China Town's best restaurant

[thejournalist]

I know this is a little further afield than Lordship Lane, but I'm heading into town at the weekend and would love to hear from anyone who's had a particularly good Chinese meal in China Town.

[lozzyloz]

Haozhan is my current favourite.

[David A]

Mr Kong on Lisle Street has been around for years and is always good. They do 'fish lips' and 'duck feet' if you're feeling brave, but anything 'in hot-pot with yam paste' is also worth a try.

And the head waiter looks like Cliff Richard, which is pretty freaky.

[Jeremy]

Most of them are fairly poor, serving the same bog-standard, generic dishes.

We quite like Four Seasons, they do a decent attempt at authentic roast duck and pork.

Not been to Haozhan, but I know the reviews were good when it first opened.

[Annette Curtain]

I'd head for Mr Kong on Little Newport Street. It's run by the affable Edwin Chow and the food is better than most of China Town

Spicy Ribs, wrapped in a Paper bag. Crab in Ginger. Oh, and the Razor Clams are excellent

In fact it's my favorite of the lot (along with Won Kei if i'm on my own)

However, you could head off piste to Chilli Cool It's hard core heat from Szechuan

Netts(tu)

[Voyageur]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Most of them are fairly poor, serving the same

> bog-standard, generic dishes.

I couldn't agree more - I have consistently been disappointed with china town restaurants over 30 years or so. Against my better judgement we were persuaded to go to one recently - can't recall its name but it was painted jade green'ish and was allegedly one of the better restaurants that has been there donkey's years. The service was below mediocre, the prices unwarranted and the food was dreadful - unimaginative, very poor cuts of meat, rubbery and tasteless over all.

I have decided to avoid china town restaurants from now on - am fed up with being disappointed :( A shame, as I love good quality, well cooked Chinese grub.

[Rolo Tomasi]

Ba Shan - 24 Romilly Street

[KidKruger]

Imperial China for Dim-Sum, on road South of / parallel to Gerard St.

[lozzyloz]

For authentic service head for Wong Kei around the corner in Wardour St ;)

[Giacomelli]

Manchurian Legend for something different

[sarahf]

Another vote for Imperial China (it's on the Leicester Square end of Lisle Street, small entrance over a little bridge). However, my new dim sum favourite is Grand Imperial, which is in The Grosvenor Hotel at Victoria Station. The food is fantastic - hybrid of Royal China and Hakkasan - and dim sum menu good value if you're hungry. Giles Coren gave it a spot on review, although he complained of the dire service and attributed it to racism against gwei lo (white people). However, I would like to reassure the EDF that the staff are not racist at all - I am Chinese and have been prostrate by how bad the service can be. For great dim sum, I can cope with a bit of rubbish service (although, to be fair, sometimes it's good and seems to be improving) but not racism.

[reetpetite]

lozzyloz Wrote:

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> For authentic service head for Wong Kei around the

> corner in Wardour St ;)

>:D<

[thejournalist]

Thanks for all the suggestions - we opted for Wong Kei, which was good food for reasonable price.

[Annette Curtain]

thejournalist Wrote:

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> Thanks for all the suggestions - we opted for Wong

> Kei, which was good food for reasonable price.

Hail the Wong Kei

"UPSTAIRS"

[maxxi]

Annette Curtain Wrote:

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>

>

>

> Hail the Wong Kei

>

> "UPSTAIRS"

"You move! You move NOW!"

[KidKruger]

Wong Kei:

"You no like food, you ban, no come back bruddy foreigner !".

When I questioned the BBQ pork around 1992.

[charliecharlie]

Yup, I'd vote for Imperial China too....

xxCC

arahf Wrote:

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> Another vote for Imperial China (it's on the

> Leicester Square end of Lisle Street, small

> entrance over a little bridge). However, my new

> dim sum favourite is Grand Imperial, which is in

> The Grosvenor Hotel at Victoria Station. The food

> is fantastic - hybrid of Royal China and Hakkasan

> - and dim sum menu good value if you're hungry.

> Giles Coren gave it a spot on review, although he

> complained of the dire service and attributed it

> to racism against gwei lo (white people). However,

> I would like to reassure the EDF that the staff

> are not racist at all - I am Chinese and have been

> prostrate by how bad the service can be. For great

> dim sum, I can cope with a bit of rubbish service

> (although, to be fair, sometimes it's good and

> seems to be improving) but not racism.

[maxxi]

When Poons was in Lisle st. - the room on the first floor with the large round table right by the - usually open - window, wonderful crab... long gone though.

[Annette Curtain]

maxxi Wrote:

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> When Poons was in Lisle st. (tu)

I was in Wong Kei when it caught fire. Hand on heart, it was the funniest experience.

The pay phone on the wall kept ringing, and the waiters were becoming more animated with each call.

One or two would venture outside and return to relay the state of play in rapid-fire chinese/cantonese. This happened a number of times, whilst the customers on the ground floor were blissfully unaware

After a while a uniformed man came in and firmly asked who was the manager, he didn't wait for an answer but produced a chrome badge.

He calmly and clearly stated:

"Ladies & Gentlemen, I'm a Fire Officer. This building is on fire, so would you please gather your belongings and leave quietly"

The manager responded with great conviction, by saying:

"No, is OK, fire only upstairs"

At that point I nearly choked laughing.

The street outside was now full of smoke and as I looked up 20ft flames were licking up around the roof where the kitchen's are.

I'll never forget that day & thankfully nobody was hurt.:)

NETTE

Edited to add.

Did you know there's The Won Kei Appreciation Society on Facebook?

(and i've just worked out that i've been eating there for about 27 years. )

['bout now]

Me too Nette, my funniest experience was a loud American woman complaining to the waiters in front of everybody that she had "never been so rudely or badly treated in any restaurant, ever"

To which she received a sing song reply from the staff of " fank you very much, don't come back, goodbye" complete with waving hands.

Fair choked on me Ho Fun I did.

[MrBen]

What's the place nearby that is famous for Peking Duck.....so much so that visitors from Hong Kong have come to London just to try it?

I've always wanted to go there......

[MrBen]

Found it!

Four Seasons.... good reviews for Roast (not Peking) Duck but some very bad reviews for service!

Anyone been?

[coldsoup]

The duck is tasty at the Four Seasons but there's not much meat.

I think the best food in chinatown is the Golden Dragon, and the best service is The New World.

Why anyone still chooses to go to Wong Kei is beyond me. The food matches their service exactly.

[Jeremy]

MrBen, see my earlier post - I think the roast duck and roast pork are decent at Four Seasons, probably the closest in London we've had to the real deal.

For authentic Peking duck (not roast duck), I hear Min Jiang is the place to go. Not tried it personally, but intend to soon. High end prices, though.

[woodrot]

I dont think I have ever been impressed with any Chinese resturant I have ever been in. starchy glutinous slop most of the time. I can say however that I did have some street food in Beiijing once that was possibly one of the best things I have ever eaten.

I would not eat in Chinatown if I was paid Im afraid.