"Showy" is the best word to describe this place. A contemporary Chinese restaurant that focuses more on presentation than taste. Honestly I would rate the food itself 3 stars, but we had a nice time and the service was good. However if looking for authentic Chinese cuisine, I would recommend to dine elsewhere.
The restaurant is split into two sections across two floors: Yin (lower) and Yang (upper). Yin is the main part of the restaurant with artificial cherry blossoms and paintings. Yang has more of a classy feel. We sat at a booth by the cherry blossoms in Yin, which has lighting that poses a challenge for photos.
We opted in for the Modern Sharing Tasting Menu priced at £70 per person. Over the timespan of 2.5 hours, three waves of courses were served. I included the regular prices from the à la carte menu. Assuming the portions were the same, the total was £148.45 compared to £140 for the two of us, so not a bad deal to sample a variety.
Wave One: two Small Plates dishes
-----
Tuna Sashimi Wontons: sesame, soy and avocado (£12.50).
The fish was fresh and the shell was crisp, but the sauce was too heavy.
-----
1/2 Aromatic Duck Pancakes: Szechuan, cucumber and spring onion (£26).
Duck was overcooked and dry. Accompaniments were standard.
-----
Wave Two: two Large Plates and two Rice, Noodles and Vegetables dishes
-----
Caramel Soy Aged Beef Fillet: UK premium aged beef, shiitake, ginger and asparagus (7oz for £39).
Cook of the beef was adequate, although rather tough to chew.
-----
Char Siu Honey Glazed Monkfish: morning glory, caramel orange and pickled cucumber (£33.95).
An interesting choice of meat to marinate in char siu sauce. Fish was not juicy but it was good.
-----
Tenderstem Broccoli: black sesame and truffle (£8).
Vegetables were soft, although the black sesame paste was a bit odd.
-----
Duck Egg and Chinese Sausage Fried Rice (£8).
A bit oily but otherwise standard fried rice.
-----
Wave Three: two Dessert dishes
-----
Cherry Blossom: white chocolate, cherry and candyfloss (£11.50).
Another dish that is presented with fog. The server allowed the request to swap this with the Banana Fritters (£9) at no extra charge. The chocolate tree and base was rich and smooth.
-----
White Chocolate Dragon Egg: coconut, passionfruit and mango (£9.50).
We liked the presentation of the dragon egg. Dessert itself was fruity and tasty.
-----
In addition, two drinks were ordered.
-----
Eastern Dragon: 135 East Gin, raspberry and apple (£18).
Pricey but I quite liked the drink, which was sweet and light on alcohol. It also came served in a decorative, lit box a full of fog.
-----
Hidden Dragon: mint, ginger and agave (£6).
-----
Our reservation was for 6 PM on a Wednesday, and were easily seated when arriving an hour early as the restaurant was empty. Tables quickly filled shortly after but the restaurant has ample seating to accommodate walk-ins.
A bottle of sparkling water costs £4.50 and a 10% service charge is added to the bill. The recommended dress code is smart casual, but I did spot people wearing plain solid-colored shirts. read more