Kung Hei Fat Choi! London is celebrating Chinese New Year this week, so here’s a list of places where you can dine on delicious dim sum and celebrate the year of the dragon. Roar!!
Before Dim Sum we were forced to eat tiny sandwiches sans crusts, then washing down those simple carbs with pinky fingers forced upwards in salute to the queen. Now that we have dim sum though the old fashioned sandwich is out the window. Good riddance. Dim sum is all about personal preference but trek to any of the five restaurants below and there’ll be something about each of them to enjoy.
The New World
Hong Kong is a killer place to eat up dim sum and some of the best places you’ll find are sat - rather strangely – in shopping malls. Think vast round tables, thick carpet and trolleys of dumplings wheeled to your table. The New World may not be plonked in a Westfield (thank God) but it’s still the place to find the appeal of traditional HK dim sum in London and an experience worth paying for. The soft red décor is dotted with gold detailing and there’s a level of service that beats most China Town establishments. Chicken feet dumplings are a good choice.
Shanghai
Phew. Now we’ve got the traditional out the way we can move into the realms of the more peculiar. Shanghai in Dalston doesn’t just produce excellent dim sum but hosts its own karaoke rooms so that you can enjoy a medley of shark fin dumplings and Mustang Sally. The Char Siu Bao are particularly good and now dim sum can be ordered in the evening too!
Yautcha
It had to be either Hakkasan or Yautcha and thanks to its ultra stylish façade and the memory of its macaroons, the latter won out. Opened by Alan Yau and the sister to Hakkasan, Yautcha is the chic way to indulge in dim sum. Crazy expensive? Yes, but not for the experience on offer. The restaurant prides itself on the quality of its ingredients and contemporary updates are evident in some of its dishes. Don’t leave without sampling the venison puff.
Lido
Lido is the home of consistently consistent dim sum, which is why it makes the list above other Gerrard Street restaurants. Service comes with a smile and the atmosphere is just about soothing enough to feel like you’re allowed to relax. The steamed baskets of dumplings appeal for their freshness, which is all too often a problem in China Town. Solid dishes every time makes Lido a top recommendation.
Pearl Liang
You just have to take a look at Pearl Liang’s website to see that what awaits you is an altogether more classy affair than simple service and basic Chinese food. Resplendent with fuscia pink chairs and an on site cocktail bar it’s Paddington’s answer to Ping Pong – only with a little independent finesse. Traditional dim sum is paired with exciting admissions to their menu that include the amazing wasabi prawn dumplings. Chinese eating doesn’t get a whole better than this.
