling,   Vegetarian Crystal dumpling, Sesame Prawn Balls are all winners. And so is the Bophut Chicken Wings — sweet, sticky, coconutty, yet fiercely spicy chicken wings. The Admiralty Tuna salad here isa must do. Deep fried tuna flakes {no, make that double fried}, comes topped with sprouts and herbs, to be eaten with a sweet and spicy peanut laden sauce. Second honours go to the simple, yet impactful Grilled Sweet Potato served with a piquant wasabi mayo.

If you work or live in the Indiranagar area, then it’s best to order in if you want a office lunch fix, or even want to tuck into a Chinese dinner while watching your favourite show on TV at home. The restaurant doesn’t really boast of an ambience, with just a regular seating and red and black decor scheme. The Shitake mushroom rice here is a favourite with actual slivers of the said mushroom tossed in with chicken, veggies, egg, and green chillies making a really moreish fried rice. The Chilli Chicken gravy, and the Kolkata style Chinese dishes are all competent. We also love what they call a Tempura Chicken, but is actually a chicken pakora.

While Pot O Noodles is known for its Ramen Burger, Ramen Broths, Donburi and even their Burmese Khao Suey, they do greasy but decent Chinese too. Start with the Prawn Gyoza, pan fried dumplings, , pork pot stickers or Lettuce wrapped chicken {pork or vegetable choices available too}. Move on to Chcien with dried red chilli, Roast Chilli Pork, Stir Fried Prawns in broccoli, and pair these with there Lo Mein {whole wheat} noodles.The vegetarian menu s limited here but you can choose from stir fried veggies served in a choice of sauces such as chilli, schiuan, chilli basil, honey mustard and burnt garlic. Similarly they also do a bunch of noodles with different sauces and veggies/meat/seafood/poutry.

Dragon Rolls, Wontons, or Chicken wings plus Fu Yong {Chinese omelettes in vegetable, chicken, prawn or mixed versions}, Chung’s Pavilion does greasy Indian Chinese with some interesting choices. Flat noodles, rice noodles or regular flour ones get tossed with means, seafood and veggies and sauces. Chung’s also does the old school American or Chinese Chopsuey too. Mains include chicken versions such as Namprik, Kung Pao, and Scehzwan with classics like Manchurian and Chilli versions. They also claim to do a minced pork with tofu {their version of Mapo Tofu} and Char Sui or Roast pork Cantonese.

Though they mostly do Vietnamese cuisine, we have spotted a smattering of Chinese dishes on their menu. Pork, lamb, seafood and vegetables get tossed in Chilli Garlic Oyster, Chilli Plum Sauce, Hot Bean, Peppercorn and even claypot stewed versions.

Bacon Wrapped Prawn, Spicy Fish Cake, Crispy Thread Chicken — starters get an interesting twist at this Chinese restaurant. Their Mustard Chilli Chicken gets thumbs up from us and so does the Kung Pao version and the Honey Lemon one. A special shout out ought go for their selection of soups too.