MY GOOD MATE HELEN’S TOP PICKS

Don’t let me drink on an empty stomach. I did one day after work and started promoting this website faster than a dog can shag on heat. I might as well have been handed a pedestal, Power Point and laser pointer. Don’t know why I haven’t told anyone at work up till then. To maintain professional integrity? (Apparently I don’t have any anyways…according to Marie – thanks mate).

Helen, a good mate, happened to be there at the pub. Her main claim to fame is having completed the London Marathon this year. Her time? I’ll let her tell you that…don’t wanna get it wrong (did ya stop to pee?). When she heard about this little foray into the culinary world, she immediately grabbed a paper and pen and began scribbling furiously. It was scary. Never seen her work so hard. Anyway, here are the restaurants she SWEARS by. Most of them anyway. Visit them and see what you think. I know I’ll be trying some. If they suck, tell me and I’ll send you her mobile number and email address. We’ll taunt her together.

LEMONIA (Greek)
89 Regent’s Park Road, London. NW1 8UY
Nearest Tube: Chalk Farm

BERTORELLI RESTAURANT & BAR (Italian)
18-23 Charlotte Street. London. W1T 1RL
Nearest Tube: Goodge Street

BENIHAMA (Japanese-style hibachi steakhouses – or teppanyaki)
77 King’s Road, Chelsea. SW3 4NX
Nearest Tube: Sloane Square

DimT CAFÉ (Chinese Dim Sum served on a trolley)
3 Heath Street. Hampstead. NW3 6PT
Nearest Tube: Hampstead

BOMBAY PALACE (Indian, what else?)
50 Connaught Street, London. W2 2AA.
Nearest tube: Edgeware Rd

THE PAINTED HERON (Gastropub? No…it’s Indian)
112 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. SW10 0DJ
Nearest Tube: South Kensington

MAROUSH (Lebanese)
21 Edgeware Road, London. W2 2JE
Nearest tube: Marble Arch

AXIS RESTAURANT & BAR (modern British)
1 Aldwych, London. WC2B 4RH
Nearest tube: Holborn

COQ D’ARGENT (French)
1 Poultry, London. EC2R 8EJ
Nearest Tube: Mansion House

PATARA (Thai)
3 Maddox Street. London. W1S 2QB
Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus

Cheers Helen. We’ll miss you when you shift to Oxford – but then again, we’ll probably visit you for some grub.

HRH

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MALAYSIA HALL

30-34, Queensborough Terrace
Bayswater W2 3ST



You wouldn’t have a hope of finding this place unless you were armed with insider knowledge or a Malaysian (so club one on the head and fling them over the shoulder). The only give-away is the Malaysian flag flying outside. Our intel came courtesy of Grand Master Wee – thank ya very muchly.

It’s down in the basement, so look very hard. You’ll notice an ‘open’ sign, the second give-away. And that’s pretty much all you get. No sign…nada. Go down the steps and open up the closed door. You’ll feel as if you’re entering the wrong place and are about to be attack by the residents’ irate pet. Be brave. Once inside, it’s pretty small. We went about 2:30pm on a Saturday arvo, and it was still bustling and hopping with activity. Customers consist mostly of Malaysian university students, but all are welcome. Now and then a few oldies appeared. You might have to share a table or hover…but it’s all good.



Proceed to the counter at the front. It’s kinda school canteen style. The most popular is the Nasi Campur 1,2 or 3. 1 is veges plus one meat dish (£3.10), 2 is veges with two meat dishes (£3.70) and 3 is veges plus three meat dishes (£4.10). Of course, boiled white rice is included. Rose water comes free. They also have a limited selection of ala carte dishes eg. Roti canai, mee goring, nasi lemak. Their teh tarik kicks ass too.



We choose the Nasi Campur, while the Grand Master Wee had the nasi lemak. My dishes included fried mackerel and chicken curry. The chicken curry wasn’t anything too fancy. I’ve definitely had better. The mackerel though was particularly yummy. It was so deep fried I ate the bones and all.



Prince consort had the beef curry, chicken curry and egg curry. All were reasonably good. Nothing to yell about. Grand Master’s nasi lemak was good I hear and comprised of all the necessary components – the peanuts, anchovies, egg, sambal etc.





Try Malaysian Hall if you’re in the area and looking for some ultra cheap, tasty grub. The selection isn’t vast and the food is very much like home-cooking – but hey, it’s a students’ joint, whaddya expect?

HRH

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SHERPA KITCHEN

132 High St, Esher
Surrey KT10 9QJ
Tel: 01372 470777

Since we’ve started the Culinary Hags journey our new motto, both in life and food adventure is to do/try something new each week. So last weekend, in the spirit of our new motto, Her Royal Hagness tracked down the Sherpa Kitchen – a Nepalese restaurant in the heart of Esher, Surrey.



Sherpa Kitchen is located on the High street, just across from the local police station and a car park. Drive too fast, and you could miss it as its shop front isn’t too big. Its simple and deceptively small shop front looked inviting (although HRH disagrees with me) and once you step inside, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is laid out over 2 floors (with a mezzanine overlooking the main restaurant area), and also has a bar in the lower ground with a cosy sitting area for those waiting for their tables or just enjoying a digestive after their meal.

Walking into this classy restaurant, the minimalist and modern décor doesn’t give you the feeling that one has stepped into a Nepalese restaurant, except for the detailed touches – a few lovely framed prints on the wall, the exotic water feature and the very smartly dressed waiters with their crisp, white aprons. The lovely and classy surroundings also invites a smart, casual dress code and although we weren’t the most appropriately dressed group (yes, The Man’s t-shirt and cargo pants were much to be desired) but we were never made to feel out of place.



Once seated, we were definitely impressed by the table settings (it’s a sign that we’ve been going to lots of cheap eateries!) and the efficient, but unobtrusive service. The attention to detail in this restaurant is very impressive – from the glistening (and huge!) wine glasses, to their polish sliver ware laid out on the white napery certainly adds to the beguiling atmosphere. Since moving to London, one doesn’t expect service or even service with a smile anymore so it’s a nice change.



So, after the hard work of ordering our meal, we settled down to enjoy the evening with the help of some really lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia (Whistling Duck). I forgot to mention before that we were seated on the mezzanine level so it was great fun for a spot of people watching and also watching the efficient waiters. When we first arrived, we were only the second or third table to be seated by after 20 minutes, the restaurant was completely full.

None of us had ever had Nepalese in London before so we had to spend some time with the menus deciding. The menus were quite helpful, with its delightful descriptions we were spoiled for choice, and definitely took our time, whilst snacking on the complimentary pappadums and dips.



After some time, we settled on the Bhutuwa - stir-fry chicken liver in traditional Nepali spices, some Momos which were steam cooked pork dumplings, delicately spiced and served with tomato chutney, a serve of Prawn Sinka (prawns marinated in sesame seeds, ginger, garlic on a bamboo stick) and finally, Sekuwa Parbat - tender pieces of lamb with a kiss of spice. All the descriptions above were from the menu itself and with descriptions such as one for Sekuwa Parbat, who wouldn’t want to eat lamb which has been kissed with spice?!! All the starters, save the prawns (£3.95) were priced very reasonably at £3.25.

Our starters arrived fairly quickly (probably as our reservations were for the 1st sitting for 7.30pm and there was another sitting at 9pm) and it was definitely as tasty as it was described. The chicken livers were interesting and very delicately spiced, although not my favourite. HRH and myself decided to go ahead and try this even though both of us didn’t really like livers but, hey again it was done in the spirit of trying new things. But, nevertheless we were surprised by how tasty it was. The steamed pork dumplings were also very tasty, although the pastry encasing the dumplings could have been a little better. But the lamb “kissed with spice” was divine, as were the prawns. Our starters were definitely a good indication of what was to come for the rest of the meal.




For our mains, we decided to try and dish from their Chuli (a bee hive shaped clay oven, charcoal fired) and this was the Teeli See (£6.95) - belly of pork soaked overnight in cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric and fresh chilli marinade. The pork was tender, delicately spiced and very delicious. It was definitely a favourite of the night.



For the other mains, we decided on the Lasoon Machha (£8.95), a dish of moist monkfish in a chilli and garlic sauce with fenugreek, the Pokhareli Lamb (£6.25 - classic spiced lamb dish from Western Nepal, garnished with finely sliced ginger) and Dhahi Bhanta (£3.50 - aubergine marinated in yoghurt). Of course, there’s the obligatory accompaniment of rice to mop up the lovely sauces and we also opted for one serve of the Gulyo Roti, much like a peswhari nan stuffed with coconut, almonds and raisins.



What can we say, the meal was excellent and we weren’t disappointed at all. The Pokhareli lamb was tender and succulent but not overly spiced and when eaten with plain rice, it’s a little slice of meaty heaven. The monkfish was also done very well – not over cooked, although tasted a little bit like sweet and sour fish to my un-Nepalese trained tastebuds. And the eggplant – it was a yummy goodness vegetable curry. If I could have vegetables as tasty as that every meal, I’d happily forgo the meat in my life. And lastly but not any less delicious, was the Gulyo Roti. I’m the first to admit that I find raisins abhorrent but in this yummy, doughy combination, I say bring it on!

After the meal was devoured and plates licked clean, we had to sit back and rest for a bit – after all, good food with good company and surroundings have to be savoured. Our waiter came around again, this time offering the dessert menus – each with individually hand painted covers. Customised menus – now that’s what I call attention to detail! Apart from the novelty of these menus, the desserts on offer were limited – there were only about 4 desserts on the menu and we selected two to share between us. We settled on a serving of mixed selection ice-creams and a mixed selection of sorbets. Our serving of ice cream came in three flavours – vanilla (the favourite – super yummy and creamy), macadamia (very creamy and good nutty flavour) and rum and raisin. By the time I got to the rum and raisin, which was also very good but after the Gulyo Roti, all my raisin love had all been used up.



The mixed selection of sorbets were also very delightful and after the ice-cream and wine, my tastebuds were all doing a little joyful dance after the first bite of mango sorbet. With chunky bits of mango and the fresh, crisp sorbet texture, it was the perfect ending to a great meal. The lemon and strawberry sorbets were also good but the mango certainly did it for me. Well, mangoes are one of my favourite fruits so there’s a little bias there.



At the end of the meal the total damage came up to £97 for a 3 course meal including 2 bottles of wine (at around £15 each), water and service. It was excellent value for money, and we managed to do all this in a 2 hour sitting, without ever feeling rushed. Definitely recommended for a nice evening out, and especially on a special occasion – romantic and won’t break the bank.

Sherpa Kitchen was a very enjoyable experience on Saturday night, and it was the first of many “first time” adventures but that’s a story for another night.







TOH

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POMINO

25 Bellevue Rd, Wandsworth Common. SW17 7EF
Telephone: 020 8672 5888
Website: Pomino



We set out to Pomino’s on a chilly Friday’s night in high spirits. There was much to celebrate. Our friend from Sydney, after a whirlwind tour around Europe, has finally decided to grace our shores with her gentle presence. All Aussies eventually wind up on English shores some how or the rather. Just like the English and Irish in Oz.

We entered the restaurant with high spirits and expectations. Prince consort was half-drunk anyway and would have bounced into Burger King in the same manner. We always pass it on the way to work and it looks chic, inviting and always jammed to the brim. We kicked off the evening by ordering a bottle of Chianti (always a safe bet) and started yattering away –there was loads to catch up on, the last time we saw her was two years ago.



We were seated right in front of the open- plan kitchen. It was a real treat to see the chefs working their mojo. The head chef and his team have actually moved from Tuscany to London to give the English something to talk about. To the front of the kitchen was an open-furnace where they grilled their meat. The place is very charmingly decorated with a Tuscan feel.





We decided to skip the entrees and head straight for the mains. All the mains were presented on mustard-yellow plates. Yuk. White would have been a better choice. The yellow clashed head on with everything served on the plate – a real eye-sore. I ordered the cod. I was very disappointed when it came – and I think the cod was too. It looked like a school dinner (pre-Jamie Oliver). Bread crumbs packed onto the surface of the cod with a brown sauce surrounding it. Very unattractive. It looked like multi-coloured fish puke. The taste? Very bland and boring. I had to constantly add pepper and salt in a fruitless effort to put some oomph into it. Poor cod. What a waste to end one’s life in this manner. I would rather be packed in an Asda supermarket deep-freezer.



Prince consort had the Porchetta - roast pork, wild fennel seeds, garlic, roast potatoes & black cabbage. This was probably the nicest dish of the lot. The pork was succulent and tender. It actually tasted very Chinesey (is that a word?) in that the sauce was very plummy.



Our guest of honour ordered the lamb chops which looked and tasted exactly like someone at home would make it. No imagination at all. B-O-R-I-N-G. She did like the side-dish of roasted potatoes. No one had anything complimentary to say about the garlic and chilli spinach side-dish – except for, where was the garlic? Where was the chilli? Enough said.





We decided not to stay for desserts for fear our tastebuds would pack up and leave our tongues and sue us for indecent assault.

All in all, our dinner cost £67 for three people (including wine). In my opinion, that’s a lot of dosh when your meal tasted like it was made by a blind pygmy who can’t reach the spices on the top shelf. Blah!!

HRH

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TAY DO CAFE

65 Kingsland Road,
Shoreditch
London E2 8DP
Tel: 020 7729 7223



Since the Man's return from Dubai (he was away for about 3 weeks on a work jaunt), he's has all sorts of food cravings. So this week its been for some decent Vietnamese food. The Man, like HRH, has a penchant for Pho Bo - the famous Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup, the defining dish which is used to bench mark Vietnamese restaurants. The target of the night was Tay Do Cafe in Shoreditch.

We arrived around 9pm and to our surprise, the place was completely buzzing. It was definitely a sight - this smoky, greasy spoon-esque joint with only 2 waiters zipping from table to table - either clearing plates or taking orders. After standing at the door way and looking hopefully at the waiters, we managed to secure a miniscule table by the door and were given a couple of menus. Prices here are quite reasonable - starters range from about £3-£6 and mains start from £4 and the average is about £6 per mains.

Whilst sitting at the table, the combination of our percolating gastric juices, the smoky atmosphere and delicious smells from the kitchen had whipped up my appetite to a frenzy. Being giddy with hunger, we didn't really take too much time looking at the menu. Once my eyes clapped on an item that sounded appealing, that was it. The Man was in a quandary - should he try something new or once again go for the Pho Bo..and like HRH, the Pho won out. Our final tally included fresh summer rolls with deep fried prawns and grilled lamb cutlets for starters. For mains, I opted for noodles with tofu. I'm not a vegetarian but tonight I wasn't feeling up to much meat. The menu has some vegetarian options but it’s quite limited.

It was then we had time to sit back and take in our surroundings. By no means was this place uninviting, but its definitely one of those places which tries to squeeze as many tables together to fit the most number of people in. There were several long tables which were shared but this definitely just adds to the buzzy atmosphere. However, because everyone is squeezed into this place like a tin of sardines, be warned - don't wear your Sunday best. It will stink to high heaven of smoke and food for days. At one point the restaurant got so smoky that it looked like we were sitting in a bit of a fog - so if you don't enjoy having eau de cigarette smoke with your meal, this is probably a place to avoid. But nevertheless, it seems to be a local favourite – along Kingland road itself, there were several similar Vietnamese restaurants/café places still open but this was on the only place which was completely full and still attracting quite a number of customers at around 10pm on a Tuesday night.

Our starters came surprisingly quick - well the summer rolls did anyways. Normally, summer rolls come with fresh lettuce, vermicelli noodles and a meat filling of some kind wrapped in a rice paper roll. What we got was a rice paper roll of cooked turnip with shredded prawns - definitely not expected and not really to my taste. It wasn't horrible but I guess the description/tranlation on the menu probably didn't come across too well. Never mind - next time we'll stick to the tried and true.

Our mains came within minutes of the first starter - a steaming bowl of beef noodles (HUGE!) and my stir fried tofu with noodles (HUGE serve!). Both were welcomed as the summer rolls had whetted the appetite and we were rearing to go.



The Pho was good but isn't as good as what the Man remembered but nevertheless, its definitely fed the cravings. I think that its time to visit Cafe East again for good Pho.



My tofu noodles went down a treat - stir fried noodles topped a bowl of rice vermicelli and shredded lettuce and cucumber. This dish is more like a salad as its served with a side of Vietnamese dressing and was absolutely yummy. Yes, tonight once the food came, the pleasantries disappeared. Don't expect conversation for the first 5 minutes - we're trying to stuff our gob dammit! Our grilled lamb cutlets came just after we started on our mains and it was a pleasant break - time to start breathing properly and talk again. The lamb was delicious - tender and very well seasoned.



At the end of the night, the damage was £30 for two very satisfied customers. With generous portions at a very reasonable price, quick service (definitely no languishing around for a romantic evening - you'll have the people in queue giving you cold, meaningful glares), its definitely a place to return.

TOH

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AZIZ

30-32 Vanston Place, Fulham Broadway
LONDON, SW6 1AX
Telephone: 020 7386 0086
Fax: 020 7610 1661



Aziz was the site for our launch party. And what a party it was. The glitz, the flashing bulbs, the red carpet, the paprazzi…baby, we had the works. After an hour of posing for the photographers and signing autographs our cheeks were sore and our eyes were seeing dancing bright spots. Who knew fame could be so exhausting?

Flushed and breathless from the excitement, we waltzed into the restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly waitress who immediately made us feel at ease. She led us to our table. We were very impressed by the plush cosy interior complemented by soft lighting. The whole feel was very Northern African/Eastern Mediterranean. At the front of the restaurant is a bar and immediately in front of that, is a comfortable lounge area where you can have cocktails before moving onto dinner (shisha is also available). To the back of the restaurant is an unobtrusive open kitchen area.



The wine list is very extensive, with helpful descriptions to aid our decision. Prices ranged from £12 to as high as you wanted to. We ordered a bottle of red to calm us down. We chose the Esteva, Casa Ferrerinha 2001. A Portuguese wine, reasonably priced at about £15 kicked our evening off. It was light and fruity with a hint of spice. A very good wine to complement our food.

The menu was equally comprehensive and boogled the mind with numerous choices. There was also a set menu for £25, which included an entrée, main and dessert course. Very good value. However, we wanted to be carefree and hazardous in our choices. A Russian roulette if you will.

A waitress came around three times with a heavy bread basket laden with an assortment of freshly baked white, brown and pitta bread. They provided complimentary olives and olive oil with sesame to dip it in.

The starters were divided into cold and hot mezzes. We ordered the Baba Ganoush (£3.50). Served chilled it was definitely the star dish of the night. Perfectly blended cooked eggplant with spices…my salivary glands are churning at the thought of it. A definite must. We scooped it up with the pitta bread, leaving none to waste.



The minced lamb and apricot keftas boreck was tasty, I thought. The cheese in the mint and kasaar cheese boreck was a little “too cheesy”…but enjoyable to experience something different.





For mains, I had the tagine of duck with apples and dates. Impressively presented in an earthware pot with a lid, steam gushed out as the waitress lifted the top. The duck was tender and delicious, although there were parts that were a bit dry. The succulent meat was wonderfully complemented by the pureed apple and softened dates. This dish doesn’t come with any carbs, so it might be an idea to have a side-order of rice, or snatch your partner’s rice (as I did). Not necessary, but don’t expect this dish to fill you up.



Prince consort had the lamb shank ‘Ihem Lahlou’ for £13.50. This was perfectly cooked in preserved lemon, cinnamon, cardamom, onion and tomato (I copied this from the menu). The shank was perched upon a mound of bejewelled rice. If you’re not a fan of currents or raisins (as the The Other Hag and prince consort aren’t) – beware of the bejewelled rice. They would have preferred it if there were less raisins. Just enough to flavour the rice, but not too much to over-power it. Nevertheless, the prince consort still enjoyed his meal.



The Other Hag and The Man shared the Zerda Plata for two (£25). It came on a wooden board. It comprised of braised lamb shank (which looked identical to the one the prince consort had), grilled merguez sausage, mini lamb and chicken kebab. This came with a choice of two side dishes. They chose the bejewelled rice and golden roasted vegetables. Both of the side dishes were generous in portions. The vegetables especially, deserves a Big Up.







For desserts, The Other Hag and I shared the pannacotta with a sesame base, sprinkled with fine nuts on the top. I loved it. The Other Hag however, isn’t a great fan of sesame, but loved the pannacotta. A thoroughly refreshing dessert. The Man opted for a cocktail, Bloody Mary. Hot damn, it was so hot and spicy, we were bracing ourselves for bloody diarrhoea the next day.



Towards the end of our meal, the lights dramatically dimmed, almost to darkness. Hush descended. Did the restaurant forget to pay for their electricity bill? As I made a mental note to slam the restaurant for providing third world conditions, something made me change my mind. A well-endowed, brown-haired, beautiful belly-dancer adorned in blue materialised in-front of us. Loud Arabic music rattled our senses and then she began to shake her bootie. She surprised us with the dexterity in which she could mobilise her mammary glands up and down (much in the way The Rock can move his tits up and down). Truly amazing stuff. She gave prince consort a private royal dance. I tried to take pictures but a) they were too dark and b) I was afraid of scaring her away with the ultra-bright lights on my mobile. The prince consort nodded his head in time with the beat, with a slight smile and drool on his face as she did her thang (did he lick his lips?). She went to each table in turn to dazzle them with her talents. She dragged a few unsuspecting diners, to teach them her booby trick. Alas, they were crap.

We left the restaurant feeling exhilarated. What a perfect night for a launch party. Good ambience, food, wine and entertainment to boot. We only paid about £25 per person (and that included a bottle of wine to share and three cocktails) – pretty good huh? We signed a few more autographs for the fans and made our way to the Sugar Hut. A perfect end to a perfect evening.

HRH

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PHOENIX PALACE

3-5 Glentworth St. London. NW1 5PG
Telephone: 020 7486 3515
Nearest Underground: Baker Street
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 12 noon – 11.30pm
Sunday and Bank Holidays 11am – 10:30pm

Sunday yum cha has become a ritual for us hags. So much so, when our usual yum cha establishment (Royal China, Putney) was bursting at the brim with customers, requiring a one hour wait, we were not deterred. We decided in the name of research we would venture into unknown territory.

Phoenix Palace was recommended by our architect/Tiger Woods wannabe friend (Grand Master Tiger Wee). He has been in London for so long, he always knows exactly where to go, tailored for each occasion.



As soon as we walked into the restaurant we were impressed by the number of people queuing. Always a good sign in a Chinese restaurant. We only had to wait 10 minutes for a table. We didn’t mind. We were astounded at the grandness and enormity of the place. It stands out from the run of the mill Chinese restaurants we usually frequent. It reminds me of one of the inner courts in the Summer Palace, Beijing. On entering through the impressive archway we could see that the centre of the restaurant was split into two levels. The upper level has a dark wooden decorative banister upon which at intervals are mounted small lights enclosed within a wooden lantern. Very tastefully done…in fact, the restaurant is so beautifully decorated, we were bracing ourselves for the price. We needn’t have worried. The restaurant was bristling with activity and humming with the energy of people meeting with friends and family, enjoying the food.





The dim sum menu was supplemented with the chef’s specials. It was a decent menu including all of the basics. Each table is given a menu card (in Chinese) which you are required to tick what you fancied. If you don’t understand written Chinese, as we do, all you have to do is match up the numbers with the corresponding English translation in the menu.

The Other Hag and prince consort threw caution to the wind and started ticking with enthusiasm. The Other Hag had not eaten dinner the day before, courtesy of the pig -out session at The Ship . The Man was ravernous and wanted to order desserts now. I, the voice of reason, told him it was better to wait until we had finished the main meal. Who knows what we can fit in the end. Wise words indeed.

Less than 10 minutes later, the food came. The egg custard tarts came first. I’m always puzzled by this. For some reason, they always come first. I always save them for the last as it’s the sweetest. Anyway, we were in for a pleasant surprise. There were six small tarts. Every yum cha restaurant I’ve been to, have only ever provided four maximum. Everyone dived into the tarts as we were starving. The custard was fresh, delicate and not too sweet. The pastry was light and flakey. The first test was passed with flying colours.



Over the next 45 minutes the rest of the food came along in appropriately staggered intervals. It’s important, when eating at a dim sum restaurant, not to have everything come at once. A normal order would be to have about twelve dim sum between four people. If they all came at once, they would all grow cold and unappetising. The whole idea with yum cha, is to relax and chill-out. Take a sip of Chinese tea, pick up a tasty morsel at your leisure, natter away for a while – an unhurried affair. Here the waitress was brilliant. I have read other reviews on this restaurant. The one thing that stands out are the complaints about the rudeness and inattentiveness of the staff. Nothing could be further from the truth on this occasion. Our waitress was friendly and obliging. She came to our table at intervals to make sure that we were receiving our dishes and methodically ticking off each one as we did. Excellent service.

We had ordered two bowls of pei darn sau yuk congee (pork and thousand year old duck eggs – excuse my pinyin). Here was our fatal mistake which eventually led to our stomachs’ early demise. Normally at yum cha places, the congee comes in small bowls. Hence the order of two portions. Not this place. Two huge bowls came filled with steaming congee. To make things worse, it was actually good. The congee was smooth and not at all watery. The pork was shredded (that’s how I like it) with good servings of the pei dan (egg). We were forced to finish it to the last drop.

Next came pickled chicken’s feet. White as a ghost (or my thighs), this dish never looks appetising. The boys consumed this with relish and proclaimed it as one of the best they’ve had.



Then arrived the turnip cakes (tasty), cha siu buns (pork enveloped within fluffy heaven-sent bread) and chicken feet in black bean sauce.



The pork spareribs marinated in black bean sauce was succulent and bursting full of flavour. The prawns in the har gau were of generous size. The shui mai had prawns mixed in as well making it delightful. The duck in glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf was divine. The har cheong fun (again, decent sized prawns) and dough cheong fun were also delicious I’m sure – but by this stage eating was becoming a chore. We had simply ordered too much and were all struggling.



The needle that really broke the camel’s back were the baked char shui pastries. Even though I was stuffed to the brim, I took one for the team. They were egging me on. The Other Hag looked at me accusingly, helpfully pointing out the dishes I had not yet tried. Through the clouded haze of gluttony, even my stomach could recognise the char sui pastries were good.



The Man, the same person who wanted to pre-order the desserts, was groaning along beside me. He had eaten too much as well. Curiously, this did not stop him from seriously contemplating ordering the custard buns. Obviously the food over-flow had non-scientifically leaked into the brain preventing rational thought. Luckily, The Other Hag, a voice of reason, prevented him from ordering more.

A wonderful place for yum cha and reasonably priced as well. Prices range from £2-3 for each dim sum. We only paid £46 for four of us, including two soft drinks. We must try their a la` carte menu for dinner another time. You’ll have no trouble with the parking on Saturday or Sunday - it’s totally free. Oh and more importantly, if it's good enough for Gorden,Tony and Cherie - then it's good enough for me.







HRH

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