Mandarin Restaurant — Restaurant in Kolkata

This is the very second time I have visited Mandarin. When I have visited the first time, I loved the place as their food was superb. This time also there is no match to their chinese food but the behaviour of the staffs were not upto the mark. Came up to ask the order just after providing us the menu, not even asked for the water after entering into the restaurant untill we asked it, not refilling the glass once it was finished ( though we asked to refill it only once), not able help us with what side will go best with rice and noodles we have ordered and after leaving the restaurant they have been discussing how much time we have sat their with our food (we took around one hour)(one of us went to the washroom at the end and she heard it while leaving).

Now coming to the food:

Starter •) Chilli Garlic Pepper Fish (half): It was fried and tossed in soya sauce with green chilli and chopped garlic. It was stunner from the menu. The fish was pretty fresh and worth the price. (5/5)

•) Chicken Sweet Corn Soup (half): The quantity of the soup was pretty good. We were told that it can made 1/3 but when it came to us we saw that it can be easily made 1/4 as it was just a companion with our starter. The soup was very good and filled in with good amount of chicken, corn and egg. (5/5)

Main Course •) Mandarin Special Noodles (Dry): Tastes nice as we didn't find any difference with the mixed noodles (we have asked the person taking our order can't tell the difference, we thought the mushroom added in it was the difference). The quantity was enough for two person and it was not too spicy, nor too blund. Perfectly goes with a mid spicy side dish. (4/5)

•) Sichuan Fried Rice (Mixed): It was superb. Tasted heavenly. With the name we thought it will be pretty spicy but it was not like that atall. It was mid spicy and everyone can have it. The quantity was more than enough for two person. The appetizers in it were small in pieces not like that of noodle or soup but it was good. (5/5)

•) Chicken with Green Pepper (Gravy) (full): This one is also a great side dish to have with both the rice and noodles we have ordered. It was reddish gravy item and have sweet and spicy kind of taste. The chicken pieces were good in size and the portion size is pretty good in full plate. It can be easily ordered for two main courses. The chicken pieces were also bery fresh and juicy inside. (5/5)

*Note: Here all the half playe contains 8 pieces and full plate contains 16 pieces (unless it...

While the restaurant boasts a legacy of 25+ years and the quantity of food served is more than sufficient, the quality of food leaves much to be desired. I had visited this place with my parents when I was a little kid of 10, and now I revisited after more than 20 years with my mother. Hoping for a bit of nostalgia, I had high hopes. Unfortunately, the place failed to deliver. First, the place was much smaller than I remembered it, but that could be my perspective has changed from that of a child to an adult. Second, the staff, while courteous enough, are not trained well enough to serve food properly. The person who was serving us dropped a lot of gravy from the Cantonese noodles on the table. Quite sloppy I must say. Third, there are flies buzzing around the shop and as luck would have it, it dropped into the bowl of chowmein. Completely unhygienic and I was grossed out. The manager was, however, quick to realize what had happened, offered to replace the bowl. Well, good enough, but I was getting irritated by now and disheartened with the overall sloppy experience. Finally, that drove the nail in the head was the presence of a piece of stone in the mixed fried rice, commonly known as "kankor" in Bengali. I almost chipped my tooth biting on it (see attached pic). Overall summary, I am definitely not visiting here again, nostalgia or not. Sad on what could have been a great experience turned into a complete disaster. While the locals may prefer the food here, mainly due to the taste and more than sufficient quantity, the quality...

Mandarin Restaurant: A Disappointing Decline in Quality and Value

Having been a loyal patron of Mandarin Restaurant during 2022, I frequently indulged in their Prawn Schezwan Rice Noodles—a dish I considered unparalleled despite its premium pricing. However, by the end of 2023, I noticed a significant dip in the quality of their offerings, prompting me to stop ordering. Recently, I decided to give their Southern Avenue outlet another try, hoping the dine-in experience would revive the excellence I once cherished.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a disappointing visit. I began with their Golden Fried Prawns—a dish priced at ₹690 for just five pieces (excluding GST). While I am willing to pay for quality, this offering was anything but. The prawns were heavily coated in oil with minimal meat, making the dish feel like an overpriced gimmick rather than a premium delicacy.

The Mixed Rice Noodles, which followed, were underwhelming at best. Sparse bits of chicken and egg made it feel incomplete, requiring a search for the protein amidst the noodles. The accompanying Fish with Green Pepper (Gravy) was equally disappointing—bland, poorly executed, and encased in a thick coating that masked its lack of freshness.

Spending ₹2,000 on three items of such subpar quality was a complete letdown. Adding to the disappointment was the dull ambience and lackluster service, both of which fell short of expectations. Mandarin Restaurant has sadly lost the charm and value it once offered, making it hard to justify a revisit...