Master Wei

Chinese·
££££
·
Bronze Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Master Wei

Bronze Award

Master Wei, tucked down a pedestrianised side street near Russell Square, is the second London restaurant from chef Guirong Wei, who also co-owns Xi’an Impression near the Arsenal stadium in Holloway. Though the word ‘restaurant’ might raise expectations for what feels more like a Chinese café, with its exposed brick, sights of Xi-an city on the walls (including the famous terracotta warriors), simple black chairs and unclothed tables bristling with pots of chopsticks.

But food that arrives in very pretty crockery indicates that the focus here is what’s on the plate. Our advice would be to fill up on starters and ‘Xian street food’; our hand-pulled noodle main courses – minced pork with vegetables, and Qishan-style pork in sour and spicy sauce – were nice enough, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Which is definitely not the case with cold plates of spicy sliced beef, boneless chicken in ginger sauce and spicy smacked cucumber salad – each the sort of synapse-snapping assemblies that could clear a head-cold faster than any decongestant. Order a bowl of vinegar-sharp potato-sliver salad, or the bland comfort of warm steamed pork and vegetable dumplings, to cool the palate.

More crowd-pleasing dishes such as spring rolls, salt and pepper spare ribs and sweet and sour chicken seem designed to lure dubious Westerners through the door, though our salt and pepper squid was as good as any. If you’re unfamiliar with the regional cooking that is the kitchen’s speciality, do ask the very friendly staff for guidance.    

With nearly everything costing under £10, these are the sort of filling cheap eats which explain why most of our fellow diners were students from SOAS and off-duty doctors from Great Ormond Street, though Master Wei is also brilliantly located for a pre- or post-cinema bite at the Curzon Bloomsbury. And unlike Xi’an Impression, Master Wei is licensed, so you can wash your food down with an unoaked Burgundy Chardonnay or Galician Albarino for less than £20.  

 

 

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Good to know

Average Price
££££ - Under £30
Cuisines
Chinese
Ambience
Fun, Lively, Quirky
Awards
SquareMeal London Top 100
Food Occasions
All day dining, Dinner, Lunch
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating
Special Features
Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Child friendly, Dates, Group dining [8+]
Food Hygiene Rating

About

Master Wei is a popular Chinese restaurant in London that’s become a must on any foodie’s hotlist for its flavourful biangbiang noodle bowls. It was brought to London by chef Guirong Wei, whose original restaurant Xi’an Impression has earned a reputation as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Islington and the capital. Master Wei is her first solo restaurant, opening in 2019 and specialising in Shaanxi cuisine from northern China.

Taking over the site that was once Cagney’s restaurant, Master Wei Holborn is an intimate, casual joint with a terrace at the front for dining in the summer. It's located on Cosmo Place between Russell Square and Holborn stations, and does a strong trade in takeaway orders via Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

Guirong’s signature biang biang noodles are a must try, combining thick, chewy noodles with chunks of lean beef in a chilli sauce – although you can order them with pork or vegetables if you prefer. Xi’an street food favourites comprise the rest of the menu, from hot and cold starters to warming soups and punchy stir fries.

Order a selection of sharing dishes to start, from spicy pig’s ears with cucumber (if you’re feeling brave) to spring rolls and salt and pepper squid. Further must-orders include spicy cumin beef buns and pan-fried chicken and mushroom pot sticker dumplings, to Liangpi noodles with sesame sauce, served room temperature with chilli and cucumber. The hearty Qi Shan hand pulled noodles with braised pork and vegetables in spicy soup are another popular dish.

On the drinks front, a concise and well-priced selection of wines, sake, spirits, cocktails and beers make for happy browsing.

Master Wei now boasts two sites in London, including one in Hammersmith about two minutes' walk from the main station.

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FAQs

Are there vegetarian options?

Yes.

Helpful? 0

How do I book?

You can book via their website or by calling the restaurant direct.

Helpful? 0

Location

13 Cosmo Place, Holborn, London, WC1N 3AP

020 7209 6888 020 7209 6888

Website

Opening Times

All day
Mon 11:30-22:00
Tue 11:30-22:00
Wed 11:30-22:00
Thu 11:30-22:00
Fri 11:30-22:00
Sat 11:30-22:00
Sun 12:00-22:00

Reviews

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1 Review 

Tiffany C

08 July 2019  
One of my favorite places to eat. The setting reminds me of small intimate restaurants back in Taiwan, with the wooden furniture. The food is always consistent and has not disappointed me yet! While London is going crazy over heavy Sichuan cuisines with dishes all doused in red oil and an abundance of chili peppers, I find the dishes here so much more kinder to my palate and I actually enjoy being able to taste the freshness of the ingredients. Price is fair, it is London after all but I never feel like i've been ripped off. I also like the service, hard to find good service in Europe, let alone in a Chinese restaurant but the staff is always smiling and happy to help. This is definitely my favorite spot.
Bookings not required

Reservations are not required at Master Wei.

If you'd like to speak to someone to discuss dining or any other query, call:

020 7209 6888 020 7209 6888

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