RESTAURANTS

1. The Golden Orchid upstairs serves Chinese course meals and buffets by Chinese Chef trained cooks. On this floor is also the video documentaries area with regular showings of cultural China. On one of the walls is the ceramic version of a Sung painting depicting the hermit mountain where Laotze spent the latter part of his life before returning as Boganathan to Palani with his Chinese disciple Pulipani. Overlooking the high vaulted main dining hall is a large stained glass window showing deep space as background with the Chinese motif of bats giving benediction to those below, flanked by two arrangements from the Book of Change as symbols of Cosmic Law.

2. The Jasmine Garden on the ground floor extends into the shade under trees and into the courtyard. Sitting on a ledge under the roof can be found a bronze statue of The Thinker by Rodin and another of a gorilla. To one side is a pottery tea urn in which is the entire Heart Sutra inscribed in Chinese. These three exhibits embody the story of human evolution. The Jasmine garden serves North Indian and casual Chinese meals as well as all day breakfast. There will be a weekly set menu, designed to show customers the savouring of the five tastes through variety and contrast in right combinations. We use coconut oil for our cooking. We also make our own coconut vinegar. As much as is possible, we use organic produce from our own vegetable garden. .