Royal China, London

Royal China Group

I did both of these things, and after resolving our initial mix-up over the venue, I made my way to the Royal China to sit down to the most refined Chinese meal I have ever experienced.

Upon entering the building, everything from the famous Hokusai Giant Wave paintings to the gold-covered chopsticks told me that I was in for a sophisticated experience.

Bringing Yue, my Chinese friend, turned out to be a crucial decision, as she helped me pick out the most authentic three course meal from the plethora of options on the menu.

We knew we wanted to get a recommendation for dinner, and our waiter Paul did not hesitate to make some strong suggestions, instead of obnoxiously generalizing that “everything is delicious” as some waiters do.

For a pre-appetizer appetizer, Paul brought us small dishes of gingered carrots and salted peanuts. Then he and Yue engaged in a flurry of conversation completely undecipherable to me, and minutes later, a pot of delicious traditional tea was served to us.

“I had to ask him to water it down,” explained Yue. “This stuff can keep you awake for days.”

After consulting with Paul, we placed our three course order. For an appetizer, seafood lettuce rolls, for the main dishes, peking duck and abalone with sea cucumber and scallops, and for dessert, yam tapioca and green tea ice cream.

Sipping my tea, I felt ready to dive in. Caffeine? Check. Appetite-whetting carrot ginger snack? Check. Tummy rumbling? Check. I was fully prepared to eat as much as possible, and the service was blissfully prompt.

The meal was served in a series of appetizers and then the two main courses. First we enjoyed a savory seafood mixture to go inside do-it-yourself lettuce wraps, topped with a sweet fruity sauce. The next dish, peking duck, was also hands on, and steaming rice wraps were brought to the table for us to assemble our own portions of duck, onions, celery, and sauce.

The main dishes were served with aplomb, as a flaming dish of scallops was placed in front of us. The scallops were fantastic, but slightly over cooked so that the taste of the fish was completely masked by the sauce.

The real star of the show was the abalone with sea cucumber, the chef’s special. The chef at Royal China has a special ability to make even squishy sea cucumber taste succulent and fresh, and it’s a dish that should not be missed.

As we enjoyed our meal, Yue educated me on some traditional Chinese beliefs about food. Foods should be enjoyed seasonally, as some are hot and some are cold. According to Yue, fish is a neutral food to be enjoyed in all seasons. For a “warm” Chinese dish to keep you balanced during the winter, I highly recommend the pecking duck or beef and broccoli dish.

After a dessert of yam tapioca and green tea ice cream, it was time to head home. Each dish was light and amazingly fresh while sufficiently filling. I got quite a shock to find that the next morning, my stomach was not twisted into a plastic knot, unlike my past experiences with MSG laden Chinatown meals.

However, unlike Chinatown, a trip to the Royal China has the potential to burn a hole in your pocket. It is a favourite place to re-fuel for shoppers from nearby Oxford Street and Bond Street as well as a lunchtime spot for wealthy businesspeople. This is also a famous spot for dim sum, and on Sundays, there can be queues out the door and a slew of customers willing to wait for hours for the famous dumplings. In fact, demand is so high that the Royal China does not even take reservations on weekends.

However, on my quiet Monday night excursion to the Royal China, there was no queue and the service was fast and ambiance relaxing.

With Yue’s stamp of approval and my satisfied belly, I can safely say that Royal China is one of the best Chinese food experiences in London.

Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur like Yue or a unrefined American like myself, the Royal China experience is sure to please your palette, as long as you’re prepared to pay good money for the exceptional quality.

Royal China

24-26 Baker Street,
London, W1U 7AB
Tel: (020) 7487 4688.
www2.royalchinagroup.biz/?cid=14

Prices for a three course meal for two people, excluding drinks, starts from around £80.