Mei Ume

Modern classic

Lo Hei

City of London is crying out for a high-quality Chinese restaurant, I used to go to Shikumen often but the place is going downhill recently. The hotel restaurant Mei Ume in Four Seasons Hotel is an alternative, but at a much higher cost, so is the cost justified? I would say so given I have eaten there a few times, and each time was better than the last. Head chef Tony Troung is the driving force of the operation, his menu is all about classic Chinese cuisine with a modern makeover. You would see dishes such as sweet and sour pork or Peking duck, but his version at Mei Ume would be an instant upgrade for sure. For my fourth visit, I opted for some of the new dishes he has specially put together for Chinese New Year.

China Tang London

Dim sum lunch in style

China Tang dim sum feast

If I ever fancy a long lazy brunch at the weekend, dim sum is always the first thing that comes to my mind. It is hard to beat tasting pieces after pieces of well crafted dim sum with a nice cup of tea while chatting with friends or family. I have eaten at China Tang many times in the evening but never got the chance to try out its dim sum menu, so when Chinese New Year is just around the corner, it was the perfect excuse to pay a visit. Judging from the dim sum menu, it is mostly classic Cantonese dim sum items. I also used the occasion to try out some of the upcoming Chinese New Year dishes that head chef Fong has created.

Duck and Rice

Gastropub with Chinese crackers

Drunken lobster clay pot

Duck and Rice is my to-go casual Chinese restaurant when I am around the Soho area. The restaurant is not your usual Chinese restaurant in Chinatown at all. It is modern and lively in the mood of a trendy pub, with Cantonese cooking, along with a hint of Japanese and Southeast Asian cuisine elements in the mixed. What I like about this place is the big selection of beer, as well as proper cocktails, something not easy to find in standard traditional Chinese places. More importantly, you can book in advance for both lunch and dinner time, and this is a massive plus for me. 

Flor

British wine bar in London Bridge

Grilled red prawn heads, xo sauce

When Flor was launched last summer in 2019, it was one of the most talked-about restaurant openings of the year. It was so hard to secure a table and all the serious foodies were flooding in. Launched by chef James Lowe and his team from the Michelin starred Lyles, Flor is a modern wine bar and bakery that offers small plates taking flavours from around the world, you will see Middle East, European, as well as Asian element across the menu. The place is split into two floors, the ground floor is the open kitchen with bar seatings and upstair is a proper sit-down restaurant. For my visit, I ordered about 8 dishes to share for 2.

Otto's

Canard à la Presse

Canard à la Presse

While I enjoy fancy, modern French cuisines, sometimes I do love a traditional meal. However, top-class classic French food is not easy to find in London. Many Michelin rated restaurants are going for the modern European style these days, and I would say only Le Gavroche is the only Michelin starred French restaurant that still has that traditional charm in London. However, when I want something less formal and easier for my bank account, I think Otto's is the perfect restaurant. Located in Holborn, the restaurant is all about classic French dishes with some tableside flair. You will see dishes such as stuffed pig trotters and baked cheese souffle.

The Gunmakers

Gastropub in Marylebone 

Iberico Pata Negra Pork Chop

It has been a while since I last dined at a pub, there are not many great London pubs within central London so when I heard Mark Javis is taken over The Gunmakers, a gastropub in Marylebone not far from the celebrities hangout joint Chiltern Firehouse, I was excited to see what he would come up with, I am a fan of his modern British cuisine, haven eaten at his flagship restaurant Anglo, and his two other central London restaurants Stem and Nero Bistro (sadly now closed). He has teamed up with another big name in the industry, in the name of Xavier Rousset, who was behind the creation of the trendy wine bar group 28-50.