The English idiom is an apt one for this restaurant – a rare gem amidst the bustle of London’s Chinatown. Plum Valley stands apart from many of the 70 or so restaurants packed into the area around Gerrard Street. It provides a bridge between traditional Cantonese dining – the mainstay of the district – and a more modern, upscale aesthetic. It’s a sleek, tranquil escape.
Enter Plum Valley and the impression is of calm and class (admittedly after having navigated the outdoor seating area). Think minimalist and upmarket. The interior comprises dark slate, stone and dark oak, most likely inspired by Chinese imperial gardens. It also represents a marked contrast to the bright lights and tightly packed tables of many neighbouring venues.
Another attraction for diners at Plum Valley is the sheer breadth of the menu. Since its opening over 40 years ago, the venue’s kitchen has always sought to offer options from across China, spanning Cantonese through to Sichuan, with the current team of chefs hailing from Guangzhou. Popular dishes such as duck and sweet and sour pork will sit among regional specialities. Plum Valley additionally offers an extensive dim sum menu, comprising over 50 options – not just for lunches, but all day.
Dim sum was the draw for your reviewer and his long-suffering vegetarian dining comrade on a recent weeknight visit. Rest assured, vegetarians are well-catered for at Plum Valley, not just on the dim sum menu, but across the restaurant’s broader offering. We kicked off with some superb steamed seaweed and salt and pepper tofu. Many ‘mock’ meat options are also available – perhaps for another day. There was no faulting any of our half a dozen dim sum options, as the picture attests. Presentation was mirrored by taste in terms of satisfaction, with the Cheung Fun sesame and peanut offering as well as spicy chicken wontons in a chilli sauce receiving top marks. With just tea drunk, the bill amounted to less than £40/head.
Fine dining this is not, but for a different take on Chinatown chaos, Plum Valley should be a must-visit.