Actually as a Chinese visiting student enjoying life but also struggling with language burries, variety deadlines, culture differences, daily trivialities in London, what gives me the most comfort and satisfaction is the traditional food of my own country. Though located in such a great international modern city where is filled with all sorts of wonderful dishes all over the world, I still miss Chinese food so much.
First let’s talk about the highly ranked Chinese restaurant in London. Most people will go to Chinatown directly. This is a good idea. But there are also some other wonderful restaurants seperating in other places in London. I went out for testing them every weekend and now give you this recommended list.
If you want to go to have hot pot, I RECOMMEND you to ——
蜀香格 （Sichuan hot pot）
Address：43 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1BH
It is the first to run a Sichuan hot pot restaurant in London and also it only serves hot pot, which means it is the most traditional and professional in cooking this kind of very popular dish. Though it also serves “two-flavor hot pot”, the main pot is the “nine-squares pot”, which is the most authentic way that local Sichuan people eat instant-boil food.
The dishes provided are also the most abundant. Including all kinds of meat like pork belly, beef and lamb slices, and fresh seafood, and different vegetables, and main food like noodles and sticky rice cake, and some animal organs like beef and pork tripe. But the most brilliant one is “小酥肉”, the fried pork. Sounds very common but because it’s special sauces and way of frying, it tastes very brilliant.
If you want to have Dongbei Dishes, I recommend you to ——
农家庄Bao & Noodle
Address: 16 Lisle Street, London, WC2H 7BE
It’s flavor is very authentic, I feel like every dishes is perfect.
Here are the best dishes I order almost every time:
- Rice dumplings (with pork and chinese chives inside)
The Chinese chive inside is very fresh, tasting crisp and looking green. The dumpling
wrappers are all handmade.
- Fried Pork in Scoop
All my friends from north east are proud of this dish coming from their hometown. It’s so
delicious that no one will forget this after trying it. It is made of pork with liquid egg and
Corn stripes outside, then fried twice in wok with rice veniger and other sauces.
This is more like a traditional dish in north-western China. In my memories, in summer
evening, me with my friends always hung out for sidewalk snack booth, then ordered dozens
of roast meet on scoops, chatted and ate this along with beers. I feel like this memory is
common for every Chinese but it is rare in foreign countries cause the roast food on skewers
are rarely seen. This dish really bring back many precious memories and complicated
feelings.
- Dongbei Lapi (I don’t know how to translate this into English)
It is kind of a finger food made from tapioca flour and mixed up with sesame paste and slices
vegetables.
If you want to have Guangdong Cuisine, I recommend you to ——
金龙轩（Golden Dragon）
Address:28-29 Gerrard St, London
I ordered some dishes showed below. They are all very delicate, light taste and served in small amount, which matches the greatest feature of Guangdong Cuisine.
So above are the top three restaurants I cherished. Some times my Chinese friends and I will also cook in dorm cause we can’t deny that common Chinese food here is usually far more expensive and sometimes is too far for available.
In my opinion I like the blogger whose id is called “日食记” in Youtube. Here’s an example
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kav7jt2sJ9c&w=560&h=315]
His video is very clear and beautiful, teaching you easily cook food and enjoy life at the same time. Follow the instructions by him we can satisfy ourselves during lunch time.
(A rich meal cooked by us in Spring Festival Eve)
As the old saying goes “民以食为天”, which means “people regard food as their prime want”, daily dish is always taken as our first priority. I have never cooked by myself before settling in London and I have never been so eager to go out to find good restaurants too. But now I really get the mind that the biggest homesick feeling is the miss for food back home. This is true meaning of the traditional food, I think.