Driving from Gurgaon’s monsoon-battered roads onto Delhi’s pristine, BRICS-ready avenues feels a lot like stepping out of a mass-market car and into a luxury sedan. Doing that drive in the new electric BMW i5 Long Wheelbase (LWB) set just the right mood. With a plant-based menu as the flavour of the recent 18th BRICS Summit dinner hosted by the PM, vegetarian dining is having its moment under the sun. It’s natural, therefore, to bypass Spicy Duck’s famous Peking duck and opt for the curated vegetarian menu (Rs 5,500 plus taxes per person) at the Taj Palace, New Delhi — it also fits the eco-friendly ethos of a zero-emission German sedan.
The i5 LWB
Launched last week priced at Rs 79.6 lakh (ex-showroom), the i5 LWB has a formidable road presence. Spanning over five meters with a 3,105 mm wheelbase, it offers limousine-like rear-seat legroom, and its adaptive rear-axle air suspension effortlessly glides over broken roads. Sliding out of its whisper-quiet cabin into the calmness of Spicy Duck felt like a natural extension, as the restaurant’s dimly lit ambience mirrored the BMW’s rich interior.
Spicy Duck
As Chef Thanglawm Valte explained before the start of the meal, Sichuan gastronomy relies on balancing bold heat and intense spices, whereas Cantonese cuisine prioritises subtle sauces. Spicy Duck balances both traditions.
The meal began with dim sum paired with chilli bean paste, scallion, and mustard sauce. The broccoli and corn suimai felt crunchy, while the steamed edamame dumpling infused with truffle oil delivered a rich taste. The golden corn cake with soy chilli coriander provided a somewhat understated follow-up. The water chestnut in chilli oyster with shiitake mushroom and pak choy delivered a healthy bite, complemented by the clay-pot stewed ‘Ma Po’ bean curd. The stir-fried green vegetables with sautéed garlic tasted fresh, paired with non-greasy wok-tossed noodles and fried rice.
To conclude, the pomelo mango sago with vanilla ice cream was close to perfect — a refreshing dessert so good that ordering a second portion was natural.
Back to the car
Just as Chef Valte balances Sichuan and Cantonese flavours, the i5 also strikes an equilibrium. Generating 268 hp and 410 Nm of torque, it reaches 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds — fast, but slower than its petrol counterpart. Its real-world electric range of 450-500 km easily alleviates intercity range anxiety — although the claimed range from its 81.6 kWh battery is up to 669 km.
No matter how good a restaurant is, there is often an item or two that doesn’t wow your taste buds — the vegetable manchow soup at Spicy Duck tasted bland despite its healthfulness — and similarly, no car is without imperfections. The i5, for instance, retains a central transmission tunnel in the rear-seat area, eating into legroom.
Overall, for those seeking authentic Chinese cuisine, Spicy Duck delivers a sophisticated balance — almost matching the tranquil, electric comfort of a long-wheelbase German sedan.
(‘Power plates’ is a column in which we drive to unique restaurants, connecting the flavours with the car.)
