Royal China Restaurant in Harrow

 Where shall we eat? Chinese for a change. We narrowed the choice down to four in our area of north west London. The Royal China and the Panda's Kitchen were in Harrow, Chin Chin in Pinner, or Bang Bang food court.

We decided that Bang Bang food court with lots of options was interesting, a great idea for lunch, but we wanted to sit and talk over a leisurely dinner without jumping up and down and being surrounded by the coming and going of passers by. So we decided to leave Bang Bang to a couples outing at lunch time.

Chin Chin in Pinner was very slightly dearer, open Sunday, closed Monday. Panda's kitchen sounded small.

Royal China with its numerous branches worldwide sounded a safe bet. So Royal China was our choice. 

I had checked online to see what was open on Sundays, as well as the price range. I also looked at the dessert lists, the wine lists, and whether there were chicken dishes without shellfish as I am allergic to shellfish. Finally the parking possibilities. 

We had booked online with a credit card, for 6.30 pm in order not to finish too late because our grand-daughter had a summer camp and our son was working on Monday.  

When we arrived at 6.30 we were early enough to choose a table. There were lots of large round tables.  I opted for a banquette so my grand-daughter could snuggle up and I had somewhere to park my handbag within easy reach. The waiter who greeted us moved  a square two seater table next to a four-seater table together to make a larger oblong for five.  

We ordered a bottle of Riesling which was reasonably priced. 

Prosecco by the glass was also available. The wine list included a large list of alcoholic and non alcoholic options including a mango concoction.

Duck

Peking duck. China may have changed the name of Peking to Beijing. We are used to that. But Peking Duck is from the old days, and we still call it that.

We ordered another box of pancakes, kept warm in a circular straw container, like a breathable biscuit tin. The sauce was very moreish.

We also ordered one plain rice, one enhanced rice.

Fish

They asked if we wanted the fish filleted. So they removed the bone from it on another table.

Chicken

I could have had chicken with lemon sauce or chicken with cashew nuts. I have cashew nuts at home. Lemon sauce is hard to get right. 

So I opted for the novelty of chicken in lemon sauce. It was a good lemon sauce. Opaque. Thick. Not one of those invisible sauces which you have to search for.

Dessert

The banana dessert was not available. So, instead we had the apple fried in batter, with ice cream. One piece for each of the four adults. The ice cream, flavoured by the sea of syrupy sauce it sat in, was very tasty.

Service

The waiting staff, more running around than waiting, wore black synthetic gloves. I like that. Hygienic.

Service was willing. Food came up slowly, which suited us as we wanted to talk to our family without being rushed.

Price

Exactly as predicted. In effect, we had a three course meal for four including a glass of alcohol at just under forty pounds per person.

Noise

When the place was full, as the evening progressed, there was plenty of noise. Enough for any noise made my our grand-daughter not to be noticed. But the floor is carpeted, not like tile-floored Italian restaurants, so there was no intrusive echo. Just right for private conversations. And not hearing the words of others.

Decor

Black wood tables. Orange lanterns. Nothing special. But the gold printing on the business cards, the toothpick cases, and the wet wipe packets, was a fancy touch.

All in all, would we go back? Yes. ( They also have London branches in Baker Street, Chinatown, Canary, and Fulham, plus more in Hong Kong, Shanghai and elsewhere in China, and Dubai.)

But first, for a change, we must try the Panda's Kitchen next door. Panda's Kitchen has Szechuan or Sichuan cuisine and an extensive vegan menu. They have one branch in Harrow, another in Angel, London. 

Panda's Kitchen

152 Station Road, Harrow HA1 2RH.

Harrow

hello@pandas.kitchen

Angel 

angel@pandaskitchen

-ends-

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Jun Ming Oriental Chinese Luxurious, Elegant Restaurant in Colindale

Decorative service or charger plates, on the table, removed before you are served with small bowls for rice.

Decorative touches at the bar by the door as you enter.

Tasty sauces.

We were given prawn crackers whilst we waited for the starters.

|I had trouble reading the menu in the dim lighting, despite the tea light on the table. Nut a batter light in what looked like a tall sauce bottle was brought to me by an obliging waitress.

Service was excellent. Easy to get attention.

Our starter was spring rolls, and chopped duck (Peking duck) with cucumber and soy sauce which we rolled in thin pancakes.

All good. But the best and most surprising was the Chinese spinach in what we thought was garlic. Wonderful. With peanut sauce, slightly spicy, which they served on the side at our request, but it was not too spicy.

I was not over excited by the fish and tofu.but they were ordered for somebody else so that didnt bother me.

Choice of tables with free standing chairs or banquettes.

They had high chairs, which we didn't need, but noted.

Well stocked wine list.

More decorative touches at every turn.

Whilst we were eating, another table were celebrating a birthday, and the staff brought out a candle and sang happy birthday to you.

 Driving down the Edgware Road, and turning off down side streets, I was pleasantly surprised by the classy Jun Ming restaurant. We parked right outside and were surprised to be charged more than six pounds on a parking meter. A fellow guest told me that the Council had redeveloped a housing area, trying to encourage people not to use cars. I didn't say, making life difficult and making money. I merely said, 'making money.'

My informant replied, 'Yes, it's very successful.'

Anyway, I suppose the charges stopped the residents filling up the bays, instead leaving one free for us.

We had a booking for 6.15, not 6.30 which was full. The restaurant was not completely full, so I wondered why a restaurant would stagger bookings. Was it because they though that people booking at 630 would end up arriving at seven, creating a rush at seven.

A fellow guest suggested, on Sundays they probably have fewer staff in the kitchen than the busiest Saturday night, so it's not a shortage of seats, but of chefs to cook your meal.

The restaurant is pretty and elegant. Large picture plates decorated the tables. We had fabric napkins, not tissues.

The Restaurant Name - Jun Ming Xuan

The restaurant is JM for short. 

Chinese restaurant Tang Yun at The Tanglin Club in Singapore

Problem
Which restaurant to choose at the Tanglin Club? For lunch with friends, no booking, just walk in early, I like the
Tanglin Club's lovely food in The Tavern. The jolly bar is where people gather for a drink.

Coffee In The Lounge
Afterwards at lunch time you could have coffee in the ground floor coffee lounge overlooking the pool, almost next door as the lounge and Tavern are both on the ground floor. They serve cakes and scones and macaroons. In the evening after about 8 pm the prices are halved if you want to take home some leftovers but you have to be quick.

Story
The Chinese are very kiasu (which means one-upmanship, getting ahead, first in the queue, beating rivals. If you see ten pieces of chocolate cake and there are ten people in the queue (Americans say line up), chances are the first, Chinese, customer will take all ten pieces of chocolate cake. If you want chocolate cake you'll feel a bit peeved.

However, that's fine if what you wanted was the cheese cake. I recall standing, watch a Chiense lady emptying the entire shelf. She took all the chocolate cake, the all the scones. By some miracle she left the last lonely piece of cheese cake for me.

The Churchill
Across the spacious hall is the grand rather pricey restaurant called The Churchill.
Look closely and you'll find a picture of Churchill.

Peak in and its off-puttingly large and formal although they now allow people to dress down and admit children on Sundays.
It delivers great food on themes for special occasions, sometimes with music from a live band on stage, but is too big to be cosy. There is a bar at one end.

Tang Yun Chinese
Tang Yun the Chinese restaurant upstairs is just right. The decor is perfect, original and colourful. Flowing lines on the ceiling. Whites and flower patterns. Table cloth in white or cream and napkins keep the noise level down, as does the jolly red carpet with curling pattern.

Nuts on the table whilst we are waiting to order. Water comes up straight away, fast.
Every dish a delight.

My starter was something fishy, salmon with truffle. Not a strong flavour but very pleasant. For my main course I chose chicken with cashew nuts. Enough for me to have it wrapped up to go. I'm told the crab was good.

Dessert a surprise.

Reasonably priced sparkling wine. However, nowhere in the building has yet got a sweet dessert wine because they claim there's no call for it. I can't understand why a place this size with four restaurants can't manage what almost any pub and restaurant in the UK can provide in terms of range of drinks.

What else did I miss? Some special ending to the meal, delight for the eyes and tastebuds, such as a chocolate or tiny chocolate and almond biscuit.

Toilets are elegant, specious, with good gel for washing and big mirrors, all spotless.

Photo by Trevor Sharot.

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Pinner restaurant L'Orient changing to Shang Chuan Chinese restaurant and bar

Photo courtesy of Trevor Sharot.

The sign says:
Shang Chuan
Chinese fine dining experience
Chinese Restaurant and Bar
Coming soon in June
Previous executive head chef of Hu Tong in the Shard.

What does Shang Chuan mean? According to Wikipedia, Shang Chuan island is a Chinese name derived from the Portuguese for St John.
What does Hu Tong mean? Wikipedia and the Hutong restaurant website agree Hutongs are historic alleys or narrow lanes between grand old houses in Beijing.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, author, speaker.
L'Orient/Shang Chuan
58 High Street
Pinner
Middlesex
HA5 5PZ
UK
The Orient phone number is listed as 0208 429 8488.
That number has several 'lucky' eights, lucky in Chinese, so I wonder whether they will keep the phone number.