Restaurants

With dark wooden flooring, feature wallpaper and a good-looking crowd, the Great Eastern fits neatly among the hip hangouts of Shoreditch. What sets it apart is the quality of the cooking. The pan-Asian menu is short and dishes are simply listed – no need to show off when the food speaks for itself. Butternut squash gyoza was a creative, satisfying interpretation of the Japanese dumpling: the squishy squash studded with mushrooms, garlic and ginger to produce a tasty blend of flavours and textures. Prawn tempura was expertly deep-fried, with light crisp batter and tender prawn. The accompanying jalapeño dipping sauce was overpowering, so we stuck with the citrus-infused ponzu sauce. A beautifully presented penang curry consisted of a neat pile of perfectly cooked chicken and colourful vegetables surrounded by a pool of velvety, rich sauce – which, alas, lacked the necessary kick. Redemption came with ‘eight treasures tofu’, a stir-fried Chinese dish bursting with authentic flavours and ingredients, including cloud-ear fungus and a sauce enlivened by pungent fermented tofu. Teetotallers will appreciate the reasonably priced, non-alcoholic cocktails, including a virgin mojito so refreshing you’d barely miss the rum.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009