You win sum, you dim sum

23-01-2018 Local Black BookChinese, dim sum, dumplings, London, Mayfair Garden, recommendation, Restaurant, reviewLeave a comment

…not quite the traditional saying, but far more appropriate when it comes to dim sum at Mayfair Garden.

Once you’ve made your selection (I advise to take a few friends so you can order EVERYTHING!) and placed your order, sit back, relax and take in the sleek, minimalist decor.

And before you know it…

The table will be covered in a variety of dumpling plates.

Don’t miss out on the classics: plump prawn & chive dumplings, golden prawn spring rolls, gorgeous har gau…

You win some, you dim sum ● Mayfair Garden, London ● Cake + Whisky

… prawn shu mai…

You win some, you dim sum ● Mayfair Garden, London ● Cake + Whisky

… generously-filled deep-fried prawn dumplings…

… superb (and incredible value) king prawn cheung fun…

…and my favourite – golden-fried turnip cakes!

But enough talking – time to dig in!

The menu’s not especially long (perfect for the indecisive kind!), nor is it comprehensive in any way (the lack of chicken feet is apparently a big deal…), but everything on there is pretty special…

The baked venison puffs are exceptional – the best I’ve had in London sofar.

I don’t usually like char sui buns, but Mayfair Garden’s are fluffy, sweet-and-sour pieces of meaty perfection and play in a league of their own!

The Xiaolongbao are as delicate and fiddly as you’d expect…

… and the scallop shu mai is the perfect bite to finish things up with a touch of luxury (and a very full stomach).

But no empty stomach – surprisingly enough, dim sum is very well priced, with most 3-dumpling plates around the £5 pricemark.

See I told you – no matter what you order at Mayfair Garden, you win some, you dim sum!

Mayfair Garden, 8-10 N Audley St, London W1K 6ZD

Spicy Pork Dumplings

14-09-2017 Local Black BookAsian, Chinese, dim sum, dumplings, porkLeave a comment

I’ve been on a dumplings roll lately.

Har gau, siu mai, gyoza and then sum… I just can’t get enough!

So just 2 days after gorging myself with some of London’s best at the Chinese Food Festival, I found myself roaming the aisles of See Woo in Chinatown for some dumpling wrappers…

… and the rest, as they say, is dim-story!

More seriously though, homemade dumplings are easier to make than you think (I should have listened to my friend Vivian on that point! and so much healthier than their take-away counterparts!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:34]

Carby, meaty, fragrant, sweet, salty and spicy all at once – these spicy pork dumplings are the ultimate comfort food and then sum!

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Dumpling Feast at the Chinese Food Festival

13-09-2017 Local Black BookChinese, Chinese Food Festival, dim sum, dumplings, event, London, porkLeave a comment

Considering the enchanting weather we’ve been blessed with lately, with threatening cloudy skies garanteeing the wonderful alternance of pouring rain and roasting hot sunshine, you’ll have to come up with a pretty good excuse to convince to get out of the house.

Hint – Chinese food is an excellent one.

Which is how last weekend, I found myself by the River at the Chinese Food Festival, sampling all the goodies from London’s best Chinese food stalls and restaurants.

Obviously, there were noodles…

Steamed buns.

Stir fry.

And my favourite – dumplings.

And not just any dumplings – Ugly Dumpling!

Dumpling Feast at London's Chinese Food Festival • Cake + Whisky

Judging by the queues, I’m not the only one smitten with them!

Dumpling Feast at London's Chinese Food Festival • Cake + Whisky

I popped by the Lee Kum Kee stand to grab the best dim sum dipping sauce…

… and commandeered a table to enjoy my loot with the most amazing views!

Dumpling Feast at London's Chinese Food Festival • Cake + Whisky

Foodies could also get an introduction to the basics of Chinese cuisine courtesy of the School of Wok and learn how to make a very simple Szechuan chicken stir fry – perfect for those rushed midweek dinners!

And of course, all the secrets to dumplings folding!

Not that there’s much of a secret – seeing it done is helpful, but in the end, is all about practice.

… which I definitely need more of.

Not that it’s really a problem as more dumpling folding means more dumpling eating – totally fine by me!

Jen Café, Chinatown

02-09-2016 Local Black BookBeijing dumplings, cheap, Chinatown, Chinese, dim sum, dumplings, Jen Café, London, recommendation, Restaurant, review, Soho2 Comments

If you make abstraction of the tourists flocking to the area every day to take pictures in front of the majestic gates, Chinatown is one of London’s most intriguing area.

Home to a very close-circled community of Chinese immigrants, it’s a place like no other.

And an excellent spot for some of the city’s cheapest and most satisfying food.

Of course, not every place is good. Most of the restaurants in the area are really just tourist traps to be honest, but there are some real gems to be found if you know where to look.

You know how it goes… You dim sum, you loose some!

Ignore the ‘all you can eat’ buffets lining up Gerrard Street and head straight for Jen Café instead.

If you come early enough, you’ll be able to catch the house speciality, Beijing dumplings, being hand-folded in the restaurant’s window.

And while I could have stood there all day, looking at the dough being cut, rolled, stuffed and folded into rows and rows of delicious little bundles of joy, I truly recommend you only do that for a while before getting a seat.

With only a handful of table & a strong popularity with those in the know, Jen Café fills up quickly!

Jen Café, Chinatown, London | Cake + Whisky

Don’t spend too much time pondering the (many) options on the menu either.

The Beijing dumplings is what Jen Café’s known for, and they’re definitely what you should get!

Juicy, fragrant little parcels of pork mince with lemongrass & ginger wrapped in the thinest sheet of soft dough, they’re comfort food at its very best (especially when topped with a generous spoonful of chilli oil!).

And at £5 a plate (which will leave you pretty full if, like me, you’re a rather petite eater), it truly is one of the best value meals to be found in London.

But then, that’d mean you’d miss out on the pan-fried dumplings, and that would be a bit of a shame…

So better make sure you take a dumpling partner-in-crime with you!

Plus good company will only improve the warm feeling you’ll get from munching on dumplings, sipping on bubble tea & watching in awe as skilled cooks folded dozen after dozen of dumplings.

So if you’re ever looking for the spot in Chinatown to satisfy your dumplings cravings, Jen Café is the place.

Handmade, traditional, fresh and such good value, it’s all that and dim sum!

Jen Café, 4-8 Newport Pl, London WC2H 7JP

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You win sum, you dim sum

Mayfair Garden, 8-10 N Audley St, London W1K 6ZD

Spicy Pork Dumplings

More recipes

Dumpling Feast at the Chinese Food Festival

Jen Café, Chinatown