Pre Zoo Dim Sum at London Jade Garden

This week I took a well deserved Monday off to go to London and see my friend Kathryn for a day of fun in honour of her birthday a few weeks back. We planned to do a few things but the two main items on our list were dim sum in Chinatown and London Zoo. I had asked the advice of my lovely London foodie friend Julia about good dim sum, she recommended London Jade Garden on Wardour St. also Royal China which is near Baker St. was praised even higher.

So Kat and I took the tube down to Piccadilly and went in search of those wonderful Chinese morsels.  London Jade Garden was extremely easy to find, which was encouraging as there are so many restaurants in Chinatown that it can be hard to locate the one you are actually looking for.

Decorated with dark woods, old Chinese photographs and pictures and smatterings of gold you will also get the benefit of proper tablecloths, something my mum is often quick to point out when we go out to dine. Chinese tea was waiting for us as soon as we sat down, at 50p a pop for a big pot, this is a bargain and perfectly cuts through the richness of the dim sum. We ordered 7 dishes between us and waited as patiently as two hungry people could manage.

Very Fluffy Char Siu Bao

Har Gau Dumplings

Siu Mai and Squid Rings

I will keep this brief but the dim sum was excellent, definitely some of the best siu mai I have had and the pork buns were super fluffy and well filled. The fried prawn dumplings were a bit different to what I have had before the only real way to describe them is like a pasty but with batter instead of pastry. The turnip cake is something I am slightly addicted to it's slightly sweet, pretty moreish but I know it won't be for everyone, but if you are adventurous give it a go.  Definitely head to London Jade Garden if you fancy a cheap lunch this only cost us £11 each, and the service was quick and efficient.  I could have eaten more but London Zoo awaited so decided to hold back a little, but I definitely have a dim sum addiction forming.

Fried Prawn Dumpings with Salad Cream Dip

Turnip Cake, (although really it is made with shredded Chinese radish)

 Next couple of blogs will hopefully include breakfast at Cosmopolitan, wine, cheese and nibbles at The Kensington Arms and dinner at Noa. Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend people, got any good food plans in the pipeline?  In the mean time enjoy this photo Kathryn took of some lemurs.

London Zoo Lemurs