Restaurants

Rich barbecued pork in puff pastry is a perfect example of the delicate touch with dim sum to be found here. Nothing is greasy, and fried dishes are kept light by judicious ratios of batter to filling. The decor is also a highlight; Pearl Liang was a runner-up in the Best Design category at the 2007 Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards. Settling into a fuchsia leather banquette under a blossoming plum branch snaking along a wall, diners can easily escape from the impersonal modern complex outside to a land of stylish and tasty Cantonese snacks. Large xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are superior to many similar offerings in London. A dish of tripe was wonderfully gingery and light – warming and delicate where it can be overly pungent. Whole prawns wrapped in sesame-seed-studded pastry were a study in how to deep-fry: delicate and flavourful, where the Chinatown version is frequently leaden and greasy. Also in contrast to Chinatown, the atmosphere is serene. Come for a leisurely meal.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009