Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine London

Duck to the future

Peking duck

Without a doubt, feasting on fine dining quality Chinese food was high on my agenda when lockdown is finally over. For sure, you can get takeaway from many Chinese outlets but is just not the same as dining in, and some dishes lose the quality and essence after traveling, such as Peking duck and dim sum. The Peking duck at Imperial Treasure is some of the finest you can get in London. As far as traditional Cantonese cooking, not many other Chinese restaurants can rival its standard (and price!). For my 6th visit to the venue, I pre-ordered a whole duck, along with a selection of dishes from the ALC menu.

Wagyu beef puffs and prawn rice rolls

Cantonese roasted pork belly

My meal kicked off with a duo of dim sum as the starter. The wagyu beef puff had a lovely buttery crispy texture, the beef filling was peppery and moist, I couldn't fault it. The main event of Peking duck was as good as I remembered, it had a delightful sweetness on the surface, rich and savory. The meat itself was also well seasoned, the Peking duck here is simply a joy to eat. Not as good is a new dish, lobster tail with black truffle. I felt the lobster was under seasoned and the use of mushrooms and bamboo didn't add much to the dish. As soon as Imperial Treasure stepped out beyond the traditional territory, it falls short. Back to the classic, rhe black pepper beef was ace, really tender with a rich sweet and peppery tone, it was a great ending to the feast.

Stir fry lobster with truffle and mushroom

Black pepper beef tenderloin

it was good to be back at Imperial Treasure, apart from the odd lobster dish, everything else was wonderful. The restaurant is all about classic Cantonese dishes done in a really refined way, and I totally think it should stick to that principle. There are some more creative/ fusion style dishes added since launch and it just doesn't sound appealing at all for me, such as shrimp and peas with truffle, and prawn with oat flakes. All in all, do pay a visit for an upmarket experience of dim sum lunch or traditional Cantonese cooking, and best to come in a big group to bring down the cost.

Food 3.5/5

What I paid:
£100

Average cost without drinks and services:
£88 (tasting menu)

9 Waterloo Pl, St. James's, London SW1Y 4BE

http://www.imperialtreasure.com/uk/