Dim Sum

[Gareth]

Following up the winner of this year's "Least likely restaurant recommendation" (From Fay M in the Standard) we trogged down to the Holiday Inn Xpress on the gasworks contaminated and Dome-blighted North Greenwich peninsula. Yards from the Blackwall Tunnel.

Attached to this is the positively unsalubrious Peninsula restaurant - the objective was a Sunday lunch dim sum session.

And very good it was too. I don't plead any expertise in these matters but it struck me as at least as good as Harbour City in Gerrad St. (my previous most frequented) with just as extensive a range. Plus a few specials such as dry scallop with coriander dumplings.

It also presented the usual laughably cheap bill: eat yourself stupid and a pot of tea for under a tenner each.

Finally, there remains such an enormous buzz of sitting in a 200+ cover place watching rapid table turnaround with the clattering of a thousand plates and watching the usual (overwhelmingly chinese) family sunday get-togethers. Like being on holiday without having to buy a ticket !

Haven't been in the evening. And one word of warning - they seem to do a lot of Wedding Banquets on Sundays - in which case the place shuts at 13:00 - check before you travel !

[Bapi]

I had a quick lunch with colleagues at Royal China in Canary Wharf today. We opted for the three course Lunch, Dim Sum, followed by soup and then a choice of generic dishes with rice or noodles, for £10.

The Dim Sum were easily the best part of our meal, well recommended and they have a separate dim sum menu on offer as well. I will definitely be going back.

No too far from Greenwich so may be worth a go.

[Jon Tseng]

Busy buzzy places normally good for dim sum - high turnover is the best way to freshness!

BTW apparently there is a very good chinese supermarket out hackney way. I think there is a restaurant attached which should be very interesting, not posh but similarly busy. Family friends tell me the supermarket good for seafood - dirt cheap live crabs, apparently.

Never managed to track it down though. If anyone could point me in right direction would be very greatful

cheerio

J

[PCL]

Royal China in Canary Wharf offers superior dim sum in this town (London) in my humble opinion. It's authentic for one, and they tell me the dim sum chef (every respectable dim sum joint needs a specialist) makes the dumplings fresh, refusing management's suggestions to batch prep them and utilise the spanking new cool room.

I've done Queensway, Chinatown, including Harbour City, and for me, no go. The Royal China in Queensway, and also the Baker St branch also do good to very good dim sum, but Canary Wharf is tops 'cos I can pedal down in no time, stuff my face, be sated, then fool myself that I'm working it off while pushing the lowest gear possible on the way home.

[balex]

If you can put up with the annoying decor, beautiful and incompetent waiters and waitresses and B-list celebs, then Hakkasan has very good dim sum.

A notch (or two) above my last Royal China (Queensway) session -- and only about twice as expensive.

[jamesmarsh]

BTW apparently there is a very good chinese supermarket out hackney way.  I think there is a restaurant attached which should be very interesting, not posh but similarly busy.  Family friends tell me the supermarket good for seafood - dirt cheap live crabs, apparently.

Jon, I have seen a Chinese supermarket near Hackney Wick, on the road heading towards Leyton. Might this be the place you mean? No idea if it has a restaurant attached.

I'll try and track down the address.

[jamesmarsh]

Jon, this is the place I was thinking of:

Hoo Hing

[Hallie]

At some point I seem to recall people raving about weekend dim sum at a place called (I believe) The Royal China in St. John's Wood. Maybe its not called the Royal China and I'm getting my restaurants muddled - its on the main road between St. John's Wood and Swiss Cottage. Am I thinking of the correct place? Its one of those places that I pass frequently and have often wondered about. Is this indeed the place with the knock-your-socks-off dim sum or am I hallucinating again?

[Jon Tseng]

Branch of the above - been there once - pretty decent but a bit far out for me

J

[Gus]

Great to hear about the place near the dome. Been wondering what it's like, because you'd imagine it's awful, but at the same time it wouldn't - the whole place wouldn't - look out of place in China.

And far more intereting to hear about new places than arguments again and again about Gordon Ramsey.

[Jon Tseng]

And far more intereting to hear about new places than arguments again and again about Gordon Ramsey.

Don't think his dim sum much good

Having said that Gordon Ramsays ravioli of lobster and langoustine is basically a giant, posh wonton - something my uncle commented on when we took him to Claridges (don't think he was that impressed with it!)

And I've had a prawn wonton as an amuse at Lucas Carton - but of a let-down really!

cheerio

J

[Gus]

i had excellent duck spring roles before sitting at the chef's table in the kitchen of claridges. they were wonderful.

but since i don't exactly eat their often, i'm more interested in place to go with my mates. so pleased to see your review.

incidentally, i think one of the noodle bars in greenwich, the one further from the DLR, is excellent... such value.

[PCL]

Gus Posted on Sep 25 2003, 10:13 AM

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incidentally, i think one of the noodle bars in greenwich, the one further from the DLR, is excellent... such value. 

Too much MSG for my liking... dry mouth, sweats....urrgghhhh...