Choosing a restaurant in London’s Chinatown is not for the faint-hearted. There are around 100 options within the space of just a few blocks. To the untrained eye, many look identical. Searching the Internet is may not help, since not all venues even have websites. Local knowledge can be advantageous. Feng Shui Inn was endorsed by a friend (whose family are also involved in the venture). It proved a worthy recommendation.
The concept behind Feng Shui Inn is a simple one. As the name suggests, it aims to replicate the concept of a traveller’s inn. Across China, visitors can find somewhat similarly styled locales offering not just food and drink, but often hospitality too. At Feng Shui, there is karaoke on tap (full disclosure: your reviewer participated). The décor is premised on simplicity aimed at promoting harmony – again consistent with the venue’s name. Red, an auspicious colour in Chinese culture, features heavily. Plum hues are present too, along with polished stone.
Feng Shui’s food covers a broad gamut – not uncommon in Chinatown – encompassing Cantonese and Sichuan elements as well as Dim Sum at lunch. Since we were a large group (and had the benefit of our friend with local knowledge present), the kitchen brought a range of dishes to the table. While it may have been pleasing to peruse a menu, particularly since one is not available on the website, this approach should have allowed the restaurant to show off its culinary competence. The good news was that everything we ate pleased highly. Spare ribs disappeared in the blink of an eye; salt and pepper squid too. A highlight for this reviewer was a Sichuan chicken dish, where the meat glowed golden and was enhanced by a judicious medley of chilli, black pepper and coriander. Beyond beer and traditional Chinese green tea, Feng Shui’s wine list did contain a few hidden gems, particularly a Pomerol from Bordeaux. Happily fed and watered, our group was then prepared to move on to singing…