Mandarin Kitchen

Once considered among the best Chinese restaurants in London, Mandarin Kitchen appears to have lost its edge. The speciality is seafood, & the sizeable round tables in the cavernous interior are still well-used by Chinese banqueting parties, who tuck into various forms of marine life. But while the likes of scallops, turbot & sea bass are fresh & deftly cooked, the same care doesn’t go into the sourcing & preparation of their accompaniments. Were those tinned bamboo shoots we encountered on our last visit? Your best bet is to follow the lead of regulars who still queue for weekend tables, & order one of the signature lobster dishes: the steamed version with garlic & spring onion on super-soft noodles is recommended. There are some decent wines to match (the house vino is a mineral-crisp Ardèche Chardonnay from Louis Latour). Service is speedy, provided by a brigade of smiling women.