Oriental Canteen
Oriental Restaurant in South Kensington
Small and authentic, cheap and tasty...
These days everything has a dose of irony/quirk attached to it. Haircuts, clothes, music… even food. But let there be no misunderstandings, Oriental Canteen is exactly what it says it is. Small, cramped and in possession of an uncanny likeness to a canteen… that serves Oriental cuisine. So, not hip and not cool. But wait, if it’s not trying to be ironic/quirky does that mean that it is hip? And it is cool? All we’ll say is that the lack of space that means cramped, plastic seating, is an afterthought once you get to the business of eating, which is, after all, why you come here.
Oriental Canteen is located on the recently renovated Exhibition Road, which means constant throngs of tourists rushing across the pedestrianised street, to and from the museums. As we’ve said, it is small but it also feels authentic. South Kensington isn’t teaming with cheap eats, which makes this place even more irresistible. The menu is simple. Rice and meat dishes tend to dominate the list and for around £5 a plate, the quality is relatively high. Both the hot and sour soup and the grilled dumplings should be sampled and if you’re looking for a recommendation of a bigger dish then may we suggest the sweet and sour pork.
Before we get too carried away, this isn’t Hakkasan levels of good, but it is quality, no frills food at low prices. And with its location so close to the V&A, Science Museum and Natural History Museum where tea and cake for two means breaking a £20 note, it is something close to one-of-a-kind. The term ‘cheap and cheerful’ has never been so applicable.
Reviewed by T.A.O
Published on Sep 20, 2013
Naming this a canteen isn't a crack at irony, this place is exactly what it says. That means high tables, squashed together in a small Oriental canteen... and it's great.
The grilled dumplings stand out as does the hot and sour soup. One of the best places around Kensington and Chelsea for cheap, good quality eating.
It is a widely touted fact that the Chinese restaurants where Chinese people eat must be the ones that serve the best, most authentic cuisine. This holds partly true for Oriental Canteen. It is certainly frequented by lots of Chinese students from the nearby university. The food served is very authentic, but towards the home-cooked rather than restaurant end of authentic. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. On the contrary, I prefer it because it is simple, tasty and reminds me of my mum's cooking. The food is also very reasonably priced and within a student budget. The place isn't very fancy inside, but is clean and the long tables give it a quaint, school canteen feel (as the name suggests). The staff are also very nice and efficient. I would definitely recommend giving this place a try.
Have your say
Add a review or useful tip for this restaurant
