Evening Standard
David Ellis overcame his aversion to the Isle of Dogs to visit this unheralded Chinese spot that had been recommended by a reliable friend. The venue was very basic – “the sort of wooden shed that B&Q sells” – although “it is reassuring sometimes, to know all the money must have gone into the food”.
The food in question was all the classics of Chinese cooking, but most notably the signature noodles: “not all sorts but enough: Chongqing, rice, wheat, glass, Xi’an Biang Biang. The latter made a pleasing mess of a dish, hand-pulled in a way that suggested that in fact claws were involved.” There are dishes from Hunan, Xinjiang and Sichuan, which meant plenty of spice to the cooking, as in the “powerfully flavoursome” prawn noodles.
“Restaurants like this, that go unnoticed, feel like gifts,” David purred. “This one might be the most memorable present of 2024.”
David Ellis - 2024-12-15
