Hunan Restaurant Review: Authentic Chinese Small Plate Surprise at Hunan in Pimlico

I’ve always wondered if there was such a thing as the best Chinese restaurant. Defining the best however is virtually impossible, because one persons tastes and expectations aren’t necessarily anothers. Though I can tell you mine and right now, it’s Hunan. A Chinese restaurant in Pimlico who’s been around since 1982 and frequented by chefs, celebrities and critics. Giles Coren once said about Hunan ‘I have long accepted that it may be the best Chinese restaurant in the world’ and Marina O’Loughlin said ‘There’s wave after wave of tiny dishes, about 15 or so in all, with just a mouthful or two in each. Bite, bite, and they’re gone, leaving us beaming’. Something about Hunan gets these critics and many others excited each time they visit and I can see why.

The concept of Hunan is small plates all served without any menu in front of you. You simply advise the team of any dislikes and they’ll make sure it doesn’t arrive. This isn’t a restaurant to take a fussy eater to either, the food here is about exploration and surprise. Eating both the things you love and those you’ve not eaten before. Head chef, chef Peng has developed his own style of cooking here, which is heavily influenced by the food of Taiwan, as well as Chinese classics. We started our journey with the Hunan classic bamboo and pork meat soup – it has one of the best clear broths you’ll come across. The chicken and lettuce wrap is great from preparing the palate too.

Hunan has a fantastic wine list, but given us being regulars here and lovers of all things wine, we brought with us six bottles and a magnum, plus a little bit of bubbles – it was the only thing to get us through a mammoth 18 courses. Yes, you heard right. A total of 18 courses of food – plus the option of a whole duck or sea bream to share across the table. It’s a steal and priced at just over £40.80 for lunch or £64.80 for dinner.

There are some dishes at Hunan which almost always make an appearance, such as these three beauties. Gorgeous steamed prawns in a light soy and ginger dressing, stuffed with garlic and herbs. A single Shanghai dumpling arrives looking picture perfect and explodes in the mouth – the shavings of ginger on top give it a lovely warmth too. The steamed slices of scallop on cucumber were drenched in garlic and swimming in a rich broth. Words can’t even begin to describe just how much enjoyment something so simple can give and they quality of it all was excellent.

A first time for me was the crispy garlic chilli beans – they were so good we even asked for seconds. The batter was absolutely perfect, with not an ounce of grease and that chilli garlic mix you couldn’t help but spoon up and eat on its own. I think we were even fighting over it halfway through. The aubergine wraps came topped with sesame seeds, coriander, spring onions and sat in a sweet and sticky vinegar sauce of sorts. This is serious comfort food.

The kitchen really knows how to cook fish well here. Piping hot when it arrived at the table was the fillets of plaice. It had that fresh taste of the sea and was covered in some sort of chilli, butter sauce. The smell was so fragrant we got excited as soon as it arrived on the table. The stir fried chilli beef rib eye (21 day grass-fed Irish) was wonderful and the crispy fried slices of lamb was the best thing I ate during the entire lunch. Flavour, texture, salty, sour, sweet – it had everything in each bite. Lamb with ginger and celery was nice, but it wasn’t my favourite from the meal.

When you think there couldn’t possibly be any more food to come out from the kitchen, dishes suddenly appear. Crispy chicken, crispy pork in a bag and a magnificent lobster tail on a bed of noodles and broth. All were absolutely faultless and I really can’t stress enough the quality of ingredients they use here. It’s remarkable, especially for the prices they’re charging.

The crispy shredded duck is the main spectacle. Arriving as a whole duck which is then cut and shredded table side and served with pancakes, cucumber, spring onion and hoisin sauce – the usual suspects. It’s a very good duck, but you can get better elsewhere. If duck isn’t your thing go for the whole steamed sea bass with ginger and toasted soy.

Dessert came in the form of the good old classic, banana fritters. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t enjoy them. Hunan is a restaurant with such praise and reputation – but rarely do I meet people who have actually been. The quality is excellent, the service is homely, the wine list is interesting and the food is not just delicious but such good value for money. If you’re looking for a Chinese meal to remember – Hunan is here and waiting for you.