My wife & I are taking my 78yr old mother to the RA on Saturday and I’m going to suggest Gerrard St. for lunch. After a dispiriting experience in Wan Chai Corner a couple of years back I’d be grateful for any suggestions from recent visits please?
My mother will insist on paying, so I’d like to keep the budget down a bit. We’ll just want a simple lunch, not a banquet, and we’d be fine with a buffet or Dim Sum.
Not tried it but “Duck & Rice” intrigues me - its on Berwick Street so not too far from the RA - upstairs restaurant may be more suitable than the bar.
I always think Alan Yau gets things right despite some of his concepts having less than stellar reputations once he sells them and moves on.
Maybe try New Loon Fung? It’s upstairs on Gerrard St next to the supermarket and is as close to a HK style Dim Sum restaurant as you’ll find in London. It’s very reasonably priced too. I’d avoid the buffets and an honourable mention for Leong’s Legends for the Shanghai soup dumplings.
Duck and Rice is a good shout for a more western, more restaurant feel option - I don’t know how adventurous your mother is!
New Mayflower on Shaftesbury Avenue is finally open for lunch. The dim sum there was quite good and didn’t cost a fortune, and if you get a table on the ground floor as opposed to the basement, it’s quite comfortable. There’s a small bit of the dim sum menu dedicated to small plates and you get some really moreish noodle/rice dishes on there as well.
I would actively avoid the buffets in Chinatown! Another option is Maotai Kitchen on Macclesfield Street, just off Gerrard Street. There’s always a guy making hand-pulled noodles in the window and they serve mainly food from the Guizhou region - bit different from a typical Cantonese dim sum lunch!
Thanks for the thoughts. I’ll report back.
FWIW a small experiment was also taking place. 3 replies here, with only Phil on CH. Only of passing interest really.
I think most of the regulars have migrated here.
I used to really enjoy Hakkesan in Chinatown, but my last meal was disappointing and I haven’t gone back. I’ll be interested to hear where you went and was it yummy.
We never made it to Chinatown. Maritime Art at the Mall Galleries followed by the Indian Fabrics exhibition at the V&A was the eventual itinery.
Lunch was a cheese & ham baguette from the stand in the V&A courtyard. Way understaffed, uncleared tables complete with pigeon mess etc. Mater’s vegetarian salad was excellent though.
