If there is one concept that the Sub-continent did not free itself from, post the British-colonial era, it’s tea. And given our fascination with the caffeine-powered concoction, it is interesting how rare it is for one to find a good Hi-Tea buffet in town - one that echoes a posh vibe, reminding us of a setting from Pride and Prejudice with quintessential swishes and flashes of drama. In absence of it, and because a busy working day doesn’t spare one enough time for an exciting lunch outside, we landed at Hakka Chine for a cuppa and some quick bites. In all fairness, even a layman would understand that a ‘Hakka’ Chinese cuisine restaurant isn’t the best place to go looking for an English tea room but it sure is an interesting find in comparison to the myriad of desi kitsch buffets that serve seekh kebabs in place of shortbreads with ‘doodh patti’.

However as we (me and a friend of mine) walked past the typically dim entrance into a classy, spacious seating area enclosed within gray bricked walls and hanging Chinese opera masks and finally to the buffet table, we lost interest. What we expected to be a gorgeous medley of bite-sized delicacies was no different from the racks of your roadside bakery. About seven to eight dishes including spring rolls, chicken sandwiches, schezuan chowmein and wontons made for a dismal variety. However what it lacked in food diversity was made up for in flavours. The spring rolls were fresh, and fried to a crisp so delicate that it appeared like sand, same goes for the fried wontons. The fillings, though mild in spice, were a refreshing mouthful. The wings had the perfect zing and bite to the sticky glaze they were covered in. They were a reminder that someone is making an effort in the kitchen.

Also in the rather limited buffet were two versions of the Chowmein - Schezuan Chowmein and regular Chicken Chowmein - but the taste was so similar that they failed to serve the purpose. There were a bunch of other things - passable, chicken spread sandwiches, dry-fried fish on toast and flaky patties.

Moving on to the sweet end of the meal, it is natural for Chinese restaurants to not have desserts as their strongest feature but what was on the roster was the worst act of support to the finale. Dry, rubbery éclairs, Phenyl-like strawberry mousse, bearable cakes in three different flavours and sugar-dusted puff pastries made for a dessert table that demanded a moment of silent shock and no attention, whatsoever.

Coming to the main element that defined the real purpose of this visit - tea. What’s the one thing that you’d expect at an authentic Hakka Chinese restaurant? A divine cup of aromatic Chinese tea! What else? But what you get is a regular affair of ‘doodh patti’ and green tea. It’s sheer disappointment. The service was solicitous in guiding us where we should sit, but after that it was just functional instead of warm. And what was irritating were their random set of policies - you can’t join a group of friends if you aren’t going to eat and, especially pay. You also better bring an ID to prove your kid falls within the age limit to avail the discount and you cannot eat from your own plate while browsing through the food spread; the last one is lamer.

Housed separately on the outskirts of a bustling food court and the only place to offer an affordable buffet in a sea of eateries, Hakka Chine has managed a clever trick and will draw in a number of customers. But a little work on the variety and quality maintenance is what’s going to take it a long way. We hear their dinner is worth a try, with a menu that changes regularly, and we might go there some time because we didn’t eat enough, not by a long way.