MUMBAI, November 20: Cooking up the steamy stuff since 1972, Chopsuey, at 95, Hill Road, Bandra, has been around a lot longer than the other carts and smaller joints mushrooming all over our weary city. Yes, it's old; no, it's not falling to pieces. Renovations and a complete makeover are drawing in the hoardes like never before. It is a small place, but very neat and with adequate seating arrangements. There's nothing much by way of decor, just plain white walls and green creepers all over the place - things that go perfectly with the ambience. And then again, since everyone's modus operandi is sit, eat and move. why complain?If there's something to be said about Chinese food, it's got variety. Yes, you sometimes suspect that the names have been given to keep you guessing, but most of the stuff is pretty recognisable by now. Thanks to the re-hashed, watered down, bland rip-offs of the original cuisine that are served at most `Chinese' restaurants.As for Chopsuey, authentic or not, the food is definitely delicious. There's a whole lot to choose from, but only Chinese stuff. Like Roasted Chicken Chilly (Rs 100), roasted boneless pieces of white meat, with garlic, chilly, capsicum and a lot of spicy stuff. It serves two, which means absolute value for money. Chopsuey claims to be among the first to start off with the Jumbo/King Prawn dishes, along with other delicacies like Crab Meat Balls. The cooks ensure that even conventional stuff is served with new and exotic masalas; so try the Paper Chicken (Rs 105), minced chicken that's put into butter paper and then fried to steaming, oil-free perfection. For desserts, apart from regular feel-good dishes like Kesar Malai and Kulfi, there's nothing else. Says Sanjeev, the proprietor, "We get clientele covering four generations coming in regularly. Our food is good, service excellent; and every dish is made to suit the customer's palate at all times." Alcohol is provided, but not promoted like some places that go overboard. Families occupy the top slot, and timings are 11.30 am to 3.30 pm; 6.30 pm to 12 midnight. So leave the imitations behind, and let Chopsuey show you what Chinese food is really like.
