Fundraising dinner for Swindon mental health charity

The Kelly Foundation is to hold a fundraising dinner at new Regent Circus restaurant Hakka2 on Thursday 9 May.

The foundation, a charity, offers practical support for adults in the Swindon area who are experiencing mental health issues, and information about its work can be found at https://4kelly.org/
A spokesperson said: "The Kelly Foundation invites you to Swindon's plush new Chinese Hakka restaurant right in the middle of town.
"You will enjoy sumptuous cuisine in Swindon's newest and most beautifully presented surroundings.
"Those older among us will remember the building as The Riflemans but prepare to be blown away, as Christine Liaw has bought her considerable talent and design skills to bare, in creating this stylish venue, the second of her eating houses.
"Three splendid courses with live music accompaniment, entrée with the dramatic guitar of Wojciech Ratkiewicz  and ending with the haunting saxophone of Tawanda Mapanda."
To start, diners will have a choice between prawn cracker, crispy spring roll and deep-fried pork belly, or vegetarian hot and sour soup.
For main courses, they can choose one from:

- Fish Cantonese Style - a tender succulent fillet of whitefish is carefully and delicately fried in a featherlight shell of crispy batter then immersed in a delicious Cantonese sweet fruit sauce all served with white jasmine rice.
- Chicken Jiang Zheng Style - selected young chicken pieces are marinated in a unique Hakka coating then plunged into stir fry along with ginger, onion, peppers, garlic, shallots and chill, all lightly cooked to bring out the flavour of the vegetables but with a determinedly hot, spicy and aromatic taste, but without any burning. This dish is matched with wholegrain rice gently fried with eggs and a suggestion of vegetable oil. For vegetarians with a spicy palate, chicken can be replaced with plant-based ‘meat’ on request.
- For vegetarians especially, plant Based ‘Meat’ in a Hakka Signature Black Bean Sauce. Pieces of tender plant based ‘meat’ are gently fried in a signature black bean sauce. Fermented flavoursome black beans are combined with garlic and onion to deliver this sharp pungent dish with just a hint of sweetness. Today's market vegetables are added to the stir fry and the whole is presented along with slender threads of Singapore Vermicelli
To finish, there will be fully ripe bananas coated in a proprietary batter then fried to perfection to present a crispy banana fritter.

The restaurant is at 40 to 42 Regent Street, Swindon, SN1 1JL, and diners are asked to arrive at 7.30pm for 8pm with carriages at 10pm.
The meal is priced a £20 for singles and £35 for couples, and early booking is advised.
To book, people should email [email protected] and then type in Hakka2 in the subject.
The spokesperson added: "We will reply rapidly, requesting the number of seats you or your party requires, the lead booking name and phone number, the above menu options for each of you to choose from, how to pay and your provisional table number."
"Thankyou especially to Christine and the team at Hakka 2 for hosting this and thank you all sincerely for coming along to support The Kelly Foundation, Swindon’s Mental Health Support Charity."