Before we begin with our review, we’d like to highlight the meaning of JIA, of which this review is all about..
JIA in Mandarin means ‘I love my family’. The owners believe in the idea that a restaurant is not merely an establishment, it is a family unit that works together to serve the best experience to their customers.
True to it’s name, JIA is a modern day fine-dine located in the leafy enclaves of Dhanraj Mahal, Colaba. Less than a 2 minute walk from The Gateway of India, this restaurant is easy to locate. Their menu specializes in Oriental cuisine with the finest of ingredients that make the most exotic dishes!
We were privileged to sample the food here and give our feedback for the same. Hence, here’s our honest & unbiased opinion about the restaurant-
AMBIENCE:
In soothing grey undertones, the unique part of the interiors of Jia is the eclectic all white ceiling that resembles a bee hive, a concept that was designed by SP+A Architects and incorporated for its Wow factor.
MOCKTAILS:
We began our menu tastings with a round of fresh mocktails viz. Ginger Passion, Angel Kiss & Khus Cooler.
Ginger Passion |
We loved Ginger Passion for it’s mild taste of ginger which made the drink very soothing, with sweet notes of Orange pulp.
Angel Kiss |
The Angel Kiss consists of Cranberry, and had thick consistency. The drink tasted more like a milkshake i.e. sweet and very filling.
Khus Cooler |
However, the Khus Cooler is a recent addition to the menu and deserves a try. We loved it!
FOOD:
The menu being an extensive one, we were spoilt for choice! And since it was our first visit to the property, we decided to stick with the manager’s recommendation.
Here’s what we tried-
Lobster Roll in Black Pepper Sauce |
Lobster Roll in Black pepper sauce: The name being self-explanatory, lobster rolls drenched in an aromatic black pepper sauce tasted just fine. However, the rolls were quite soggy which caused inconvenience while lifting them with chopsticks.
Prawns in Chinese Chive Dumplings |
Prawns in Chinese Chive Dumplings: Delicately crafted, warm and aromatic dumplings with strong flavors of chives. The overall taste was creamy & delectable. Hence, recommended by Team The Hungry Cancerian!
Steamed Mushroom Bao |
Steamed Mushroom Bao: Mushroom shaped Bao, served in triplets are soft and fluffy buns filled with a delicious stuffing. These Baos look extremely beautiful and eye-pleasing.
Jia Special Roll |
Jia Special Roll: Sushi rice neatly rolled up with Prawns and avocado. The texture seemed crunchy and the sauce dressing balanced the dish throughout giving it a crunchy yet creamy texture. These Rolls were absolutely mouthwatering!
Crispy Duck Salad |
Crispy Duck Salad: Boiled and shredded duck meat stacked up in tidy layers, topped with a bundle of watercress leaves. The duck was seasoned well, tender and cooked thoroughly. The excessive quantity of watercress leaves gave the salad a crunchy texture.
Spicy Har gao with Truffle Oil |
Spicy Har gao with Truffle Oil: A traditional Cantonese style dumpling which has a crystal clear surface, stuffed with minced chicken and spicy seasonings along with Truffle Oil. The beautiful and delicate presentation of this dish left us enthralled!
Hamachi Carpaccio |
Hamachi Carpaccio: A classic savoury dish made of Hamachi fish which is thinly sliced & raw- just like Sashimi. The tangy and salty flavors were indeed lip-smacking. Made with simple ingredients, yet the taste was flavor packed and outstanding!
Our Main Course consisted of most exotic and flavorsome dishes-
Forest Honey Baked Chilean Sea Bass |
Forest Honey Baked Chilean Sea Bass: Baked Sea Bass cooked in honey style gravy that highlighted this dish’s sweet-sour taste. This gravy is best enjoyed with Five treasure mushroom fried rice with Truffle Oil.
Double cooked Berkshire Pork Belly with Oyster & Truffle Oil |
Double cooked Berkshire Pork Belly with Oyster & Truffle Oil: Tenderly cooked pork belly in Oyester sauce and truffle oil. This is one dish close to our hearts, since we loved it the most. For those who are okay with consuming pork, this one’s absolutely recommended by us!
Tenderloin with Black pepper and red wine sauce |
Tenderloin with Black pepper and red wine sauce: Again, a spectacular dish that we relished to our heart’s content. Juicy and tender pork tenderloin sauted in black pepper and red wine sauce. We were truly amazed by the taste and presentation of this dish.
DESSERTS:
Milk Chocolate Praline |
We concluded our meal with Milk Chocolate Praline & Baked Mango Yogurt. Both were fantastic in terms of taste. The milk chocolate praline is an excellent choice for those who prefer chocolate based desserts, and the latter only if you’re a fan of yogurt.
Milk Chocolate Praline |
Baked Mango Yogurt |
The Chefs made sure that each dish was presented on our table with intricate detailing, consisting blends of all suitable ingredients that made for the most pleasurable dining experience!
The manager and staff members at JIA are super courteous and professional in their respective job roles. Most importantly, each one knew what they were serving; which gives the restaurant additional brownie points!
Considering the location, cuisine and ambience; this is the ultimate place best suited for formal lunch events & weekend brunches.
On an average, a meal for two would approximately cost INR 2500/-
Our overall dining experience at JIA was flawless, and we believe it’s worth a visit. After all, who doesn’t love to splurge once in a while?
The Hungry Cancerian verdict for ‘JIA- The Oriental Kitchen’ is 4.5/5
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