Royal China Canary Riverside review - best dim sum in London?

Curiously, though lovers of Chinese cuisine in London often heap praise on Yauatcha and Hakkasan, they don't normally head towards these Michelin starred restaurants on a regular basis. Ask any Londoners who are familiar with London's Chinese cuisine and they are likely to point you towards Royal China.

Out of the four Royal China restaurants in London (Bayswater, two along Baker Street, Canary Riverside), I have only been to the Royal China Club along Baker Street. Perhaps I went there with too high an expectation after reading the review on Guardian, I didn't find food and service excellent as claimed by the reviewer. The ambience was rather fine but that hardly warranted a repeat visit.

After much cajoling, I finally agreed to head for a Sunday dim sum lunch at the Royal China at Canary Riverside. My lunch mate claimed that Royal China - Canary Riverside served the best dim sum that she has ever tasted. Then again, she hasn't been to Yauatcha. But boy, was I tempted by her claims!


shrimp dumplings - the whole works


roast pork buns - a stomach filler 

Royal China Canary Riverside happened not to take any reservation for Sunday lunches and operated on a first come first serve basis during that period. The three of us arrived at the restaurant at 12.30pm and already the place, which opened only at 11am, was packed to the till. Not only that, there was a whole lot of people milling around in the waiting area. I took a number and was told that I had to wait for at least 30 minutes for our turn. That turned out to be 1 hour 30 minutes.


Wanton noodles - one third of the entire portion


Spare ribs - succulent fatty meat

We were famished by the time we were led to our tables. One word of advice: never order dim sum on an empty stomach. You will tend over order, overeat and overspend. That was exactly what we did. Interestingly, the Cantonese termed weekend dim sum lunches as 'Yum Cha', which literally means tea drinking. The idea is to take things slow and nibble on bite size dim sum while sipping your cup of tea, which is normally refillable.


There were three of us and two of that, you do the math but it sure looked good

We (well, mainly I) did exactly the opposite. I placed our order the moment we sat down and went on to gobbled up the tapas size dishes, only to realised my folly when half of the food was cleared, all within 30 minutes! We started to take things slow from then on.


Royal China Cheung Fun - stuffed with roast pork fillet and prawns

Other than the usual suspects, we also ordered Royal China Cheung Fun (£3.60) - essentially cheung fun filled with charsiew (roasted pork fillet) and prawns. In the cheung fun department, Royal China, with its generous fillings, easily rivalled Yauatcha even though its soy sauce came premixed with the cheung fun.

One dish that is normally overlooked is the Fried Dough Cheung Fun (£3.20), sometimes referred to as the Vegetarian Cheung Fun. Admittedly, this is not the usual staple as I presume there aren't a lot of dim sum regulars who are vegetarians. I first stumbled upon this during our visit to Hakkasan when they ran out of charsiew cheung fun. Royal China did the dish pretty well and do consider this if you were to drop by.


egg tarts and fried yam paste - a fitting round up to any dim sum meal


the tilted lid - indicating that a refill is in order

The service at Royal China (Canary Riverside) was efficient and we used the time they take to top up our teapot (with its half opened lid signifying that it's empty) as a benchmark - it was under 30 seconds both times. Don't expect the staff to fawn over you or even make small talk though; it is still a very traditional Chinese dim sum restaurant. But I must say that the dim sum at Royal China (Canary Riverside) was definitely one of the better ones that I have tried, and pound for pound, I'll place Royal China (Canary Riverside) above Yauatcha.

Address: 30 Westferry Circus, London E14 8RR
Tel: 020 7719 0888
Nearest DLR station: Canary Wharf, Westferry or West India Quay

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £15 pp
Service charge: 13%
Taste: ****
Service: ***
Ambience: ***
Suitable for: a lazy Sunday afternoon dim sum

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Tenore Wood Fired Pizzeria review - the Italian pizzeria that you'll bring your date to

Someone once told me that you can never go wrong with Italian food in London. I have to agree with him as I have yet to find anyone who would refuse a good pizza or pasta, and I am pretty sure everyone has got their favourite pizzeria that they would retreat to at the end of a long day at work.

Tenore Pizzeria, which is a 5 minute walk from Sainsbury in Angel Islington, is one class act. Serving Sardinian cuisine, Tenore Pizzeria is probably the only reason why I would venture to Barnesbury Road.

Given its façade, you would have mistaken it for a local pub but you would noticed, as you stepped thought the front door, that Tenore Pizzeria was much more than that. With big band music playing lightly in the background, the main dining area on the ground floor was adorned with large black and white photos portraying 'the good life'. The attentive and friendly all-Italian staff strutted their stuff with warm and enthusiastic smiles that rivalled that at Antonio's Ristorante.


Saporita - tomatoes in melted goat cheese

Let's get down to the serious stuff shall we? The Saporita pizza - £10.75, with buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, avocado and goat cheese, was a treat. The soft melted pungent goat cheese, which was liberally layered on the pizza, went surprisingly well with the avocado.


Spaghetti Bottarga e Vongole - fish roe and clams, need I say more?

The Spaghetti Bottarga e Vongole - £9.55, turned out to be an apt choice. The fish roe added to the savoury texture of the spaghetti and the clams were far from overcooked and still supple. I would probably order that one again during my next visit. It really reminds me of the Chinese stir fried noodles, one of my favourite if done right, only Tenore's was so much better.



While we were there, there were a couple of tables with Italian customers chatting busily among themselves oblivious to their surroundings. For a moment, one would have thought that one was in bustling pizzeria in the heart of an Italian town, Tenore was that convincing. In short, Tenore is a La Forchetta, only with better food, better ambience and way better service.

Address: 14 Barnsbury Road, London N1 0HB
Tel: 020 2786 955
Nearest Tube station: Angel

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £15 pp
Service charge: N/A

Taste: ***
Service: *****
Ambience: ***
Suitable for: couples and small groups who are looking for a nice evening out

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Lotus Chinese Floating Restaurant review - Canary Wharf Cantonese cuisine and dim sum on a boat

The Lotus Floating Chinese restaurant - the exterior looks much better than the interior

While there are a number of pubs or restaurants along River Thames, Lotus is probably the one full fledged Chinese (Cantonese) restaurant on the water in London. Together with Royal China, which is located at Westferry Circus, Lotus dominates the Chinese culinary scene in London's Canary Wharf.

The large boat that Lotus is based in, stringed with Christmas lights (aptly pointed out by a pal), is definitely more alluring in the evening when the sun sets as the gaiety of it contrasted with the tall dark office and residential buildings that surrounded it. Apparently, Lotus is the place to go for Sunday dim sum according to the Wharf people.

A couple of us were there for a early dinner one weekend. The place (or boat if you prefer) was a bit empty at about 6pm and we were a bit disappointed when we were shown a table on the lower deck. We were told by a frequent patron to Lotus that we should always opt for tables on the top deck as opposed to the lower (or ground) deck as the staff serving the lower deck are old-timers and tend to be a bit brusque in their service.

A Roast Pork and Roast Pork Fillet combination

We ordered a portion Roast Pork and Roast Pork Fillet (charsiew). These, together with roast duck, forms the staple of the Cantonese restaurants in London. The fillet was mostly lean meat, which was good, being healthier and all. The roast pork, however, was sliced too thinly perhaps for the sake of presentation.

Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs - more ribs than pork

The Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs was ordered on my behest. I've grown a bit addicted to the sweet and sour sauce after setting foot in London. There was nothing really much about this dish, which obviously offered more ribs than pork. However, if you, like me, have a sadomasochist streak in you and enjoy the agony of trying to separate the meat from the ribs without behaving like a barbarian, do go for this dish.

Beef tendons - fantastic for those who can afford to bust a diet

Being absolute carnivores, we ordered another meat dish - Niu Nang (beef tendons), which came in a claypot. Its starchy corn flour laden gravy went well with "fragrant" white rice. With a good mix of lean and fatty chunks of meat, this is probably one of the safe dish that you can rely on when all else fails.

Though I have been to Lotus twice for Sunday morning dim sum, what left a deeper impression on me was not the food itself but the staff's blunt service that was to be expected of a no frills Chinese restaurant. Make no mistake, Lotus is neither Kai nor Yauatcha. Then again, the bill at Lotus came up to be a fraction of that at Kai. If you are one for bustling atmosphere and don't mind waiters chatting noisily with each other beside your table, Lotus is the place to go.

Address: 38 Limeharbour, Inner Millwall Dock, Isle of Dogs, London, E14 9RH

Tel: 020 7515 6445
Nearest DLR station: Crossharbour

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £15 pp
Service charge: 10%
Taste: ***
Service: **
Ambience: **
Suitable for: large family gatherings or a late Sunday dim sum breakfast, definitely not for couples

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Keelung review - Taiwanese street food in London Chinatown

 

Keelung is along the quieter Lisle Street

Keelung, serving Taiwanese hawker fare, is located along Lisle Street in Chinatown, which is not exactly where the action is. If not for See Woo, which is a popular Chinese grocery store, Keelung would probably have to count on word by mouth. Then again, with Liang Shan Hao Han - The Legend Continues, an off shot from Liang Shan Hao Han (Leong's Legend) just a street away, there is a critical mass of Taiwanese restaurants in the area.

We were in Chinatown on a late Saturday afternoon and was looking for a quick bite, and it was a tussle between Jen Café and Keelung. We decided to try something new and headed towards Keelung.

From what I gathered, Keelung was named after a major port city in northeastern Taiwan and I imagine the restaurant to be serving the Keelung's local food. At the first glance, the menu did remind me of Liang Shan Hao Han's but upon closer inspection, there were some subtle differences.

Siu Loung Bao (or Xiao Long Bao)

The Keelung Siu Loung Bao (see: how to eat a Xiao Long Bao) - 8pc for £5.50 tasted rather decent. Though I couldn't really taste the difference that one would expect with 'Keelung' attached to its name, it was nevertheless one of the more palatable ones.

Won Ton in Spicy Sauce - more oily than spicy

I ordered Won Ton (dumplings) in Spicy Sauce - £4.20 on a whim mainly because I was hoping for some soft Cantonese styled dumplings. I should have known really; Taiwanese dumplings, unlike the Cantonese counterpart, are wrapped in tougher and thicker dough. The spicy sauce was a tad oily and was essentially chilly oil. It was definitely a hearty dish, nothing to shout about really.

Crispy Oyster - salt and pepper battered

The Crispy Oyster - £5 was a wild card. Having just had some nicely done fried calamari a couple of days back, we thought of trying some oysters. Like all oyster dishes, you would have to like the taste of oysers to begin with. That, I have somehow acquired after feasting on oysters at Whitstable. Lighly coated with salt and pepper batter, it was a welcome change from the rest of the dishes we ordered. Interestingly, it oysters were far from crispy. Perhaps Keelung should rename the dish as Salt and Pepper Oyster. Hmm.

Essentially minced pork rice - a stomach filler

I ordered Tainan Grounded Pork Rice Bowl - £3.80 purely to fill up my stomach as I didn't think that the oysters and dumplings would suffice (I was wrong). A simple workman dish with some minced pork sprinkled on a bowl of plain rice topped with two slices of pickes. Would probably not order this again if I were to return.

Taro and Red Bean Paste pastry - a surprise winner

The surprise winner of the meal came in the form of dessert. Although we were rather stuffed, we had to try out the Warmed Taro and Red Bean Paste - £3. Lightly crisped on the outside, soft on the inside, the two layers - red bean paste encompassed by a thin layer of taro were exposed once you slice it open. Few Chinese restaurants do their desserts well and in my opinion, this is a must order at Keelung.

Keelung's décor is rather interesting. While BaoZi Inn has got its Chairman Mao's posters and Leong's Legend has its Inn theme complete with mock weaponary, Keelung offers a huge poster of what I could only imagine to be a scene of the port city Keelung, and just round the corner, you have vintage photographs of Marilyn Monroe, Mohammed Ali and a whole lot of other celebrities. Bizarre combination you might think but then again, the last thing we need is another Leong's Legend wannabe in London Chinatown.


Address: 6 Lisle Street, London WC2H 7BG
Tel: 0207 256 5045
Nearest Tube station: Leicester Square


Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £15 ppService charge: 10%
Taste: ***
Service: **
Ambience: ****
Suitable for: a late afternoon snack. Note that staff will ask you for additional gratuity even after service charge of 10% is included in your bill.

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Jin Go Gae review - London New Malden Korean barbecue restaurant

get pass its facade, Jin Go Gae has a more inviting interior

To recap, W, a Korean acquintance of mine recommended me two Korean restaurants in the vicinity of Raynes Park train station and I was determined to try them out in a single day. After lunch at Cah Chi, the three of us headed to Kingston before hopping on to bus 131 to Burlington Road for dinner at Jin Go Gae.

After our experience at Cah Chi, I didn't bother to make a reservation at Jin Go Gae. A mistake that almost delayed our dinner by an hour if not for a last minute cancellation the moment we were turned away. Jin Go Gae definitely felt much more commercial than Cah Chi and it was packed with Koreans, Chinese and Japanese when we were there.


one of the private rooms

Other than the tables in the main area, there were also four low tables in two elevated rooms that could be reserved for private dining. Fortunately for us the cancellation of a reservation meant that we get to dine in one of the private rooms. There we were sitting cross legged, with our legs tucked under the low table, flipping through the extensive menu before pressing a button inconspicuously position the side wall for the waitress to place our orders.


a spread of complimentary starters

Like Cah Chi, we were served complementary side dishes right from the onset. Correct me if I'm wrong but I have yet to find a Korean restaurant in central London that does that. Apparently, that is the reason why W refused to dine at these Korean restaurants as he feels rather indignant at having to pay for these side dishes.


Par-Jeon

After the fried dishes at Cah Chi, we decided on Par-Jeon (seafood pancake) - £6.90. You can't really go wrong with this must have Korean dish and Jin Go Gae did it just fine with a smoky aftertaste.


Cap Chae

The Cap Chae (thin glass vermicelli with beef slices and veg) - £7.90 tasted surprisingly well given its presentation. For around the same price, the portion was much larger than that of Korean Kitchen. I would recommend that, an appropriate dish to accompany barbercue meat, to be shared between three to four people.


Tuk Pokee

That was the first time we ordered Tuk Pokee (spicy rice cake, fish cake with veg) - £7.90. I am not sure how this should taste like but I thought it was a tad bland even with the spicy red gravy coated over the rice rolls - the rice and gravy just didn't gel if you get what I mean. That was another stomach filler so avoid this dish if you are a light eater.


Sliced Pork Belly

The waitress set up a barbecue stove on our table and served Sliced Pork Belly with green tea power - £6.90. To be honest, I didn't see or taste any green tea powder. Then again, my palate was probably tainted by the previous dishes, which had rather strong taste. Even so, every barbercue dish that I had tasted way better after the fiasco at New Seoul (insert link).


Bulgogi

After we were done with the pork belly, the stove was replaced and the Bulgogi (beef with glass vermicelli and veg) - £14.90 came with it. By that time, we were almost filled to the brim (all thanks to the rice cakes) and we were having trouble finishing the beef. If you just want to have a taste of Korean barbercue, the Bulgogi, with it accompanying spread, would be a really safe dish.


Sesame ice cream - chunks of it

Even though we were struggling to finish what was laid on our table, we couldn't resist asking for the dessert menu. After some deliberation, we went for sesame ice cream - £4.90. Well, we were abit disappointed when the ice cream finally arrived. There were basically three scoops of ice cream heaped on a cup and that was it. Presentation aside, there were icicles in the ice cream probably due to repeated freezing and thawing. You're better off grabbing a Krispy Kreme doughnut just across the street for desserts.

Though decent, I'm not sure whether Jin Go Gae is worth the train ride and subsequent bus ride from central London but if you have a travelcard, consider dropping by on a weekend for a barbercue session. And please call beforehand to reserve a table in one of the private rooms to prevent being engulfed in the barbecue fumes.

Address: 272 Burlington Road, KT3 4NL
Tel: 020 8949 2506
Nearest Train station: Motspur Park Rail / Raynes Park

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20 pp
Service charge: 10%
Taste: ***
Service: ***
Ambience: **
Suitable for: barbecue with a small group of friends in a private room (call to reserve beforehand)

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Cah Chi review - London New Malden Korean food with a homely feel

Cah Chi comes highly recommended by a Korean acquaintance of mine (W). We were dining at Korean Kitchen and I began to bug him for his favorite Korean restaurant in London. After deliberating for quite some time, he came up with just two, Cah Chi and Jin Go Gae, both of which are in the vicinity of Raynes Park train station. Not only that, he very helpfully sent me an email detailing the directions to get to both and what to order for each restaurant.

Armed with his email, we were determined to try out both restaurants in on a Saturday - Cah Chi for lunch and Jin Go Gae for dinner.

I called Cah Chi to make a lunch reservation for three at around 11am and a Korean lady picked up the phone. She sounded genuinely surprised that anyone would call to reserve a table and it was only after I hung up that I realised that she didn't ask me for my name or contact number. Anyway, the train ride from Waterloo to Raynes Park (£4.70 return) took merely 20min and Cah Chi was a further 5min stroll from the station.

According to W, Cah Chi has been in business for the past 15 years and it was only recently been given a modern furnishing by the two sisters who took over from their mother. With its simple furniture and some children drawings adorning one wall, Cah Chi did have the feel of a home run business.


a complimentary spread of traditional Korean starters

Though W did mentioned to me in passing, we were still stunned when one of the Korean sisters came over and took our orders in perfectly crisp Mandarin. But we regained our composure soon after and ordered what W recommended.


Tang-Su-Yuk

The Tang-Su-Yuk (sweet and sour pork) - £9 was done really well. The pork was thinly sliced and lightly battered before being deep fried. It was evident from the taste that the oil used was fresh. Probably we were among the first customers but I'm going to give Cah Chi the benefit of the doubt. Even though sweet and sour pork has become almost a staple Chinese food in western Europe, we all agreed that Cah Chi did it better than a number of Chinese and Korean restaurants in Central London.


Kampoonggi

Kampoonggi (deep fried chicken in garlic sauce and honey) - £9.50 was up next. Come to think of it, it probably wasn't a good choice considering that we just had deep fried pork earlier but the fried chicken, slightly sweetened with a whiff of garlic, were devoured in a matter of minutes - most of it by yours truly. The chunks of chicken served by Cah Chi beat the comparatively smaller ones served at Korean Kitchen hands down.


Su-je-bi - one of the three portions

Su-je-bi (dough with vegetables and soup) - £7 followed swiftly thereafter. That dish reminded me of the min hoon kuek served at the hawker centres back in Singapore. The only differences were that the dough were fluffier and the soup base tasted less heavy. Su-je-bi is a real filler and you should avoid ordering that if you are looking for a light meal.


Guk bab - one of the three portions

Guk bab (beef soup with rice) - £6.50 was the final dish that we ordered. I couldn't place my finger on the type of rice used in the soup but there was a light tinge of purplish colour in it. I would say that the rice tasted more like brown rice rather than the white variety.

Cah Chi is one of those small suburban family orientated restaurants, which customers are mainly from the surrounding residential area. Given its relatively long history, there is a certain charm in the sleepy standalone building along Durham Road. If only it's nearer to Central London for it would certainly give Korean Kitchen a run for its money.

Address: 34 Durham Rd, SW20 0TW
Tel: 080 8947 1081
Nearest Train station: Raynes Park

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £15 pp
Service charge: 10%
Taste: ****
Service: ***
Ambience: **
Suitable for: a quiet family lunch

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