House of Ming: The Gastronomic Destination Under Renovation
Excerpts:
When did 'House of Ming' open? What has been its significance for Taj Hotels?
One of Delhi's most iconic dining destinations, House of Ming, has been serving its patrons and guests for 43 years. Since its inception in 1978, the legendary House of Ming at Taj Mahal, New Delhi has presented timeless traditions, hallmark hospitality and culinary excellence. As the premier Chinese dining destination in Delhi, House of Ming has enjoyed the patronage of the hauté and happening of the city. Since the restaurant is situated at the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, an iconic address in the Capital, it holds a charm and has a legacy that spans over decades. It has catered to the tastes of many generations and the hotel is greatly privileged by the patronage of our guests over the last four decades.
How was it perceived in the initial years?
At the time when the hotel was launched, it was a pioneer of hospitality in many ways – its services, unique product concepts, and novel dining destinations. The restaurant, from 1978 till date, is a testament and a magnificent tribute to flavourful and much-loved Chinese. Despite catering to divergent tastes across generations, House of Ming has consistently delighted its guests and remains one of the most socially prominent places to dine in.
What is the significance of House of Ming as a brand for Taj?
House of Ming as a brand, product, and service offering is much-loved and is an evergreen dining destination. We have made the brand travel across geographies to our sister hotels for special culinary pop-ups and these have been very successful. The strong customer orientation, the flavours, the comfort of dining, and nostalgia make House of Ming a truly special gastronomic destination.
Which style from among the various genres of Chinese cuisine is made popular by House of Ming?
House of Ming offers patrons the experience of rich cuisine and cooking styles of Canton and Sichuan mastered by the award-winning culinary maestros. The cuisine of China is a mix of the four distinctive regions in China-Northern or Mandarin, Eastern coastal region identified by Shanghai, Western region of Sichuan, and the southern Chinese region of Canton. It is the cooking styles of Canton and Sichuan that the chefs at House of Ming have adopted in their repertoire. While the Sichuan style offers deliciously hot and spicy fare, the Canton cuisine pampers the palates of those who prefer subtle and light food.
Some of the all-time favourite signature dishes across decades at the House of Ming includes the Butterfly prawns, Char siu bao (dim-sums), steamed lobster butter garlic, Crispy aromatic Peking duck, Steamed chicken spicy black bean sauce, Braised mushroom with bamboo shoot pepper celery, Eggplant yu xian, Bee hoon curry oil, Date pancake, Wild rice pudding, star anise, caramel sauce and many more.
What initiated the transformation of the House of Ming?
The renovation was initiated in line with the journey of transformation of the iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi. The redesign is intended to retain timelessness and glory while infusing elements of contemporary elegance and a refreshed offering. Strong notes of nostalgia will be re-created while re-inventing the oriental architectural language that is reminiscent of the Ming architecture to present a beautifully remodeled restaurant. The food and beverage philosophy will be further strengthened to present a confluence of the old and the new. It promises to delight the gourmands of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
When is it expected to reopen?
The reimagined and redesigned avatar of House of Ming is scheduled to open towards the end of this year or towards the beginning of next year.
