Bare and Beautiful

Republic Of Noodles is high on flavour and low on frills.

‘Minimalist’ is a good word to describe this eatery. The ambiance,the cutlery,and the fodd dressing all have a sense of restraint about them. The staff welcomes you with easy smiles and officious thank yous ring about you. In the genteel climes of Limetree Hotel at Hinjewadi,Republic Of Noodles offers you a Pan Asian culinary experience.

The walls here are blood red,quite unlike the muted colours of the food on offer. We start by nibbling at the entre of carrots and cucumbers boiled in vinegar and herbs,and three dips – the hot Yu mSauce,the Chili Sambal (with boiled chilies) and the hot and sour Roasted Chili Paste or RCP,with chilies,jaggery and tamarind. The dips are soaked in strong flavours,and are best had with shrimp crisps.

Next comes Tom Kha Soup. Little chunks of chiken,lemon grass,galangal,kaffir lime,button mushrroms,slit bird chilies and fresh

coriander bathed in a coconut milk base make this a light start to a meal,without overpowering the palate with any strong flavours. After the mellow appetiser,comes a mellower started. Imported white Basa fish, marinated in sotto paste,RCP and a spot of cashew paste,and wrapped in banana leaf and grilled. Crowned with a tomato slice and a basil leaf,the fish is beautifully tender and suffused with all the flavours. The Yum Sauce can add the much wanted zing,and you have a perfect fish dish.

Assisted by Chardonay,we jump to Chicken Potstickers,steamed and then lightly panfried, and Vegetable Momos,which are regular affair dumplings. Then arrives the Beef Tenderloins,which is well-done and stingy,and deep-crusted with lemon grass,chopped garlic,black pepper,oyster sauce and light soya sauce. This one is strictly for beef-lovers.

Thai Grilled Mushrooms entice us next. They are supple and juicy,and redolent with RCP. A bit on the sweeter side,but the fresh button mushrooms win you over.

For the main course,we are suggested Thai Spicy Chicken,which has small chunks of leg meat,to be had with Shanghai Noodles,with 2mm Udon noodles. The basil flavour is paramount here and French beans add a crunch,but by now the blandness is getting to us.

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We end with Burmese Chicken Curry,the colour of canary. The chicken pieces are generous,and it couples well with plain steamed rice as well as Thai Fried Rice. The yellow gravy consists of the in-house paste of cashew,red chili paste,onion,turmeric,coconut milk,kaffir lime,lemon grass,galangal and a finishing of lime juice. The lemony sourness could have turned the tables on this dish,but is sadly missing. But overall,we exit happily,although sorely missing the zing of some spice.

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