Now, there is no point in beating around the bush but the dim sum here at A.WONG is bloody good, some of the best I’ve eaten in London. But – there is no doubt a lot of room for improvement, and i think the chefs here have all the skill needed. Looking at previous reviews, it seems that even monthly the restaurant is only improving as time goes by. Our epic lunch time divulgement started with some prawns balls with abalone (perhaps the oddest thing I’ve ever eaten) and a light chilli vinaigrette. They were a one bite of beauty.
The next mouthful of food was such a delight that if you don’t order enough of it – the pleasure can end far too quickly. And that’s something you won’t want to happen. Crab, seafood and bean curd cannelloni with pickled cockles. All paddling away in a soy based sauce – it was heaven. Quite literally, one of the best dim sum dishes i have ever eaten. Loads of different textures, a ton of seafood and bags of flavour – what a dish.
Pork and prawn dumplings, which are concealed below a thin layer of pork crackling was actually one of the least exciting dishes of our lunch. The crackling was inventive, light and airy but the dumpling just didn’t quite have all that flavour i was hoping from it, especially compared to all we just ate.
Social media had a particular love for the sweet and sour Blythburgh pork ribs but I’m afraid my love affair wasn’t quite the same. The sauce marinade was excellent – delicate and rich with a real depth of flavour but the meat was a little chewy and didn’t come away from the bone as easy as I’d hoped.
If you’re new to dim sum, then the first thing you need to try is the classic Shanghai steamed dumplings with ginger infused vinegar – it may just be the best thing you ever eat. A delicate and light dumpling (pictured above) which needs to be scooped up on your spoon (carefully) and the edge torn open to reveal the clear consomme inside. The soup should then be sucked out, before gulping the whole thing down. It’s the sort of thing that if you had the choice, would be a desert island necessity.
At lunchtimes you can also take up on the incredibly well priced (a steal) set menu. At only £13.95 for two courses, and a glass of wine it’s an offer which is hard to refuse. One of the options to start with is the A.WONG dim sum basket. Crispy prawn wonton, pork and prawn dumpling with crackling, and shrimp dumpling with citrus foam. If I’m honest out of all the dim sum we just ate – these three were very simple – even if they didn’t sound it, offering nothing more in taste than i was expecting – which is astray from what A.WONG want to offer. As they love serving you the unexpected creations they come up with.
Bowl food such as scotch beef rump with rice noodles was mesmerising. A simple dish presented in a classic fashion. The beef was so tender and soft while the noodles soaked up all the flavours of rich spring onion, a dark garlic sauce, bean shoots and whatever else they managed to squeeze in. This dish was part of the set menu, and offers fantastic value.
Spiced Sichuan aubergine with a side of steamed jasmine rice was as good as it looked (I’m no photographer). The aubergines literally fell apart at the touch, the skin was soft but with a little bite and the sauce was just something else – oily (but in a good way), a little heat, slightly sweet and very rich. It’s this sort of dish which could turn me Vegetarian.
Now, i assure you this looked much better than it did before my waited attacked it with hot sauce. A hollow chocolate ball encompassing what i believe was the tobacco smoked banana ice cream, a nut crumble, and soy caramel sauce. It was excellent – very close to a Michelin standard dessert, the only thing which let it slip ever so slightly was a discreet oily taste to the nut crumble. It was incredibly rich, but tasted fantastic. And as i said, looked much better when it arrived.
So did i like A.WONG? Yes i did, it’s definitely the best Chinese restaurant, of which I’ve been to in the Pimlico/Chelsea area and both its set lunch menu and dim sum are very well priced, although evening dishes from the a la carte are maybe a little ambitious. The decor inside, which i believe was just revamped, already seems like it needs another. For me, this is no Michelin star restaurant (upon debate I’ve heard) as it just doesn’t quite yet tick all those boxes the guide looks for but maybe in the future – A.WONG could be going serious places.
7/10
