JM Oriental is a Cantonese concept restaurant in Edgware, on the outskirts of London. Founded and helmed by Chef A. Hung, its mission is to deliver authentic Chinese cuisine, with a contemporary twist. Part of this starts with its surroundings, a vibrant, design-led space that mixes bold orange seating and avant garde lighting with rich natural tones and materials. With a bar area for drinks, larger booth seating for groups and a main dining space, it's a great place for a quick cocktail or special evening out.
As mentioned, JM Oriental stays true to traditional Chinese dishes, with a focus on Hong Kong dim sum. The menu is split up into many different courses with lots of variation, so you won't have trouble finding something you like. To start, try something like the Jun Ming classic platter with satay chicken, vegetable spring roll, barbecued ribs, sesame prawn toast and seaweed, to try a wider variety of the flavours on offer.
Dim sum is sorted into steamed, fried, wok-grilled, baked and Cheung Fun, spanning a range of fillings such as scallop, prawn and beetroot, as well as beef steak puff and black pepper, and grilled turnip cake with dried shrimps and sausage. We particularly like the sound of the egg custard lava bao, too.
When it comes to main dishes, there's a huge selection to choose from with options such as assorted seafood clay pot, black beans, ginger and shallots, or Taiwanese ‘Three-marinates’ chicken, thigh fillets and sweet basil, alongside UK grass-fed ribeye cube with asparagus and XO sauce.
Be sure to complement your dining experience with one of JM Oriental's signature cocktails, many of which offer a different take on a classic. The 'reformed' pornstar martini, for example, mixes vodka, passion fruit puree, lime; prosecco and lots of love.