Spicy Duck - Taj Palace

Rahul Prabhakar

1 week ago

5.0

Duck, Done Two Ways: Cantonese Silk Meets Sichuan Fire at Spicy Duck Let me begin with a confession. I am suspicious of any restaurant that announces its own authenticity. "Iconic. Authentic. Timeless" is the kind of tagline that makes a seasoned diner reach for his reading glasses and his scepticism. Authenticity is something a kitchen demonstrates. It does not need to declare it. So I went to Spicy Duck prepared to be difficult. I left rather more charmed than I had planned to be. The restaurant's conceit is a marriage between two Chinese culinary traditions that rarely share a table with any real harmony. Cantonese cooking is the cuisine of restraint: steam, clarity, the pursuit of freshness, a horror of anything that obscures the main ingredient. Sichuan is its temperamental cousin, which believes that the tongue was made to be numbed, set alight and then comforted. To put them under one roof is brave. To make them converse rather than quarrel is harder. The man charged with this diplomacy is Chef Thanglawm Valte, and the duck, which gives the place its name, is the muse. In Chinese culture it stands for fidelity and abundance, and the menu promises it steamed, roasted and braised. I did not choose à la carte. I took the set menu, a non-vegetarian affair at INR 7,500 plus taxes per person. That is serious money by any standard, and you should demand that it earn its keep. Mostly, it did. The dim sum came first, with the holy trinity of chilli bean paste, scallion and mustard sauce. The har gao had the translucent, slightly sticky skin that is the real test of a dumpling-maker's skill, and the prawn inside had that bouncy snap you only get when the shellfish was treated with respect. The pan-fried chicken "gou tie" was a pleasing contrast, crisp on the base and juicy within. It is the sort of dish that reminds you that the humble dumpling is among the great inventions of human civilisation. Then the Sichuan arrived. The stir-fried prawns in a spicy sauce were the first clear signal of the kitchen's intent. The heat built rather than ambushed, and there was that characteristic tingle that makes the lips feel faintly electrified. The sliced chicken, Sichuan style, was cooler and subtler, the kind of cold appetiser that wakes the palate instead of battering it. I was glad to see that the chefs understood that the point of Sichuan cooking is not heat but ma la, the interplay of numbing and burning. Too many Indian restaurants forget this and simply add chilli. The chicken Manchow soup is, of course, an Indian-Chinese institution, not a Cantonese or Sichuan one, and I admit I raised an eyebrow at its presence. But I will give credit where it is due. It was well-made, deeply savoury, with the right gloss and the right crunch of fried noodles on top. It would not have convinced a purist, but it was comforting, and there are worse sins than comfort. The mains were where the Sichuan paste really showed its hand. The stir-fried chicken with bamboo shoot and mushroom was robust and earthy, the chilli paste giving it a dark, fermented depth that you cannot fake. The sliced lamb with fresh chilli and coriander was my pick of the evening. Lamb and chilli are natural allies, and the coriander lifted the whole thing with a bright, green edge. The garlic-sautéed vegetables were a necessary act of kindness after all that fire, and the vegetable fried rice and wok-tossed noodles were solid, well-judged supporting players. They did what good rice and noodles should do, which is to mop up the sauce and stay out of the way. I should say something about the duck, since it is the restaurant's namesake. The set menu I tried leaned towards chicken, prawn and lamb, and the bird itself did not make a star appearance. I rather wish it had. A restaurant named for its duck should put that duck at the centre of the table, and I will return to order it roasted, golden and crisp, the way the menu's own poetry promises. Desserts were a pleasant surprise. The darsan with vanilla ice cream was the expected sweet-and-crisp indulgence, but the pomelo mango sago was the better of the two. It was cool, tart and fragrant, a gentle landing after the Sichuan assault. And now the cocktails, which deserve a paragraph of their own, because the bar here is thinking harder than most. The Panda Margarita, built on Patrón Silver and Cointreau with lime and a pickled bamboo shoot chilli, is a clever twist. The pickle adds a savoury, faintly sour heat that sits beautifully alongside the tequila. It is the sort of drink that makes you wonder why more bars do not pickle things. The Zhao Lusi, named for the Chinese actress, is softer and prettier: rum, homemade fennel syrup, chamomile tea and pomegranate. It is floral and gentle, with a spirited kick hiding behind the sweetness. One for those who like their drinks to be charming rather than aggressive. So, to the verdict. Spicy Duck is not a restaurant of revelations. It is a restaurant of competence, and in the Indian dining scene, where fusion so often means confusion, competence is not to be sniffed at. The Cantonese dishes are delicate, the Sichuan dishes are properly fierce, and the two sides coexist better than I expected. The price is steep, and the menu would benefit from putting the duck back where it belongs, at centre stage. But if you want a Chinese meal that takes both its traditions seriously, and a cocktail list that has something to say, Spicy Duck deserves your evening. Just remember to ask for the duck.

Passion4Food

5 years ago

5.0

Spicy Duck in Taj Palace Hotel is an wonderful place for Oriental cuisine lovers. They are having wide varieties of Asian food which is authentic and tasty. Chef is highly talented. Staff is quite friendly. Service is fast and ambience is super cosy and comfortable. Spicy Duck can customize food according to ones preference as well. Deserts options are good as well. As a chocolate lover I choose Chocolate tart which is quite good. Highly recommend.... Loved it totally.....

Snigdha Padia

2 years ago

5.0

The food was simply mind blowing and the ambience was spiffing too. The savouries and gourmet food were delectable, especially the mushroom spring rolls. Must go there at least once and you are guaranteed to come back again. Complements ti the chef and waiters as it was excellent service to. Spicy duck truly covers and exhibits all the prestige of the Taj. ( this review is written by the 11 year old son of account holder ) ( no I am not joking guys )

Sayan Chatterjee

4 years ago

5.0

Great service , superb ambience, taj hospitality, exotic authentic menu and heavenly delicacies. A must visit for all oriental food lovers

Vibhor

7 years ago

4.0

Spicy Duck @ Taj with their signature menu of the tea house of the August moon. Talking about the food The star dishes of the evening were the Wok Fried shimeji mushroom in dry chili and green bean and the Peking Duck along with the stir fried shredded Duck in black bean sauce. Apart from that we had the stir fried prawn with superior spicy sauce which was ok if you want my opinion, wok fried okra in hot bean sauce was very well made and the shanghai shredded chicken was just another oriental dish well made but nothing outstanding. Had a great time and a kulfi from masala art to end the evening.

Bhumi Apte

7 years ago

4.0

It's a nice place to go with family and friends. Ambience is beautiful and decor is awesome. Service is excellent and staff is very courteous and friendly. Hospitality is warm. Atmosphere is cozy and comfortable. Food is very delicious. Their prices are high, but considering the taste and quality of food, it is ok to pay that price.

MK Mishra

6 years ago

4.0

As expected from a place like this the dining experience has been excellent. Food was great and the servers have been attentive and prompt. Fried wonton was the highlight besides the peking duck.

Namrata K Saraf

7 years ago

2.0

I went there for a celebratory lunch and that was conveyed to the person who accepted the booking over the phone when my husband called... They only had very ordinary dimsums with cabbage carrot n beans available didn’t have anything exotic one could order or would like to order at a restraunt like this despite being on the menu it wasn’t available! The stir fried Chinese greens was disappointing but the other main course seemed ok but not mind blowing which is expected at a restraunt of this stature! The food was average not something u expect at a restraunt such as this considering their price points too! We were promised date pancakes since we requested for something vegan ...it took forever to come I think almost 25 minutes or more also we were served some weird textured filling with refined flour n it looked anything but a pancake! It was very unappetising to say the Least and I didn’t even take a bite! It was the most annoying looking pancake I’ve ever encountered and to serve that to someone celebrating her birthday is totally off! I did ask the server if this is a pancake made in refined flour n he said yes and walked away!So much one could do on prior request all the chef has to do is whip it up but that clearly didn’t happen! Very disappointing experience!!

Mansi Mishra

6 months ago

2.0

The food was fairly average, but what really disappointed me was the service. It was slow and poorly managed, and overall the experience fell far short of what you’d expect from a 5-star establishment.

Anubha Gupta

7 years ago

1.0

Shockingly average food. Please go to House of Ming at Taj Mansingh instead. I was here because of gourmet passport but I’m never going back. Truly disappointed with how underwhelming the food was.