Chi Ka Yan

Who would have thought that the quiet outskirts of London would be at the heart of a cultural revolution? The high street Chinese is steadily changing. Red-lantern interiors of red and gold from the '80s are on the way out. Cool, contemporary interiors are in vogue and Chi Ka Yan in Bushey Heath is leading the way. Its well-spaced dining room is decidedly chic. Heavy wood screens hang on the white walls, matching well-spaced dark wood veneer tables. The influence seems more Japanese than Chinese. If the place has a goldfish tank, it's well hidden. The menu offers a mercifully brief list of Westernised favourites, plus a wider choice of unusual dishes (Mongolian-style venison, stir-fried ostrich with rice wine). Everything is beautifully presented. We started with something traditional, steamed diver scallops, and were immediately disappointed. The scallops had developed a crust and the accompanying soy sauce had been unappetisingly thickened. Hot and sour soup proved much better, mainly for its authentic use of white pepper for heat, rather than chilli. An incredibly sour sauce drowned our main course of mango with duck slices. Stir-fried lobster balls with kai lan (Chinese broccoli) also failed to deliver: a meagre amount of shelled lobster pieces were buried under a huge helping of diced water chestnut. However the expert stir-fry of mock chicken with sugar snap peas was delightfully fragrant with cracked black pepper and roast garlic. Skipping the dessert menu of bought-in ice creams, we left with mixed feelings and an above-average bill. Clearly cultural revolution comes at a price but Chi Ka Yan's kitchen could try a little harder to justify it.

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