Food and the city..the hags are here to eat and then tell you about it!

Monday, November 21, 2005

CHINA INN


7-9 Newport Place
Covent Garden. WC2H 7JR

Phone no: 020 72873328

Do not even bother your pretty little head with the rest of the menu. China Inn’s seafood curry laksa trounces all competition out of the curry laksa arena. In London at least. .

seafood curry laksa



I know the name implies that it only specialises in Chinese food but bizarrely it offers a not too shabby selection of Malaysian food. A big group of us tried most of the Malaysian dishes and the overall opinion was “don’t bother” – just a half feeble attempt to emulate authentic food but falling dangerously low of expectations.

Their seafood curry laksa however is phenomenal. And believe me, we have tried curry laksas all over London in the vain hope of finding “The One”. Funnily enough they don’t offer any alternatives to seafood (unfortunate for those who mount a massive histamine response to shellfish).

The bowl is monumentally big, certainly enough to place a dent in the largest of appetites. You can order it with whatever noodles you prefer. I recommend half thin rice noodles and half egg noodles. The soup is coconut slavering rich, marked by the richness and fullness in flavour of seafood with the right breath of fieriness. Bounteous amounts of fresh prawns, mussels, tofu, fish cake slices, aubergines and green beans (the last two are new to me in laksa, but believes me, works incredibly well) are provided.

Clientele are mainly non-Chinese. But don’t let this put you off. After all, you’re only here for the laksa. The place is cleanish and service is polite and efficient. Oh and a bowl only sets you back 6 squids.

HRH

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7 Comments:

Blogger imissw said...

only 6 quid???

having said that, being the the laksa deprived person i am now - and having a craving for hot and spicy stuffs as we get ready for the coldest winter in a long whiel - i'm making it a point to head to covent garden nx time i'm in town.

oh, and i hope that your estimate of a "monumentally big bowl" is similar to mine!

keep the reviews coming! :-P~

7:58 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Have you tried ORIENTAL CANTEEN on Exhibition Road, South Kensington? They do a mean laksa for only £5.

The roast pork and duck are not too shabby either.

10:55 am

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Try the laksa at Banana Leaf Canteen, Battersea Rise (Clapham) - it's very good & includes chicken, tofu & prawns (it's my favourite in London). Get there early to beat the queues !

1:10 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I still reckon the best in London is C & R Cafe in Soho, again only £6, and there's chicken, prawns, fishcake.. the soup is just amazing..

10:44 am

 
Blogger Culinary Hag said...

Well China Inn is sadly no more.
So we will definitely have to try the C&R version of curry laksa.

Thanks!

4:56 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ohhh man! i'm so deprived of malaysian food here in London, I googled for it and found your Laksa tip! big thanks ... was on the verge of going out BUT then read that China Inn is now closed down - dang!

actually we should form a Malaysian food hunting group heheeh its a matter of survival ...


susan_ss@hotmail.com

8:23 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm not sure how China Inn is no more considering we're all going there for our work Christmas party this Friday?

3:04 pm

 

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