Imperial City

The softly lit, brick-vaulted undercroft of the Royal Exchange makes a memorable setting for the City’s plushest oriental restaurant, tricked out in black & gold. There’s a spacious & elegant bar at the entrance, from which a painted dragon snakes its way along the ceiling duct that leads back into the more formal dining area. The menu is creative & cosmopolitan, making room for Japanese teriyaki eel fillets with samphire, chilli & black pepper or Thai red chicken curry with potatoes alongside a raft of mainstream Chinese dishes such as steamed salmon with chilli & black beans or crispy aromatic duck with sour plum sauce. Tropical fruit & ‘imperial’ lotus pancakes give some Asian zip to the westernised dessert menu, while the style-driven wine list includes a handful by the glass.