Red Emperor China Bistro

Lazy Sunday again and I just don’t feel like cooking, all the week is almost like a military regime for me. Wake up at 6:30 take Kabir to school and then come home cook, feed, bathe and play with Gibran, watch some TV and then off to pick up Kabir, then serve lunch to my family including our employees, and then just a quick nap then wake up play with my boys, make Kabir do his homework, evening means tea and then 7:30 dinner for the boys, put them to bed around 8:30, then Ali and I have dinner. By 11 I’m half dead and literally fall to sleep.
So Sunday I really want it to be funday.
This Sunday we went to try out the lunch buffet at Red Emperor, in Clifton block 4.
Loved the interior! An old mansion look, the weather was great, fresh bamboo shoots everywhere and the floor tiles were very traditional and earthy.
It was not a very on the face Chinese interior. Very subtle and spacious.
But the surprising thing was that we were the only ones there.
At 3 in the afternoon.
I don’t know what with karachitties we just can’t be early risers and usually all the restaurants are dazzling at night. We are losing the bliss of enjoying the day.
But luckily Ali and I we both find day trips much comfortable and energetic.
Being the only customers we were very well taken care of, a pink highchair for Gibran (many people think hes a girl) was brought to the table quick.
And then the waiter came. I don’t want to sound rude but one of the waiter seemed pretty lame, I just couldn’t get what he was saying at first. And required much repetition.
It was their usual set lunch buffet with almost all of the mainstream Chinese hakka dishes.
First on the table were crackers, the usual ones, my kids devoured on them then came the clear hot and sour soup. It was sumptuous, had 3 bowls of it. The prawn balls and spring rolls came along.
Prawn balls were good but I don’t know what’s with the spring roll.
Why isn’t the spring roll the way it should be. Be it Chairman Mao or other Chinese restaurants it seems they have forgotten how to make spring rolls.
The perfect crisp golden and smooth roll, without any oil bubble on the top layer.
One doesn’t expect this from a fine dine restaurant.
In the main course, Chowmein excellent, rice good, sweet and sour fish not too good tasted too sweet and I could clearly make out that they had made the gravy with a very local brand ketchup which was too sweet and overloaded with gelatin.
Good rice, dry beef chilli was good and the rest of the dishes were pretty good.
Overall everything was good enough and if you r a Chinese foodie then you can give it a shot.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Customer service: 10 out of 10, Gibran dropped his toy a couple of times and the waiter was kind enough to pick it up each time.
Value for money: Affordable, not very pricey. Lunch buffet is a good deal.