China Tang at The Dorchester, London

This was one of those restaurants that we have not actually planned to visit yet we end up keep coming back for no other reason but because we were so impressed with the food. Our first visit was on one Saturday evening and the restaurant was packed. We were lucky to get a last minute table and were basically given two hours to enjoy our dinner. Not too happy about the idea being rushed, but never mind. 

And it was well worth the rush though.. 

We started with few selections of steamed dim sum. Prawn cannelloni, scallops, siu mai, and chicken and pork dim sum, served piping hot in a stack of bamboo basket. The steam that comes out the basket was so inviting! We could not wait to dive in! And for the first time, we could not find any fault about the food. We could taste that the all of the ingredients used to make those dim sum were fresh and even the dumpling wrapper was light, not doughy or pasty at all! To get the taste buds going, we normally dunk the dumpling in chili paste (not too much, if you are not used to it!) then eat it in one go. Have a glass of cold beer or any soft drink ready in case the kick from the chili paste stronger than expected. 

Between the dim sum and the main course, we had a portion of vegetarian spring rolls. Again, they tasted good, fresh and not greasy at all. It tasted even better with some pickles. 

A moment after we have finished with the spring rolls, our Peking duck arrived to our table. It will be served in two ways; with the pancakes and the rest will be minced up, stir-fry and served with iceberg lettuce. Honestly, our first impression was not too good, as the duck skin appeared to be very dark or burnt. We were worried that the meat will be tough and dry, but we were proven wrong. The skin was actually very crispy, no trace of burnt and the meat was juicy and very tender. We had to admit, it was the best Peking duck we ever had! The stir fry was quite good too, but we could actually just stick with the pancakes and plum sauce.

Our second main course were fried noodles with lobster, stir-fry bok choi and cantonese fried rice. We were fascinated by the way the fried rice was served. It came in a bamboo cup and a top that retains the heat and it actually gives a nice fragrant to the rice. The rice itself was well cooked, fluffy, slightly under seasoned to our taste but certainly not greasy. As no MSG used in all the food served at China Tang, we did not get terrible thirst at all. Such a pleasant meal overall. 

In several visits to China Tang, yet we still have not tried their desserts as we always end up ordering too much food to start with. Another reason to go back there again! 

Service was efficient and friendly, even during busy hours. The only person who was slow at the end was the wine butler, but we did not mind. Comparing our visit during lunch and dinner, we would actually prefer dinner while the restaurant gets really busy. Less flexibility for people like us who like to spend hours to enjoy our meal, but the atmosphere was great and also we did not get to hear the noise from the kitchen that can be quite noticeable when the restaurant is less busy. 

We strongly recommend this restaurant to all of you and let us know what you think!

China Tang at The Dorchester 

Park Lane, Mayfair, London

W1K 1QA

Phone: +44 20 7629 9988

Website: http://www.thedorchester.com/china-tang