Perhaps the best Chinese restaurant in China Town
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| Steamed egg in soy |
I usually stay away from Chinese restaurants in China Town, mostly down to the quality is really not that great. I have been to many that have been highly featured in the top 10 lists from mainstream media such as Dumpling Legend to classic stables such as Pheonix Garden. While they are all pretty solid, none really stood out. Besides, China Town is always busy and packed with tourists with average service at best another reason for me to shy away. Lately, I took the chance to check out Orient which happened in China Town, as I was seeking decent Chinese seafood cooking at a reasonable price, and judging from the menu, Orient stood out as it has an extended list of seafood dishes, with some really classic Cantonese ones like wok fry clams and fried oysters.
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| Baked king prawns in salted egg |
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| Wok-fried clams in black bean sauce |
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| Deep-fried oysters |
The baked giant prawns in egg yolk were executed at a high level, well seasoned and the prawns were still very moist on the inside while the shells were so crispy. Wok fry vegetables sound so basic as everywhere does it, but Orient clearly got an amazing wok chef as it produced one of the best tasting wok fry gai lan in ginger sauce. It had the perfect balance of smokiness and temperature while still looked as refreshing green as it could be. Salt baked chicken is a Cantonese classic and Orient's version was top notch. The meat was so tender, the aroma of the ginger and the oiliness of the chicken oil combined wonderfully together, every mouthful was a sensation.
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Tofu and salted fish clay pot
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| Salt baked chicken |
Orient's cooking was a lot better than I was expecting. I have eaten there two times within a month and everything I have tasted was a lot better than many other China Town restaurants. I was especially impressed with the wok based dishes and the chefs seem to really know how to control the temperature of a wok. I could also see a lot of hard work went into the preparation, for example, all the tiny shrimps in a bowl of fried rice, all the intestines were removed, this is rare as many places wouldn't waste time to do that. I would rate Orient as one of the best Cantonese restaurants in China Town easily, and I would be more than happy to head back to try out other dishes from its long menu.
Food 3.5/5
Average cost without drinks and services:
£30
15 Wardour St, West End, London W1D 6PH
https://www.orientlondon.com/
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