For as long as I’ve lived in London, Victoria is a place from which to catch trains and little else. Most of the time, the area resembles (as it does today) a building site. In other words, not somewhere one would consider coming for lunch. Things are admittedly changing, and for the better, but it was not to one of the newer places in the district to which I recently ventured, but instead to A Wong, a superb find worth seeking out.
Xu: Xuting out the lights (September 2017)
Located a stone’s throw away from Chinatown and next door to the ever-popular Palomar, the ambitions of Xu (pronounced ‘shu’) are evident. Given that the team behind this venture also pioneered Gymkhana, Bao and Hoppers, expectations were high, but a recent lunchtime visit undoubtedly impressed. While perhaps somewhat lacking in atmosphere, the level of the food here was superlative.
Kai: High-end, but worth it (July 2017)
Confucius Chinese restaurant: A wise choice (December 2016)
Dragon Castle: Struggling to find positives (December 2016)
Elephant & Castle is a depressing enough part of London to go to at the best of times. Exiting the underground station, the eye is confronted with an excess of cars and concrete. Those brave enough to navigate the roundabout can find themselves at Dragon Castle, a cavernous Chinese establishment that has been here for some time.
Royal China Baker Street: Old school rules (June 2016)
Park Chinois: Growing up is not always fun (March 2016)
Yauatcha: Ten years on and still going strong (December 2015)
Duck and Rice: Can Alan Yau do no wrong? (May 2015)
Princess Garden: Traditional Chinese at its best (January 2015)
Hakkasan Mayfair: Indulgent, but definitely worth it (June 2014)
Going to Hakkasan is an experience, from beginning to end, and while not cheap, it is undoubtedly worth it. The sense of anticipation and occasion is heightened on arrival. While the exterior of the building is relatively nondescript, in an office block to the side of Berkeley Square, diners are forced to walk down a relatively long, delicately-scented black passageway lit only by small sparkling lights in order to reach the dining room.
Pearl Liang: Great restaurant; pity about the location (May 2014)
Barshu (April 2013)
Londoners often face a challenge when it comes to finding good Chinese restaurants: on the one hand, there is the MSG-heavy Cantonese food that predominates much of Chinatown, and on the other, there is the likes of Hakkasan and its ilk, as much fashion destination as food experience, with only the briefest of nods to China as opposed to ‘pan-Asia.’