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Memories of China, 67-69, Ebury St London SW1W 0NZ


67-69, Ebury St London SW1W 0NZ

020 7730 7734

My family were up in London for a holiday last week and I had the happy task of finding somewhere for us to eat out. My Dad being something of an enthusiastic amateur Chinese cook had initially suggested a trip to Chinatown. However, is there any Londoner who doesn't find the whole area around Leicester Square immensely tawdry? Maybe it's just seeing the armies of council workers hosing away the encrusted filth deposited by the previous evening's revellers from the pavements every morning, or having to endure the rancid stench of the giant overflowing dustbins along narrow passageways like Lisle Street, but it's not somewhere I normally choose to hang out, never mind eat out. And anyway, doesn't anyone else find those gaudy, sticky-looking flat ducks swinging from hooks in the greasy windows of so many Chinatown restaurants pretty off-putting? Maybe I am ignorant of some arcane knowledge in this area, but it just doesn't seem to me like the best storage place for poultry. Anyway, enough of where we didn't go; nostalgic for our first encounters with Chinese cuisine via Ken Lo's cookbooks, we decided we should try his restaurant, Memories of China, in Belgravia.

The restaurant itself is in a quiet regency street just spitting distance from Victoria station, yet feels far-removed from the swarming hordes. On arrival we were ushered in by staff who were relaxed, friendly and entirely lacking in the stiff formality often associated with such pristine minimalist interior decor. The interior is indeed immaculate, and, unlike the trendy try-hard beige horror characteristic of so many London joints, here the oriental minimalism simply looked elegant and uncontrived. An acoustic bonus was that there was somehow none of the echoing cacophonous clattering and chattering which usually occurs in minimally furnished rooms, so we could happily gossip without having to bellow indiscreetly at each other over the din of other diners.

Most menu items were familiar-sounding dishes, and there was a refreshing lack of unlikely and contrived-sounding combinations (you know: the miniature duck stuffed with waterlily in a kumkwat jus type of thing). As a party of three omnivores and one vegetarian we deliberated over the best approach to the menu. There were several set menus, as well as the à la carte choices, but the set menus were heavily weighted towards either the committed carnivore or the strict vegetarian. The others decided on the Tour of China set menu, whilst I was prepared to settle for a couple of vegetarian dishes. However, on learning I was a non-meat eater, the waitress immediately suggested that the best course of action would be to allow the chef to create a special menu for me which would mirror the choice of my companions. I was thrilled: as a vegetarian one is used to enduring barely-restrained contempt from restaurant staff who view your choice of diet as an idiotic fad expressly chosen to irritate them. Here they go out of their way to accommodate you.

So alongside the others' starters of spare ribs and deep fried prawns, bang bang chicken, etc. I was brought some light as air tempura vegetables with a dreamy chili dipping sauce, braised aubergines and spring rolls on a small bed of that delicious deep-fried seaweed. In my experience, it's impossible to make tasty aubergines which are not on the greasy side, but the oiliness was balanced with a zingy combination of spices. Hence it was a slightly grease-laden start for me, although none the less delicious for that.

We really weren't sure what sort of red wine we should choose to match our food, so the wine waiter cheerfully obliged by recommending an ideal Burgundian Pinot Noir, which proved flavoursome yet light enough to not overwhelm the flavours of the many dishes which were to come.

The crispy Peking duck arrived whole and was expertly shredded for us, and I was brought a dish of shredded lightly stir-fried vegetables fragrant with Chinese mushrooms, to accompany the pancakes.

The first two courses would have been a perfectly adequate meal for any family (except perhaps Americans, for whom the portion sizes were surely styled). Still, murmurs of approval were given all round by my family on the arrival of the main course dishes, which were equally great in size and quality. From what I recall the carnivores' choice involved such dishes as scallops and prawns, chili beef, erm, chicken, pork, oh you know, all the usual meaty things. My selection of vegetarian dishes provided enough greenery for the whole party: an ordinary-looking broccoli dish had an intriguingly smokily-flavoured sauce; green beans and cashew nuts had just the right amount of fresh crunchiness and its accompanying sauce an ideal counterbalance of unctuous saltiness. There was uncommonly tasty tofu in a zesty sauce with yet more wonderfully crisp and fresh vegetables. Special fried rice was all it claimed to be too. All of the dishes had a lightness of touch and a splendid contrast of flavours and textures. The effect on the palate was bright and cleansing and the post-prandial result was positively invigorating, with none of the bloated sluggishness that such feasting usually occasions. Fortified by much wine, and still keen to continue to swap family gossip, we lingered late over brandy and cigars, and were the last to leave, but there were no attempts to rush us out of the door, and staff merely continued to tidy discreetly around us until we were ready to go. My parents were immensely impressed, as was I. The only aspect of the experience which might not be as palatable for some is the price: it's not a place to go if you're on a strict budget, but I'd venture that it does represent value for money. If you want to go for a special oriental meal, I really can't think of a better place to go. Scarlett McQueen 2002

By m at 09/11/2006 - 10:30 | 2002 | Approved | £££££/$$$$$ | Central/West End | Chinese | London | Review | add new comment | 257 reads