A.Wong, London #DimSum

If you were to ask me for my favourite Chinese restaurant in the UK, my mind would flash with images of Manchester Chinatown’s Mei Dim or the ‘newly discovered’ Shi Wei Xian in Salford, or conversely Manchester Seafood in Birmingham. It would surely then jump to the Michelin starred delights of HKK, Hakkasan and Yauatcha in the capital… but, I’m pretty sure, I’d eventually settle on A.Wong.

Despite this claim, I’m ashamed to reveal that, up until this recent visit, I’d only eaten at A.Wong once (back in 2013). Since then I have recommended the place to loads of people but not returned myself – every time I returned to London, I’ve thought about working a trip out to Victoria onto my itinerary but always ended up promising myself, ‘next time’.

As soon as we pulled up outside, I kicked myself for not getting back sooner. Despite having a booking for noon, I made sure we arrived extra early in the hope of bagging the two stools that overlook the pass and open kitchen – the Chef’s Table. We were in luck.

The food was every bit as good as last time, better in fact. Favourites from before were still on the menu, including the ‘Clear shrimp dumpling, sweet chilli sauce, citrus foam’, ‘Yunnan mushroom, pork & truffle dumpling’ and ‘Deep fried prawn ball with abalone & chilli vinaigrette’. Each of these were still a total joy.

The pick of the new (to me) dishes were the ‘Gai lan and poached egg steamed rice roll’ ‘Won ton with garlic, chilli oil & crispy bean curd’ and ‘Mouth numbing beef offal with coriander & pear’. The latter being a riotous melee of fiery red chilies, served in a searing hot chilli oil with superbly springy ribbons of beef tripe.

Chengdu street tofu, soy chilli, peanuts, preserved vegetables

Pork & prawn dumpling, pork crackling

Clear shrimp dumpling, sweet chilli sauce, citrus foam

Sweet and sour rib with toasted sesame & pork floss

Yunnan mushroom, pork & truffle dumpling

A.WONG Prawn cracker

Mouth numbing beef offal with coriander & pear

Gai lan and poached egg steamed rice roll

Foie gras sticky sesame dumpling

Wild mushroom and truffle steamed bun

Crab, seafood & bean curd cannelloni, pickled cockles

Deep fried prawn ball with abalone & chilli vinaigrette

63º ‘tea egg’ with shredded filo

Shanghai steamed dumpling, ginger infused vinegar

Won ton with garlic, chilli oil & crispy bean curd

Disclosures

Invited by PR company?	No
Guest of the chef / restaurant?	No
Restaurant knew I was a blogger ahead of ordering?	No
Was the meal comped by the restaurant?	No
Was any discount given?	No
Any complimentary items provided?	No

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