Chef Bharat Khatri of Kylin Experience tells us about the eclectic dishes that he serves – from Hunan-inspired to Teppenyaki to the crowd favourite, the California roll.

Chef Bharat Khatri of Kylin Experience

Kylin Experience at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi is renowned for its pan-Asian fare, with a fine dining touch. From scrumptious dim sums, to California rolls, ramen bowls, and even bento boxes, Chef Bharat Khatri is always creating something brand new, and literally pushing the culinary envelope. We speak to him about the regional inflections of Asia within his menu, and what really defines his cuisine.

Miso Soup

Can you tell me the overall development of the menu - it's Pan-Asian - but with equal weight to Japanese and Chinese? What are the aspects of cuisines from these regions you were looking to create?

Our menu is designed to give equal weight to both Japanese and Chinese. Around 80 percent of our menu is comprised of these cuisines. The other 20 percent is other Asian cuisines like Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, and Indonesian, Burmese.

What are the different facets of the menu - from sushi to ramen bowls, to Teppanyaki?

Sushi is worldwide famous Japanese dish repaired with vinegar rice stuffed with high grade seafood. Ramen is soup meal, there’s nothing like comforting bowl of ramen noodle soup, and savoury broth, topped with lots of veggies, egg, gourmet meat. Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine, and is derived from the words 'teppan' (iron plate) and 'yaki' (grilled, boiled, or pan-fried). So, it literally means 'grilling on an iron plate'. The dishes cooked using an iron plate include meat, seafood, and noodles.

The Teppenyaki counter

Could you please give me your signature Teppenyaki dishes - and what goes into them, and also the Signature bowls - and you’re most popular bowls - veg and non-veg?

Teriyaki Chicken is one of the signature dish repaired with free range chicken with broccoli in teriyaki sauce. If we talked about bowl meal our signature dish is hot stone bowl it has lot of option to choose like tofu/chicken//lamb with Japanese sticky rice or yellow noodles.

A bento box

I noticed you also added a bento box meal - very innovative! Could you please tell me about that?

We serve traditional bento contain rice or noodles with fish or meat, with pickle and cooked vegetables in a box, also called lunch box.

A comfy booth at Kylin Experience at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj

Your Avocado California roll was perfect! Can you tell us about the California roll concept and how different is it from sushi - and also the different textures you play within the roll?

California roll is type of inside-out sushi roll (uramaki) in which nori sheet is inside and sushi rice is outside. The stuffing is iceberg lettuce Avocado with Cointreau mayonnaise and thinly sliced avocado outside.

Spring Rolls

Can you tell me about your most popular Chinese dishes - and is it Hunan influenced?

Yes we have Lamb Hunan style, which is a spicy lamb dish. Lamb is marinated in soy sauce, cornstarch ,and sesame seed oil; it is stir-fried with ginger, garlic, scallions and chili peppers. The sauce contains ground bean sauce, chili oil, sugar and black soy sauce making this dish both hot and spicy.

The bar at Kylin Experience

Chef, where were you before and what is your specialty?

Last I was working with The Westin Gurugram and worked with several hotels and restaurant, my specialty is Chinese wok dishes.

Gyozas or Gothiar (pan grilled dim sums)

A love for Dim Sums

A dish that originated centuries ago in southern China’s Cantonese-speaking coastal Guangdong region, the Dim Sum is a dish that was traditionally eaten for breakfast or lunch, washed down with tea, in the famous tea houses of Guangzhou. It has since paved its way into the hearts of food lovers worldwide.

Dim sums at Kylin Experience

To celebrate this fondness for Dim Sums, The Kylin Experience has curated an unlimited Dim Sum Menu serving Crystal dim sums, Open Baos, Classic Dim Sums, Gyozas (pan grilled dim sums) and Kylin Signature Dumplings and more. Crafted with exquisite ingredients, Chef’s special recipes and served with flavoursome dips, the new menu offers a variety of three hand-picked Dim Sum dishes – from classic to modern signature offerings providing delicacies for everyone to enjoy. Price: INR 595 plus taxes (vegetarian); INR 795 (non-vegetarian); INR 995 (seafood).