Min Jiang at the Royal Garden Hotel

Brought a group of very fussy VIP diners there on Tuesday for lunch. We had a table arranged at the window so enjoyed a fantastic view over London on what happened to be a sunny day. Service was great, and I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to Segolene for bearing with us and doing all the complicated ever-changing arrangements for us – you're a star!! Food was excellent, a good rival to our favourite China Tang, but in a much nicer setting! Won't comment on any particular dishes, as we ate soooo much, but everything was perfect! We'll definitely be back soon!

Unfortunately it was dark when we arrived, so didn’t get to enjoy the park vista, but is probably worth getting there before hand for cocktails and sunsets.

Possible my only quibble for the evening was that we sat in the bar waiting for the last of our party to arrive, it took just too long for the waiter to give us the drinks menu and subsequently take our order and deliver the drinks.

Once sat at our table for dinner however, there were no complaints for service. We ordered a dim sum platter, which was very good tasty filling and not too gloopy skins. We went for the squid and soft shell crab in salt, pepper and chilli where were very good.

Next came the Peking duck, pre-ordered at time of booking or it is a 45 min wait, which was deftly carved at the table. Very authentic and very similar to that I’ve had in Beijing. The carcass and remaining meat is then taken away and cooked as a main.

For mains we had the remains of our duck stir fried in ginger and spring onion, crispy sea bass in soya, tofu with prawns and scallops and a forgettable chicken dish. All well cooked and tasty.

The food part of the bill came probably close to £200 for the four of us, which given the quality of ingredients and expert cooking was fair value. However, I’m not sure it is different enough from my local Chinesse Restaurant (which is very good) to really want to race back unless out with clients.

Min Jiang is a truly great addition to the restaurant scene and I finally got to try it last night. The setting is beautiful – very light inside, tables were well spaced and a mix of modern and traditional touches in the decor give it a smart look. The outstanding view of London compliments food perfectly. We were only two dining but decided to order as much as we could to share and were not disappointed. Hot and aour soup and crispy salt and pepper squid were so good and the house special of the Peking duck was amazing, as was the creation of the dishes with the remaining duck. Mains of braised pork belly and lobster with noodles were superb. We were quite full from everything so only took a very light dessert of ice creams and sorbets. The wine list was very good with bottles for all pockets and the price of the meal was easily justified by the quality. Service is excellent and knowledgeable. With fantastic service, food and wine, plus a view to die for Min Jiang is going to be a big hit.