Having tried Chaat a few years back we have good memories about the India cuisine Chef Manav Tuli has mastered. Hearing that he had left and now starting his own restaurant Leela, today we came to Lee Garden Three in Causeway Bay to see what magic he had prepared for us.
Passing through a corridor the staff leads us to a booth located at a corner which offers good privacy. There are also tables along the windows looking down at the busy district. Using plenty of wood in the decor and furniture, it has warmth and relaxing ambience, with lots of details of subtle luxurious sophistication.
We order the Royal Experience Menu ($1,188 each) along with Saicho sparkling tea pairing ($260 each). To start, there is a complimentary papadum, made with wheat flour, having a nice crunchiness. On the side is garlic chutney for dipping, having good flavours and the yogurt helps give a bit of acidity to stimulate appetite. A good start.
The first course is Rasam, a type of spicy Indian soup-like dish made with warming spices. There are noticeable flavors of tamarind, with good, refreshing acidity, which is highly appetizing, together with some fish cheek meat. The soup is also medicinal in properties, helping digestion and other health problems according to local wisdom.
The second course is Vataka, which is an ancient dish without recipe. Through research, Chef Manav has re-created the dish. Essentially a deep-fried crab and lentil cake with tomato chutney underneath, it has nice flavors and does not feel any greasiness. The edible flower on top adds an extra layer of appeal on the visual too.
The third course is Shishranga Murg. The dish is a favorite of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built Taj Mahal in memory of his wife. Virtually translating to ‘six-color’ chicken, it is like a dry curry, with the six colors coming from egg white, egg yolk, pistachio, almond, apricot, and raisins. Together with some lacha naan, the chicken is tender, delicious with complex flavors, and I can see why the emperor liked it so much.
The fourth course is Aash-e-Bawardi. Served in the oval-shaped bowl are some delicious beef curry stews, with mint and other herbs plus some yogurt, and a beef and lentil dumpling on top. The dough of the dumpling is a bit thick if comparing with the Chinese version, but the taste is certainly amazing.
The fifth course is Kola Urandai, traditional mutton meatballs designed as food for the princes on the marching when they go to war. There is a poet which tells the story of a prince who fell off a cliff and survived while waiting for help for three days because of having this as provision. Looking like lamb croquette, with a crisp crust and soft inside, it has more spiciness from the masala mixed in the meat. Very good in taste.
Then comes the main courses. Qaliya Shirazi is a Persian lamb stew, originated from Shiraz in Iran. The meaty lamb rack is braised to great tenderness, with the curry permeating appealing aromas of spice and ripe tomatoes.
Lehsuni Palak is meshed spinach added with generous amounts of garlic, a very smooth and delicious curry to enjoy with bread. This is my wife’s favourite one.
And Aashsham Khichdi is a stew made with barley and lamb kedgeree, with flakes of mutton and the barley providing different texture, and again very delicious with complex flavours.
To go with the different main courses there are some freshly baked Naan on the side. One of the best Naan I have tried, the bread is soft, not drying out on the inside, and does not have any floury notes that will surface if the bread is not baked sufficiently. Really wonderful.
The final course is Khaja, a type of Indian deep-fried pastry, with the chef piping some pistachio cream on top and decorated with edible flowers. The creamy smooth pistachio puree has good intense flavors, not too sweet, with everything in good balance.
Service is good, with the staff friendly and eager to help, explaining the dishes in detail to make us more engaged with the dinner and the food. The bill on the night is $3,269 which is of good value. Perhaps next time we should also try its tasting menu to compare.
