To experience culinary delights from Asian countries, head to the newly-launched The Asian Box & Resto Bar in Baner
Asian cuisine is an assortment of unique styles of cooking from different countries. To experience the flavours and cultures of these regions under one roof, step into the newly-opened The Asian Box & Resto Bar in Baner.
The brainchild of couple Priya Kripalani Mahtani and Dheeraj Mahtani, who grew up in Singapore, the restaurant is the flagship outlet of The Asian Box (TAB) brand which has been running at Koregaon Park over three years now. TAB also has a home catering service called ‘On the go’.
The ambience
When you enter the beautifully decorated restaurant-cum-bar, you will be amazed at how meticulously the place has been done. From the rich red and black decor theme to the red bird cage lamps illuminating the place, traditional Chinese artefacts, authentic Asian tribal masks and fans adorning the walls, a classic painting and so on, TAB will instantly take you on a pan Asian journey.
The place offers both outdoor and indoor seating areas. So you can choose the cabanas to dine under the stars or the cosy dining area inside.
A special feature of TAB is the precious décor-cum-seating table made of antique rosewood from Singapore and embellished with mother of pearl. It reminds you of traditional furniture in a house in Singapore.
SUSHI AND DIM SUMS
Serving food from eight different Asian countries, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, Myanmar, Vietnam and Korea, the menu of TAB is one of a kind.
From soups to starters, main course, desserts and Asian inspired-cocktails, the variety will take you by surprise.
Their speciality is Dim Sums. But the highlight is their Live Sushi Bar where you can sit and actually see what ingredients go inside your sushi and observe the sushi chef roll them for you.
Mouthwatering delicacies
Seated at the ‘antique’ table and appreciating the beauty of the chopsticks also embellished with mother of pearl, Dheeraj offered us some Spring Onion Pancakes and Green Tea Martini and we started our Oriental sojourn on a good note.
Dim Sums being one of their specialities, they served them straight from a traditional bamboo steamer. An array of Dim Sums like Mix Veg Dumplings, Spicy Spinach Dumplings, Pak Choi Chicken Dumplings, Chicken Kothe paired with Tom Yum cocktail (flavoured with whiskey, ginger and chilli) gave us a peek into the diverse flavours the Asian region has to offer.
While some of the dumplings were subtle in taste, others like the Spicy Spinach Dumplings excited the taste buds.
However, their Vietnamese Veg Summer Rolls deserve a special mention as they are just out of this world! The translucent rolls made of rice paper are stuffed with vegetables, which are mildly spiced. It is a treat for those looking for a healthy dish!
TAB also offers a huge variety of sauces and dips. One of the must-try sauces/dips is Spring Onion Sauce which has the flavours of garlic, onion and sesame seeds bursting in your mouth. You cannot afford to miss it!
Some of the their bar snacks like Mango Chilli Chicken and Crispy Bar Wings, which go best with the Dragonfly Cocktail (flavoured watermelon, basil and other ingredients and whiskey), will win your heart. With perfect coating and a seamless blend of spices the bar snacks are a must try!
Sushi and desserts
At the Live Sushi bBr, we devoured Spicy Avocado Maki dipped in Kikkoman Sauce mixed with Wasabi. The pungent flavour of Wasabi will hit you and chances are that the strong flavour will leave you teary-eyed akin to the experience when you have Indian mustard paste. We also tasted a mini portion of the Crispy Asparagus Sushi Roll.
Although we were full, Priya, who soon joined us, didn’t let us go without tasting the desserts she so lovingly makes.
The taste of Caramel Pudding still lingers in my mouth. Her Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Jar was a perfect blend of sweet and sour flavours. However, the authentic Pandan Mousse Jar — made with the pandan (screwpine) essence — was ambrosial. The light green dessert with a smooth texture just melts in your mouth.
The food and drinks at TAB are worth a try. What’s more, the place is also coming up with live band performances soon. So all the more reason to visit it!
