Let's Bring Din Tai Fung to London

[Update Feb 2012: Please visit Din Tai Fung London Fan Club and sign the petition to bring this restaurant to London.]

Xiao long bao @ Din Tai Fung (photo courtesy of Chensiyuan, Wikipedia)

Last week, I wrote a post called Wish You Were Here, in which I dared to dream of a better world where some of the top Chinese restaurant groups set up shop in London. Dreams don't come true, do they? Well they don't unless you do something about it. So inspired by Cheese and Biscuits' campaign to bring the esteemed burger chain, In-N-Out to London, I'm asking my loyal readers (all nine of you) to help bring Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) to the capital.

This restaurant is renowned for its Shanghai-style dim sum, in particular its legendary soup-filled dumplings, xiao long bao (小籠包). Whilst Din Tai Fung isn't at the top of my wish list; it is the only one that operates outside of Asia and is therefore most likely to open in the UK. After all, if they have branches in Los Angeles, Sydney and Seattle, there's no reason why Din Tai Fung can't open in London?

I know some of you might be concerned that Din Tai Fung is a chain but it's not as if it's the dumpling equivalent of Pizza Hut. There are only around 50 restaurants worldwide and quality control is taken very seriously. But don't just take my word for it, as the blogosphere is full of praise for this restaurant e.g. there are no less than three posts about Din Tai Fung in the esteemed World Foodie Guide

I know it's a long shot but the more of you who write in to Din Tai Fung, the greater the chance that they will open in London. So please click on the link below and let the management know how badly we want their dumplings:

http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/contact.asp

Off The Blog 4 - Comfort Food

The days are getting colder and the nights are drawing in. It's that time of the year when you want your grub to cheer you up so in this post I'll be looking at three great places for comfort food: a rather special pub, somewhere a bit posh and a good old-fashioned Italian.

Toulouse cassoulet @ The Gunmakers

Toulouse cassoulet is exactly the kind of food that soothes the soul and it's one of many hearty dishes served at The Gunmakers. Being a Northerner, I'm prone to moaning about meagre 'London portions' but I had no complaints about this mammoth serving.

However, it wasn't just the quantity that I was impressed with; I was also struck by the high quality of the ingredients. The haricot beans, ham hock, and pork shoulder were all top notch but a special mention goes to the Toulouse sausage.

I was quite full after this feast and it was a shame that I had to go back to work, as I could've done with a couple of pints and a kip. The Gunmakers is a cracking boozer and it's also worth mentioning that they serve a fine array of ales.



The Gunmakers, 13 Eyre Street Hill, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 5ET 
(Tel: 020-7278-1022) Nearest tube: Chancery Lane

Prawn cocktail @ Bob Bob Ricard

Bob Bob Ricard needs little introduction. This Soho restaurant has been blogged to death and this particular meal has already been blogged about by Catty and The Grubworm. The menu is full of heart-warming dishes like fish soup, beef wellington, pies and burgers. But to start, I couldn't resist the retro charms of the prawn cocktail. Mind you, part of me wishes I ordered the venison steak tatare.

Veal Holstein @ Bob Bob Ricard

For mains, my dining companions shared a roast leg of Elwy Valley lamb; I had a taste and it was damn good although my veal Holstein was none too shabby either. Served with anchovies, quail egg, truffled mash and secret sauce (not to be confused with special sauce), I loved it. The puds are good too and I couldn't say no to warm chocolate fondant.

I'm a big fan of the decadent dining room and the fact that everyone is seated in a booth. In addition to the classic comfort food, there's also a small selection of Russian dishes. I might try these next time with a shot or two of their vintage vodkas. Not that you need me to tell you but BBR is highly recommended.



Bob Bob Ricard, 1 Upper James Street, London, W1F 9DF
(Tel: 020-3145-1000) Nearest tubes: Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus

Ciao Bella

I can't believe that I haven't got round to blogging about Ciao Bella 'til now. This charming old school ristorante is a favourite office lunch venue of mine. I've been a regular for the best part of a decade and come to think of it, I've probably eaten here more times than any other restaurant. And whilst I've not seen him eat at Ciao Bella, it seems that Raymond Blanc is a fan too.

The menu doesn't push any boundaries but that's its appeal, as sometimes I don't want to think too much about my food. My favourites include spaghetti con polpette (spaghetti with meatballs) and scaloppa Milanese (I usually order this veal dish with a side of pasta instead of the usual potatoes and veg). But above all else, I adore their pizzas, in particular the prosciutto crudo.

Ciao Bella is always busy and booking is recommended. That said if you turn up without a reservation, they have an arrangement with the pub next door. You can wait in the pub and once a table is ready, they'll come and fetch you. If you haven't finished your drink then you can bring that through too. Now that's what I call service!



Ciao Bella, 86-90 Lamb's Conduit St, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3LZ 
(Tel: 020-7242-4119) Nearest tube: Russell Square

Wish You Were Here

TomEats inspired this post after he left a comment on my review of Mushu. The gist of his comment was that the likes of Crystal Jade and Din Tai Fung would clean up in London given Mushu's mediocre efforts at regional Chinese cuisine. To the uninitiated, Crystal Jade and Din Tai Fung are Chinese restaurant chains with branches across East Asia and beyond. However, these aren't chains like we know them in the UK. They consist of highly accomplished restaurants, so much so that one of Din Tai Fung's Hong Kong branches has a Michelin star.

Tom's comments made me wonder what other Chinese restaurant chains would excel in London. I soon came up with a Top 5 wish list; these aren't necessarily my favourites but rather those restaurants that I believe would 'work' in the capital. They're a varied bunch and hail from all across the Chinese-speaking world and it'd be amazing if just one of them came to these shores. I'm not getting my hopes up but you never know who might be reading.

Sautéed fresh river shrimp @ Xiao Nan Guo

1. Xiao Nan Guo 小南国
Style: High-end Shanghai
Based: Shanghai
Other Locations: Beijing, Dalian, Hong Kong, Nanjing, Suzhou, Tokyo
Review: Beijing Oriental Plaza (Sept 09) and Beijing Financial St (Sept 10)

The stylish and sophisticated Xiao Nan Guo would be my top choice to open in London as the capital is desperately short of restaurants that serve Shanghai cuisine. I'm pretty sure that their refined take on this cuisine, which can sometimes be too rich, would go down a storm. And whilst Xiao Nan Guo's dim sum isn't quite as good as 2nd placed Din Tai Fung, their exquisite main courses win the day. Moreover, their website mentions global expansion plans that includes Europe – please make it happen.

2. Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐
Style: Xiao long bao and other Shanghainese dim sum  
Based: Taipei
Other Locations: Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and other cities in China, Japan and Taiwan
Review: Shanghai (Aug 09)

In foodie circles, Din Tai Fung has legendary status and on another day I would've chosen this Shanghainese dim sum restaurant ahead of Xiao Nan Guo. There really ought to be a warning before you eat here because once you've sampled their xiao long bao, most other efforts at these soup-filled dumplings will seem second rate. From humble beginnings in Taiwan, this chain has spread far and wide. With branches in Los Angeles and Sydney, there is a chance that they might one day open in London.

Dragon beans with garlic @ Bellagio

3. Bellagio 鹿港小镇
Style: Casual Taiwanese and desserts
Based: Shanghai
Other Locations: Beijing, Dalian, Guangzhou, Jinan, Nanjing
Review: Beijing (Sept 10)

I can see Bellagio being hugely popular anywhere due to its universal appeal. It's more casual than the other places on my list and the kids would just love its trendy drinks and desserts. At the same time, there is a wide choice of Taiwanese classics to satisfy old gits like me. It's this beguiling mix that has seen more than one London blogger proclaim this café to be a Beijing must-visit. Sadly, I don't think there's much chance of Bellagio opening in London, as so far expansion has been limited to China.

4. Crystal Jade 翡翠
Style: Varies depending on branch; usually either Cantonese/dim sum or Lanzhou la-mian/xiao long bao
Based: Singapore
Other Locations: Bangkok, Beijing, Hangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shanghai, Tokyo
Review: None to date (Last visit was as a civilian in 2008)

From a single restaurant in Singapore, Crystal Jade has expanded across East Asia with a mix of different cuisines and concepts. Originally renowned for its Cantonese dim sum, nowadays Crystal Jade is arguably better known for its 'La Mian Xiao Long Bao' concept. This combines Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles with Shanghai xiao long bao and London really could do with more of both. Here's hoping that the UK will be the first country in which this chain will operate in outside Asia.

Har gau @ Lei Garden

5. Lei Garden 利苑
Style: Michelin star Cantonese including dim sum  
Based: Hong Kong
Other Locations: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Macau, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Singapore
Review: Singapore (Aug 10)

No less than six branches of Lei Garden have a Michelin star – there can't be too many restaurant chains that can boast that achievement. I've not eaten at any of their Michelin-starred outlets in Hong Kong or Macau but the dim sum feast I had at their Singapore restaurant was different class. That said TomEats was less than impressed by the IFC branch in Hong Kong. It's all academic anyway, as I think Lei Garden's expansion plans will focus on China for the time being.

There are some restaurants that I've omitted from my wish list not because they aren't good enough but because they're too good. For example, Beijing's Ya Wang breeds its own ducks and puts them on a special diet before roasting them in an oven that uses a particular kind of wood. I'm not sure you can replicate those conditions easily outside of Beijing. Then there's the amazing contemporary Chinese cuisine of Dadong. The quality of this Beijing mini-chain is inextricably linked to Chef Dong and I can't see how standards can be maintained if he also opens a restaurant in London.

As I mused at the beginning of this post, it's highly unlikely that any of these chains will actually open in London. So for now, I'll have to make do with my fantasy that Xiao Nan Guo is my local Chinese restaurant and that Din Tai Fung have taken over each and every branch of the execrable dim sum chain, Ping Pong.

Lastly, what restaurants from faraway places would you like to see open in London?

M&S Dim Sum - Don't Do It

Steamed prawn dim sum (top) and vegetable siu mai (bottom)

Prawn & coriander spring rolls

Dim sum is one of the great restaurant experiences, as it is very difficult to recreate at home from scratch. I mean who has the patience and expertise to knock up a selection of dumplings, buns, and rolls that are variously steamed, baked, fried, and grilled? So the only viable way to enjoy these treats at home is to get some in.

You can buy pre-prepared dim sum from your local Chinese supermarket. Whilst obviously not as good as restaurant dim sum, some shop-bought items can be quite good, e.g. roast pork buns (cha siu bao 叉燒包). That said the more delicate dumplings like har gau 蝦餃 don't quite hit the mark.

This is all well and good if you can get to a Chinese supermarket but if you can't then you have to rely on High St shops like Marks And Spencer. So in the interest of research, I popped into my local M&S to buy some dim sum from their 'Taste East' range. Thank God, I didn't bump into anyone I knew. I'd have a hard time explaining what I was doing with M&S dim sum!

Steamed Prawn Dim Sum
This is M&S's take on the prawn dumpling (har gau 蝦餃), one of the best known dim sum. First impressions weren't good as the pastry was far too thick and claggy and there were only 7 or 8 pleats. Things didn't get any better once you bit into it, as there was hardly any filling. I could barely pick out the prawn and there were all kinds of superfluous crap in there like water chestnuts, courgettes and carrots. One plus point was that the dumplings were well seasoned with a nice aroma from the sesame oil.

Vegetable Siu Mai
Siu mai 燒賣 is another dim sum stalwart and is traditionally made with pork and prawn but this version is vegetarian with rice and various vegetables in the mix. That said, other than the rice, the only ingredient I could actually pick out were the black-cap mushrooms. The seasoning wasn't that balanced with an overriding taste of pepper. They were also over-glutinous and prone to breaking up. It was a real struggle to transfer the microwaved dumpling into the steamer for the photo, so in the end I gave up!

Prawn & Coriander Spring Rolls
Having eaten the steamed (microwaved) efforts, I was beginning to get really depressed. My mood wasn't lightened when I retrieved these spring rolls 春卷 from the oven. Being oven-baked rather than deep-fried meant these rolls weren't particularly crispy. There also wasn't much prawn in them and they really ought to have been called water chestnut & coriander spring rolls. In fact the best thing about these was the coriander although in fairness they weren't badly seasoned.

The Details
Each of the above snacks cost £2.49/pack or £5 for any three from the 'Taste East' range. In the case of the prawn dim sum and vegetable siu mai, you get six per pack and it's recommended that they be microwaved for 'best results'. There are four prawn & coriander spring rolls in a pack and these should be oven-baked.

The Verdict
I wasn't expecting these to be brilliant but I did expect better from M&S. I'm not sure under what circumstances you would actually buy these efforts at dim sum. A waste of a fiver.

Lion's Head, Dumplings & Noodles @ Mushu

Lion's head (shizi tou 狮子头) is an iconic dish that is synonymous with Shanghai. Before any animal rights peeps get on my case, lion's head meatballs are made out of pork. The name comes from the fact that these meatballs are massive (like a lion's head) and is served with cabbage (representing the lion's mane). When done properly, they look something like the photo below:

Lion's head meatballs @ Xiao Nan Guo, Beijing 

Lion's head is seldom seen in this country, so I was quite excited when I saw that a little caff called Mushu was selling them. Its Warren St location is just about walking distance from my work so I popped down there one lunchtime. Just as I turned into the street, I was handed a 30% discount voucher. Result. I ordered the lion's head meatballs (£6.50), which came with rice but I was a little bit disappointed when it was served because it looked like this:

Lion's head meatballs @ Mushu, London

Now I wasn't expecting something that you might find in Shanghai but for £6.50, I was expecting more. For starters, I would've preferred my meal not to be served in one of those American-style take-out boxes. I was eating in and call me high maintenance but crockery would've been nice. Moreover, these weren't really lion's heads, which ought to be super-sized; they were just four not particularly large meatballs. They had also been incorrectly wok-fried – I could tell from the charring – rather than properly steamed or casseroled.

On the plus side they were juicy and well seasoned and with the 30% discount voucher, I paid £4.55, which seems a fairer price. Before you think that I'm really stingy, I'd pay £5, hell I'd even pay £5.50 but £6.50 is a bit too much for a quick lunch served in a take-away container.

Returning the next day, I decided to try Mushu's speciality, Beijing dumplings, which you can see being made in the open-plan kitchen. Available in three varieties, classic pork, beef & kimchi, and vegetable, these are served either boiled (shuijiao 水餃) or pan-fried (guotie 鍋貼).

As well as ordering them on their own, you could do what I did and order a dumpling noodle soup (£6). From the various permutations, I decided on pork dumplings with egg noodles (the alternative is something called Shanghai udon – don't get me started on this improper noodle terminology).

Again I was a bit disappointed, as there were only four rather petit dumplings. They were well made although the filling could've done with some chives. The broth was neither here nor there and I wasn't a fan of the thick egg noodles that would be more at home in a stir-fry. Perhaps what they call Shanghai udon might have been a better option.

I also didn't like the disposable container it was served in; being more like a giant cup than a bowl, it was a pain to fish the noodles out of the bottom. And again price was an issue. This kind of fare should cost £5 tops, if they want to charge £6 then it needs to be a better quality product.

About Mushu
Mushu is a casual joint serving a short menu consisting of simple Chinese and Japanese dishes. You order at the counter and whilst there are individual tables, much of the seating is communal.

Other than the fare that I sampled, the most noteworthy Chinese dish is the Beijing classic, spicy ja jiang noodles (zhajiangmian 炸酱面); whilst the Japanese choices include yaki soba and chicken katsu curry. I'm normally apprehensive when I see places that 'mix and match' cuisines but given the brevity of the menu, there's not much scope to balls things up.

I've had a good moan about the prices but there is a 10% discount for students and NHS staff. Very handy for those that work or study at the nearby University College Hospital.

The Verdict
I really wanted to like Mushu as treats like lion's head and freshly made Beijing dumplings are all too rare in London. Unfortunately, I think the food is ordinary and overpriced, and compares unfavourably with the likes of Hare & Tortoise.



Mushu, 53 Warren St, London W1T 5NL
Nearest tubes: Warren St, Great Portland St