Now, don’t let that bit about conveyor belt give you the impression of The Yum Yum Tree being a rather fancy fast-food outlet. Spread over 6,500 sq ft, this expansive restaurant has three sections. On the right is a chic fine diner with intimate seating under arched alcoves while on the left is a casual setting with benches and tables stationed around a long conveyor belt. A passage in the front leads to the bar, but you’ll have to wait for this one, as liquor licence is yet to arrive. At the grill base, the sizzling meats are placed on wooden platters and set on the conveyor belt with a tiny card announcing the dish. Customers can pick up their trays, without the intrusive presence of waiters.

Behind this swanky diner is a 25-year-old entrepreneur, Varun Tuli, who promised some smart fusions: “Though the menu has familiar Chinese names, it has some innovative twists.” We thought the proof of the prawn sui mai was in the eating and proceeded to the grill counter.

We sampled pan-fried chicken kothe (Rs 250 for six pieces) and sweet tiger prawn sui mai (Rs 200 for four). The paper-thin flour skin delicately wrapped around flavourful fillets heightened our expectations from the main course. The crunchy crab cake (Rs 350) was a little timid on the palate until we sprayed it with fiery chilli-bean sauce. However, for soups, stick to the chef’s recommendation; the fresh corn soup with asparagus (Rs 150) that we ordered was close to disappointment.