My Old Place

Szechuan cuisine canteen in East London

Chilli Oil With Pig’s Ears

Nothing beats a cheap eat Chinese that can deliver bold and flavorsome taste. However, cheap eat is not easy to spot in The City, especially for Chinese food. The only place I can think of is My Old Place in the area, just off Liverpool Street. My Old Place is all about the classics, but not the usual Cantonese affair. Instead, the restaurant has become very popular for the local workers, known for its big flavour Szechuan style Chinese cuisine. The place is not fancy at all, and don't expect any presentation, just good old fashioned, Szechuan food. I have been there twice before, for my third time, I went for some of the more exotic dishes.

Chives, Egg & Shrimps Dumpling

BBQ Lamb Skewers

BBQ oysters

To start, I had the house signature BBQ lamb ribs skewers. The ratio of fat and meat was perfect, it had a lovely charred aroma and the meat was very moist. Deep-fried pork intestines were peppery which offset the earthiness of the organ. It had a pleasant chewy texture but I felt the seasoning was too strong. The BBQ oyster was also weak, overcooked and the soy dressing overpowered everything. On the other hand, the house special dry-fried sweet and sour pork was outstanding, the batter was crispy and the meat was tender, the sweet and sour sauce was finely balanced, it was the best dish from the meal.

Wok-fried Pork Intestines

Special fried rice

Dry Fried Sweet and Sour Pork

To sum it up, My Old Place delivered me a bold flavour tasting evening at a really affordable cost. While I did not enjoy all the dishes, I can not complain too much based on price and the crazy big portion. The service is your standard China Town style, so don't take too much time to decide what to order otherwise you might put off your server. When the restaurant is busy, you will be asked to pay up and leave when you are done eating. This all sounds depressing, but there is a reason why it is still popular after so many years, and that is super value for money.



Food 2.5/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£20

88-90 Middlesex St, Spitalfields, London E1 7EZ

https://my-old-place.business.site/