Dragon Castle

[camp_dick]

I can't explain why it's taken me so long to get around to it, since it's just around the corner, nor how come it's so far eluded the attention of the critics - with the honourable exception of Mr Fenn, who reviewed it in glowing terms within a few weeks of it's opening back in May, but after a terrific lunch, I thought I'd let you e-Gulleteers into a secret: there's an excellent Cantonese restaurant at the Elephant & Castle!

The place itself is a big airy room, a 200 seater, prosaically decorated in standard kitsch, occupying the ground floor of a recently completed student dormitory building (South Bank University is one of the biggest property developers around the Elephant) and is indicative of the changing ethnic balance of the neighbourhood. (A listed Goldfinger office block on the city side of the roundabout was converted into flats in the late 90s - Metro Central Heights - many of which sold to Hong Kong Chinese. The other large group of incomers is Columbian and their restaurant - Bodeguita - is @ the shopping centre. I hope we don't have to wait a generation for the Elephant's first Sino-Latino restaurant!) Most of Dragon Castle's Sunday lunchtime clientele are Chinese, many sporting serious bling (and, apparently, they don't do fake).

I specify the Dragon Castle is Cantonese since it isn't competing with, say, Hakkasan, although its dim sum is as good, if not better that Yau@cha, and it's half the price with most dishes costing £1.90! What does seem innovative about this place is its dedication to quality in reproducing authentic Cantonese dishes, with little experimentation. That said, I'll have to restrict my remarks to the dim sum menu, since I've yet to eat beyond it, apart from noodles and the excellent chilli scallops. There's a separate dim sum menu listing forty something varieties and a DIY ordering form, which simplifies things.

If a dim sum specialist lives or dies by the quality of his har gow, Dragon Castle is gonna live forever. Their wrappers are neatly pleated and their prawns are whole, not minced. Fabulous, in fact, as were a plate of mixed prawn dumplings and spring rolls. Of course, dim sum is not really geared to those with vegetarian tendencies. As a rule, I don't do char siu, but am told the bao here are PDG. In fact, non of us had anything but praise for all the familiar dim sum staples that we tried, kicking of with wicked woo kok: taro croquettes. Sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves was a bit too meaty for yours truly, but undeniably unctuous; Vietnamese spring rolls had great bite; cheung fun was oh-so-silky.

For me, the standout dishes were cheung fun with scallops (served on a heart-shaped plate;-) and beautiful chive dumplings. Oh, and the turnip cake...

Dim sum specials include trotters and tripe for the truly dedicated and there's at least three varieties of congee. There's also a list of lunchtime noodle dishes which, now that I've finally made it through the front door of this place, is liable to distract me from the so-so noodle bar on the roundabout for some lunchtimes to come...

Dragon Castle, 114 Walworth Road, 114 Walworth Road, London. SE17 1JL

[Andy Lynes]

I can't explain why it's taken me so long to get around to it, since it's just around the corner, nor how come it's so far eluded the attention of the critics - with the honourable exception of Mr Fenn,  reviewed  it in glowing terms

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...and a certain Mr Rayner.

[naebody]

...and a certain Mr Rayner.

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...and a certain Ms Maschler.

[sunbeam]

...and a certain Mr Rayner.

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...and a certain Ms Maschler.

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YYeh well fatty rayner (doesn't he look more and more like his mum!) lives in south london, which is unusual for a journalist so he's well-placed to find a gem.

Elephant & Castle though, what a teribble, terrible **** hole and I say that as a sarf lundoner born and bred.

S

[Ian]

I did it, then Marina, then Fay, then Jay.

The head chef has changed since these reviews but the dim sum team remains the same. I will be going there tonight to see if the main menu is prepared as well as before.

Unfortunately it opened around the same time as Bar Shu otherwise it might have received more attention.

All the best,

--

Ian

[jayrayner]

...and a certain Mr Rayner.

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...and a certain Ms Maschler.

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YYeh well fatty rayner (doesn't he look more and more like his mum!) lives in south london, which is unusual for a journalist so he's well-placed to find a gem.

Elephant & Castle though, what a teribble, terrible **** hole and I say that as a sarf lundoner born and bred.

S

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Dear boy, I can always lose weight, but you will forever be cursed with that filthy mouth of yours.

You're right about Elephant and Castle, though. And I was wrong about nobody writing to defend the place. Couldn't move for emails from embittered E&Cers. Love, as they say, is blind.

[camp_dick]

Oh, OK, old news then.

I guess I've kind of lost interest since I dropped out of the business and more-or-less stopped eating meat. The only reason I was aware of Ian Fenn's review was 'cos they posted it up outside!

Those making derogatory remarks about the Elph can fuck right off, though. Its undeniable grimness has so far managed to obscure the fact that it is the geographical heart of London and for more than twenty years it has provided me with a relatively cheap place to live in Central London. Until now, that is, with the development continuing to drive property values through the roof, meaning that my humble abode is apparently worth ten times what I paid for it.

[Ian]

Frankly, if property prices weren't so high now, I'd consider moving to Elephant and Castle just for Dragon Castle... on the basis of my previous review visits.

All the best,

--

Ian

[sunbeam]

...and a certain Mr Rayner.

←

...and a certain Ms Maschler.

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YYeh well fatty rayner (doesn't he look more and more like his mum!) lives in south london, which is unusual for a journalist so he's well-placed to find a gem.

Elephant & Castle though, what a teribble, terrible **** hole and I say that as a sarf lundoner born and bred.

S

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Dear boy, I can always lose weight, but you will forever be cursed with that filthy mouth of yours.

You're right about Elephant and Castle, though. And I was wrong about nobody writing to defend the place. Couldn't move for emails from embittered E&Cers. Love, as they say, is blind.

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Well I did use asterisks to keep the filth content low, but really old chap how else can you describe the place?

I imagine your emails defending the excrescence were from people who have bought flats in the grey stalinist converted office buildings and were worried about the property prices being undermined. It may be close to central London but it's a dangerous place still, why else would local restaurants need entryphones?

I recall Eddy Hitler saying to Richie Rich. 'elephant & castle? stick it up yer ****hole'. which seems about right.

Sorry about the weight comment but I had to squeeze past you on the stairs at the reopening party at pied a terre. For a minute I thought I was goner, it all went dark.

Full marks for using your real name though unlike the sugar plum fairy... and me.

S

[camp_dick]

consider moving to Elephant and Castle just for Dragon Castle...

Mate of mine just rented in South Central East, that new turquoise cruiser of a building, designed by Piers Gough, that's moored behind the petrol station at the top of Walworth Road, right next door to Dragon Castle. He's a bit cagey about the rent, but apparently there's a glut of rental property around our manor. Other attractions of the Elephant include a hardcore salsa club (by hardcore, I mean strictly rum 'n' coke) and good bus connections to more salubrious parts of town. Such as Camberwell...

[Jon Tseng]

in the same way that oriental city colindale is an authentic slice of far-east-style-mall (complete with nasty spot-lights and bubble tea), so the infanta is an authentic slice of eastern europe retail development. No, really, sometimes it does feel just - like - bucharest

having said that though, i did find an absolutely spiffing second hand bookshop in there on saturday which had a copy of the elusive Masterpieces Of French Cuisine - a real piece of retro 70s haute chic (cf Great Chefs of France). Plus the Met Tab is opposite, which is always a reassurance for those of us a religious persuasion sojourning in the darkness of sarf london

l8tr

J

[jayrayner]

Sorry about the weight comment but I had to squeeze past you on the stairs at the reopening party at pied a terre. For a minute I thought I was goner, it all went dark.

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Aw, come on. those stairs are so narrow they'd be a challenge for a nurse trying to fit a catheter up them.

[origamicrane]

I went for an evening meal there about a month ago and the stuff I wanted wasn't available

no pa pei duck and no eel.

The steamed razor clam was fresh and very well done but £5.50 each? seemed a little steep given the location, Superstar in chinatown is doing them for £4.

The garlic chilli chicken dish was nice but portion sizes was small

I ordered one more dish but couldn't remember what it was but my general impression was pretty good stuff.

The only bad marks I would give them are that the rice wasn't very good,

no aroma and it was quite dry and prices, 3 dishes, rice and two drinks came to £60.

Will go back next time to try the dim sum

[Ian]

The steamed razor clam was fresh and very well done but £5.50 each? seemed a little steep given the location, Superstar in chinatown is doing them for £4.

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I don't think it's fair to compare the pricing of a neighbourhood Chinese with places in Chinatown. Totally different beasts.

All the best,

--

Ian

[camp_dick]

I read the reviews and share ratner's sense of wonder that such a place should be gifted to us here @ Heffalump where, within a couple hundred yards' radius of Dragon Castle, are are least half a dozen mediocre Chinese noodle bars and/or takeaways. I don't really do meat any more, which is what kept me out of Dragon Castle until the buzz compelled my mates to book a table and they needed me to order. + I am stunned by the quality !

Non of the write ups I've read focus on the dim sum, but it's fabulous. What differentiates it from Yau@Cha is naff presentation, with the extraneous garnish of limp lollo rosso - in this heat! - and the half slice of lemon with half glace cherry, like a bloodshot yellow eye. The other marked difference is that many dishes are £1.90 and the most expensive, like that sublime scallop cheung fun, are £3.

Dragged a thin friend round there for lunch to check out the vaguely veggie specials. Stuffed crispy yam + aubergine with garlic and chilli were like little cakies in paper cups. Thinking back about the construction of those little darlings, I guess they were maybe chunks of aubergine wrapped in slivers of yam and deep fried. Or else it was a chunky mush in a very slight won-ton wrapper. Sorry, I wasn't paying proper attention to the technicalities as I focused more on the taste and wonderful texture of those babies. Which could maybe have benefited for an acquaintance with dipping in a plum sauce?

Crispy spinach parcels are circular ravioli containing spinach wrapped around the inevitable chunk o' prawn, sprinkled with sesame seeds and deep-fried; served with chunky orange mayonnaise. Far freaking out! Flying saucers of oriental deliciousness to be dunked into weird mayo mix!

Spring onion and chilli taro is spaghetti-like strands of the corm tied in a bow and steamed. I've never eaten anything quite like it. I guess there's some tool that carves root veg. into spag. strips? Whatever, and however, this is weird, tangy and wonderful!

These three dishes cost £2.20 each!

We also revisited the (too meaty) taro croquettes and the turnip cake (why not make 'em with mushrooms?) and my stand out favourites, the grilled chive dumplings (crystal wrapper enclosing minced prawn 'n' chive) and that wonderful scallop cheung fun. I could eat those every day and I easily can!

The bill was £18.80, inc. tea + service. BTW, the service @ has been notably good, although they weren't exactly rushed on a Tuesday lunchtime. I left the full score!

Will go back next time to try the dim sum

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PM me if you need a companion

NB: The title of this thread got moderated because apparently the term 'chinky' is not on and no doubt 'snakehead' is right off. Whatever's right and proper, I'll see you @ Dragon Castle for lunch tomorrow, or the day after, when I'll be noodling in that seafood udon direction. Or maybe the soft/hard crab noodle way. Happy days!

[Ian]

Non of the write ups I've read focus on the dim sum, but it's fabulous.

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Cheeky devil. I focused on the dim sum in mine. But there's only so much you can do with 300 words :-( And you really have to lead with the main menu when the majority of readers will visit during the evening...

All the best,

--

Ian

[Ian]

Aha. Giles Coren on Dragon Castle.

[camp_dick]

It's pretty shameful when The Times critic ostensibly needs his subject to supply him with notes before he can write his review, but Coren does actually do a decent job of describing the menu. What is this business about having to ask the the 'other' menu, though? Maybe they've jettisoned the rubbish menu, or perhaps it was just a cunning ruse to appeal to restaurant critics' snobbery by letting them think they're getting some special privilege?

I had dinner there last night, the place was packed and everybody seemed to be singing from the same song sheet. Especially when the room was suddenly flooded with the sound of an easy listenin' choir singing Happy Birthday To You! (I am SO going to have my birthday party there: they've got a long table on a screened platform at the back which could easily seat two dozen).

The service at Dragon Castle is excellent! I say so, upfront, because it is unprecedented in my experience to be so swiftly recognised and, not only are the staff friendly, their menu knowledge seems pretty good... What's the name of that draught beer they serve in there, BTW? Sunkiss, is it?

It's rock solid Cantonese cooking, with a menu that includes abalone (no ta!) and sharks fin at £100+, plus a lot of choice around lobster and crab and, as Coren puts it: 'There were eight or nine kinds of oriental veg (water spinach, Chinese broccoli, gai lan, bok choi, choy sum, king kong, big ming, bling bling… can you tell which of those I was forced to make up?) offered ten or twelve ways, creating a glorious panoply of green options.' We opted for bok choi steamed with garlic and it was wonderful, the best I've *ever* had.

I love that they'll do you a range of fish cooked in a range of styles/sauces: my mate ate a pan fried snapper fillet in teriyaki sauce, which he enjoyed, but I found a bit too chewy. Uncle had one of those braised hotpots, which looked like chunky beef stew, and he said was delightful and it must have been nice enough, because he took half of it home in a takeaway container.

Standout for me was a sizzling platter of oysters - loads of the luscious molluscs - with ginger and garlic. Reminded me of Jeremy Round, who wrote about food in The Independent in the 80s, before he expired on the floor of a hotel bathroom in Macao after a massive blowout (ordered, no doubt, from the 'other' menu). Jeremy was fond of slipping analogies to fellatio into his copy, I can imagine what he would have had to say about these scrotal little lovelies.

I didn't see the bill (thanks, Uncle) so can't tell you if it was unitemised. The dim sum bills I've paid *are* thoroughly itemised, but they won't let you have a copy! Maybe the system was down on the day of Mr Coren's visit, although I note that Ratner also had a problem: 'Still, I can embarrass them into sorting those problems out,' he says. Good luck with that!

The dull repetition, in these reviews, of variations on the theme of 'the Elph. is ever so grim' will no doubt change when the area becomes a building site. They're now moving the tenants out of the Heygate, the great big housing estate across the road, where they filmed the anti Heroin ads in the 80s ("I can handle it," remember?) and I think the dear old shopping centre is scheduled for demolition early next year.

Of course I don't know the details of their lease, but I'd bet that the operators of Dragon Castle have negotiated an extremely favourable deal, considering what's about to start happening in its immediate vicinity. Access to the restaurant will be improved when they remove the roundabout at the top of Walworth Road, soon.

Then they're going to put THIS there! (Right on top of Pizzeria Castello!)

[Ian]

Some Chinese restaurants are of the opinion that non-Chinese diners get freaked out by significant amounts of choice so they present two menus - an extensive one for the Chinese, and a cut-down version for the non-Chinese focusing on 'safe' westernised dishes. The westernised one is now gone.

Bills were itemised when they first opened but then they had a problem with their tills. They now have new tills so itemisation has been resolved.

All the best,

--

Ian

[jayrayner]

Bills were itemised when they first opened but then they had a problem with their tills. They now have new tills so itemisation has been resolved.

All the best,

--

Ian

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Glad to hear it. they were still unitemised when I went for dim sum two weeks ago

yours

Gerald

[camp_dick]

Just re-read Coran's review, which says (apropos the menu): 'I couldn’t bear to reveal why I wanted it, I never can, it sounds so smug and self-important, so I’ll just have to try and remember as best as I can (and don’t say, “you should have made notes”, nobody makes notes any more, not even war reporters. It gets you recognised as a stooge, and it’s soooo girlie swot).'

This is the same bloke off the telly who appears with Gordo Walnuts, is it not?

This read around, I did notice the coda: 'I discovered they are about to incorporate the two opposed menus into a single list, which explains why they didn’t have certain dishes, explains why they didn’t want to part with a (soon-to-be-superannuated) menu, negates my criticism of their two-menu system and makes the old review irrelevant in almost every way.'

Quite so.

[origamicrane]

Just heard from a friend that the chef in Dragon Castle is the same chef that used to work in New China (chinatown) a few months ago.

Same friend said that the most amazing chinese meal he ever had was cooked by that chef he mentioned a lamb shank in a tomato sauce that looked like a mediterrain dish but tasted chinese and a lamb and taro hotpot where the fat tasting like goose liver.

Intriguing... think I will definitely have to pop down and try it again but will call in advanced and ask if they can do the same dishes that the chef offered in New China.

[Ian]

Just heard from a friend that the chef in Dragon Castle is the same chef that used to work in New China (chinatown) a few months ago.

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Yes, Chris Kwan took over as head chef about 6 weeks after Dragon Castle opened. It's his photo that accompanies Fay Maschler's review, though Felix Yu was still head chef when she actually visited a week or so before. He'd previously been part of the launch team. Chris oversaw the introduction of the current menu and there are a couple of old 'New China' dishes on the list now. Before 'New China' he was head chef of 'China House' which is now The Wolseley. Felix, by the way, is still around - he was promoted to General Manager.

[origamicrane]

Just heard from a friend that the chef in Dragon Castle is the same chef that used to work in New China (chinatown) a few months ago.

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Yes, Chris Kwan took over as head chef about 6 weeks after Dragon Castle opened. It's his photo that accompanies Fay Maschler's review, though Felix Yu was still head chef when she actually visited a week or so before. He'd previously been part of the launch team. Chris oversaw the introduction of the current menu and there are a couple of old 'New China' dishes on the list now. Before 'New China' he was head chef of 'China House' which is now The Wolseley. Felix, by the way, is still around - he was promoted to General Manager.

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arrr.. it all makes sense now, thanks for the confirmation Ian.

Will definitely have to head down there asap before Chris is poached again!

[rjs1]