Din Tai Fung Covent Garden

Xiao long bao master

Crab and pork xiao long bao

Din Tai Fung, the global dumpling restaurant chain has finally landed in the UK. The business is planning to open more than 10 restaurants in the UK, and it selected Covent Garden as its first launch site. Din Tai Fung is easily the hottest opening in 2018, buzzing with social media mentions and already visited by many foodies, food critics, and the local Asian communities. If you have been walking past Henrietta Street, you would see mad long queues every day, thanks to the media hype and the no booking policy of the restaurant. Din Tai Fung is known for its soup dumpling (Xiao long bao) and other classic Taiwanese items, such as the red braised beef noodles.

Park Chinois

Best in class Chinese fine dining

Steamed Kamchatka King Crab, 5yr Shaoxing Wine, Rice Noodles

This is my second visit to Park Chinois, located in Mayfair, many people rate this fine dining Chinese restaurant as the "poshest" Chinese restaurant in the UK, with most main courses at around the £40-£50 mark. However, there is a pretty decent value for money 2 courses set lunch at £30 per person, which is a good way to experience what Park Chinois can offer at an affordable price. The reason I went back to Park Chinois was simple, the cooking was fantastic and the use of ingredients was nothing to sniff at. Park Chinois source really high-quality ingredients from around Europe and Asia, combining with the cooking skill from the very experienced kitchen, it creates some of the best Chinese food I have experienced in the UK.

China Tang

Traditional Cantonese cuisine

Australian abalone in oyster sauce

Located inside the Dorchester hotel, China Tang is a Chinese restaurant with stunning decor to match. Created by the late Sir David Tang, the restaurant champion classic Chinese cuisine, along with a luxury cocktail bar. I was not overly impressive when I last visited a year ago, but the restaurant is always packed every night, not matter is a Monday or a Friday night, so it must be doing something right. One year later, I returned with a friend as he labeled China Tang as one of his favorite Chinese restaurant in London.

Mei Ume

New age modern Asian fine dining

Fatty tuna and sea urchin

Located inside the Four Seasons Hotel at Tower Hill, Mei Ume is a fine dining Asian restaurant, combine the best of Chinese and Japnese cuisines. It is an interesting concept as the City area really lack a top quality Chinese restaurant so there is definitely a gap in that market. The kitchen is headed up by chef Tong Truong, who was the head chef at Royal China. The menu is in a classic Chinese format, with a selection of small eats and mains. On top of that, it has a page of sushi and sashimi, prepared by sushi chefs at its open sushi counter in the dining room. 

Alyn Williams at the Westbury

High-level modern European fine dining

Pork loin, belly, radish and potato

Alyn Williams at the Westbury is slowly turning into one of my favourite restaurant in London for me. Leading the kitchen these days is head chef Tom Botoon, the cooking is exciting without going over the top, modern and clean, with some creative elements in the mixed. The restaurant has progressed steadily and retained its Michelin 1 star status in the 2019 guide. Many classic Alyn dishes are no longer in the menu with Tom really taking ownership with all the menu development. For my 5th visit, Tom has prepared a special tasting menu, offering new dishes that he is planning to launch in 2019.