Royal China Club
40-42 Baker St, Marylebone, London W1U 7AJ
Nearest Tube: Baker Street/Bond Street
Buzz Factor 4.2/5 stars
Food 4.9/5 stars
Value for money 4.5/5 stars
4.5 Yummy Stars
Price £££ from £9.50; starters: £11.80-£28.80; £18.80-£52.80; Peking duck £45.80 for half/£85.80 for a whole one (at time of writing)
☏ 020 7486 3898
(Half a) Peking Duck at Royal China Club
Have you ever been put off from going somewhere for one reason or another? Years ago, I was so struck by the arrogance of the staff at Royal China Club when we walked in with no reservation, casually dressed, that I refrained from revisiting - until now. It reopened last summer after a four-month refurbishment, doubling its size by taking over the former building society's corner site next door. The result is pleasing sophisticated elegance with Oriental tones. Lacquer red walls are contrasted with dark wood panels. Gold leaf adorns the centre of the ceilings which are matched by canary-coloured carpets with interlocking chain-effect patterns. It has an upmarket and yet homely feel without being ostentatious. It is very different from the solemn atmosphere at Imperial Treasure.
Unlike my last visit all those years ago, the waiting staff was welcoming. This time, they were older Chinese folks without pretence. Some customers were obviously regulars and were greeted with warmth. Service was attentive without being intrusive, though you have to pay 15% service for the privilege.
As usual, I was tasked to order for all of us. Its head chef, Billy Wong, delivered classic dishes with aplomb. The waiter presented the Peking Duck in all its glory with its glistening mahogany veneer. He swiftly took it back into the kitchen for carving before the skin became soft. It returned, served with the traditional hoisin sauce, crunchy cucumber and juliennes of spring onion. The skin was crispy and came away from the juicy tender meat.
The Dover Sole arrived with the lightly battered fish bone, served whole and deep fried, redolent of a humpback whale in the sea with its tail hovering above the water and the fillets perfectly sautéed. A delightful dish with some crunch and sweetness from the baby asparagus and garlic shoots.
The cubes of grilled fillet steak, served in a claypot, had a smoky flavour and were smothered in a shimmering rich dark syrupy sauce. The accompanying aubergines sponged up the deep flavours from the sauce. The beef and the aubergines were a partnership made in heaven. The Szechuan chilli chicken with a hint of heat was delicious. My favourite dish was the Truffle wild mushrooms with a mélange of mushrooms (such as porcini and shitake) and baby asparagus, simply stir fried, superbly flavoured and seasoned. A few shavings of truffle added earthiness to the dish (and the price).
We made sure that we still had room for desserts. The custard buns, classically shaped like a lotus flower with a light splash of pink colouring, were served steamed. The buns would have benefited with having more custard inside though. Then came my all-time favourite dim sum, Tang yuan. Instead of serving them in a sweet broth as is traditionally done, this dry version had a generous black sesame filling wrapped in glutinous rice flour, coated with ground toasted peanut and coconut moss. The filling had an intense smoky nutty flavour. It was like eating a chocolate fondant with its decadent liquid centre oozing out as you bite into it.
I am so glad that I revisited Royal China Club and will return again. What makes a memorable restaurant experience does not simply demand scrumptious food, but to me, friendly and knowledgeable staff with a smile makes all the difference.
