Restaurants in London Chinatown (Originally: Raw Chinese food)

NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2004 02:26:54 BST
Organization: NTL
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Xref: usenet.INS.cwru.edu uk.food+drink.chinese:2663

DC. wrote:
> The A. wrote:
> > ...I live near Soho so tend to spend lots of time in China Town.
> > I prefer Crispy Duck to Wong Kei's for simple stuff, but the
> > menu is more limited.
> WongKei only has 1 dish for me & that's the beef brisket horfun
> noodle soup (NgaoLam TongHor). Done just like in the old days
> from all the back street cantonese eateries all over Asia. I've never
> been to crispy duck, where is it? on gererd st or lisle street or
> one of the other streets?
> Did you remember a restaurant called Jen opposite LoonFung
> supermarket on gerard st. it closed down a few years ago. it
> had good roast duck in there while it lasted.

I envy you, Adrain.  To me, the only place in London I find offering acceptable, authentic Cantonese food is Chinatown.  Tired of traveling and looking for car parking space, at one time I even planned to move to a flat near Soho on my retirement.

I think I know Crispy Duck in Wardour Street, before the electrical accessories shop, a few doors down from the Wong Kei's end.   Can't remember I've ever been a customer there.  There is now another Crispy Duck in Gerrard Street. Same management?  One transport café style Chinese restaurant -- you recognize it when you see diners can just take any empty seat with no qualm whether or nor the table is already occupied!-- other than Wong Kei is China China at the corner of Gerrard Place, the drive-in to Gerrard Street from Shaftsbury Avenue, and Gerrard Street itself   I used to go there for snacks, or for late, late evening meals, an alternative to Wong Kei.  There are more often than not passers-by standing outside the window savoring the spectacle of the assistant chef chopping whole roast ducks, roast chickens or char siu (Cantonese roast pork).  The dishes there are only slightly pricier than those in Wong Kei, but is still cheap.  They get away with even a shorter menu.  The taste...well, I have to say, back to Wong Kei again.  For example, the roast duck is sweeter than customarily and I don't think it is quite up to the standard set by the Hong Kong eateries yet.  Ah, but is so casual and unpretentious....

There are two Chinese cake shops in Gerrard Street.  The Char Siu Bow (rhymed with 'how', Cantonese roast pork bun) from the one in the middle of Gerrard Street is too sugary but the fillings are more generous that those from the end shop, the Kowloon Restaurant, I think it is called.  Someone introduced me to the whole scene of Chinese cakes, which I never took advantage of when I was in Hong Kong.  Apparently the buns are freshly made each day, hot out of oven at 10:30 or there about.  I know, for there is another friend of mine, working in Oxford Street, who *walked* all the way to Gerrard Street almost every weekday for these cakes for lunch.  He said it was cheaper, even for two, and tastier than a Big Mac from McDonald's. To me, they are over priced, especially at the corner cake shop.

Do I not remember Jen's Restaurant!!  I had my car tolled away while I was there one lunch time.  My friend and I had to shoot down to the South London pound to fetch the car, after paying an extortionate toll fee and fine, that is.  Can't remember much about the meal.  This was at the end of  70's or the beginning of 80's.

Must remember to pay a visit to Crispy Duck on my next visit to Chinatown. :o)

Bee.