The first time I sampled Asian Haus was at a friend'swedding party. The food was delicious and I tucked the name away in my head forfuture use, not sure when I would be able to use them for an elaborate cateringgig. At the time, the outlet was based out of Gurgaon and I lived in the heartof Delhi.
Over a year later, the brand has expanded to include bothAsian and Sushi Haus and both have become household favourites, given theirbold flavours, quality ingredients and prompt service. Interestingly, theyoperate only as a delivery unit; there is no restaurant where you can tuck intothe goodness of their meals, but this model seems to have worked well in afood-heavy Delhi market.
Since you can order from both outlets with one phone call,let's begin with the sushi rolls. Vegetarians have plenty of reason to cheer asthe menu embraces green variations and sees this as an opportunity to grow thispart of its menu. While the quinoa rolls looked gimmicky on the menu, they werea big surprise; the asparagus tempura roll was crunchy and well crafted. Theavocado roll is also recommended as it comes wrapped in a thin layer of avocadorather than the traditional seaweed. As far as the non vegetarian sushi optionsgo, the crunchy spicy tuna roll may get the Japanese to roll their eyes but itis perfectly suited for the Indian palate. The chicken katsu roll is alsoinventive, with a spicy curry-like filling that surprisingly works well in a sushiroll.
For mains, the menu at Asian House is recommended. Try theMalaysian curry which is described on the menu as 'A classic Malaysian chickencurry scented with cumin & flavoured with lemongrass; partnered withpotatoes & finished with a hint of coconut milk.' The dish delivers on theearthiness it promises and is best enjoyed with steam rice. The Cantonesenoodle can be had as a meal in itself and is a flat rice confection tossed insoya sauce and topped with a creamy egg threaded sauce of chicken and shrimps;drizzled with crispy noodles. The Japanese katsu curry is a hearty curry mealflavoured with carrots and potatoes, served over sliced crispy breaded tofu orchicken, served with sticky rice. While the flavours are interesting enough,the chicken strips are tasteless on their own and reminiscent of fried chicken.Vegetarian options are also available in almost all curries and mains and theingredients are fresh and tasty.
While the Delhi market is chock full of Asian options, thehome delivery segment has limited quality restaurants catering to it. Asian andSushi Haus have attempted to change that by giving people in both Gurgaon andDelhi an Asian menu that is not influenced by Indian flavours and is insteadtrue to its origin. As winter sets in, the two become excellent dine-in optionsfor those looking to warm themselves and eat a good meal without stepping out.