Jing springs up with a punch

Pan-Asian restaurant offers regional cuisines both flavoursome and authentic in taste

LAHORE:

The city has devoured a fair share of Chinese and Japanese restaurants, even Korean. But what seemed missing was good Pan-Asian dining space that spans across regional cuisines.

That may no longer be the case as Jing springs up in the uber-happening food scene of Lahore. Jing —  ‘Far East Wok Works’ conjures up images of delicious delicacies from different parts of Asia. Brought forth by owner of Veranda Bistro, Mariam Saqib, Jing offers a myriad of items that would intrigue the food-conscious.

5 tips for a snack that packs a punch

Quality 4/5

The Tom Yum Goong soup was first up and had an authentic taste. The ingredients tasted fresh and the soup struck the right balance between spicy and tangy. Good Tom Yum Goong soup is the perfect note to start a Far Eastern course and is certainly not easy to perfect. Sticking to classics for mains, we tried the Tamarind Fish and Red Curry. Jing’s Tamarind Fish could give popular Chinese restaurant Yum a run for its money. Crispy on the outside, the fish was accompanied with a flavourful sauce, which was not enough to go around and left us longing for more. The red curry packed a punch, was wholesome and went well with garlic rice.

Atmosphere 4/5

The restaurant boasts chic, contemporary and minimalist décor unlike many Chinese eateries. Other oriental restaurants often overuse the colour red in their set up with lanterns and Chinese inscriptions. Jing is a refreshing change with its neutral colours, except for the lights above each seating area. The seating is divided into booths that offer privacy to the customers.

Tamarind fish

Presentation 3.5/5

Jing’s menu says each serving is enough for two and that’s an accurate claim. The serving size allows one to explore different items on the menu as opposed to large servings of dishes. While Jing comes as a welcome addition to the Lahore restaurant landscape, it would be nice to see them expand their reach to Vietnamese, Burmese, Malaysian and other cuisines that fall under the extensive umbrella of ‘Far East’ that has been attached to the restaurant.

5 tips for healthy snacking

Service 4.5/5

Jing has well-trained staff, who are fairly equipped with knowledge of the menu. Jing offers delectable food items, which amount to nearly Rs1,500 per person.

Verdict: Jing opened around a month back and although our overall experience was fairly good, there are others who beg to differ. There have been a number of complaints about their food being too salty but as a restaurant in its teething phase, this isn’t something that can’t be fixed. As the restaurant is a welcome change in how it offers varied cuisines under one roof, let’s hope it also lives up to expectations.



Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2015.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.