I first went to this restaurant about 10 years ago, we came to London as a family and Dad took us here, he had been told great things about the food and it didn't disappoint.
They aim to be authentic Chinese. On walking through the doors, you enter into this weird corridor that leads to a bridge which takes you into the restaurant itself. A very exciting touch that makes you feel that little bit special. The interior design is simple, with lots of lanterns and a stripped back vibe.
The staff are typical of china town, they are not there to hold your hand through your dinner and guide you every step of the way. They are there to serve you what you want. You make the decisions and they bring them to you. Simple fast efficient service.
Drinks: I mean they have Tsingtao, what else would you drink?
So my favourite bit, the food. The hardest thing with Chinese food is not to over order. I think this weekend was the first time I have not over ordered in my life and I am truly proud of it! Between the four of us, we had the following for the grand total of £75 including service charge.
A Dim Sum platter, absolutely excellent Dim Sum, lots of different flavours tightly wrapped in a parcel of dough and steamed fresh before coming to your table to be dipped in hot sauce.
Prawn Toast: Not covered in oil and needing a good press with some kitchen towel before eating. A good layer of prawn perfectly crispy on the outside and tender inside.
Spring Rolls: great flavour, and texture, everything a spring roll should be.
A main dish of: Crispy Fried Noodles with Shredded Pork. When I first saw this dish, part of me thought we were served undercooked pork. It was pale and looked a little flubby. I could not have been more wrong! The pork was tender, and swimming in this amazing sauce. The flavour of the dish was excellent, sweet with that deep underlying richness that warms you from the inside, but not a blast of MSG. The noodles were crispy and provided an excellent contrast in texture, that really made the dish. Wonderful! If you go there you have to try it!
Their special fried rice was good, it was big enough for 4 and had prawns and pork in, good texture, soaked up the sauce.
The last main was fried beef with vegetables in oyster sauce which was rich, intense and sweet. It had a great flavour and the beef tasted of beef which is always a win. Good standard Chinese dish that us english love.
The food is excellent and if you are going anywhere near China Town I would fully recommend going to this place! I can also vouch for their crispy duck which is insanely crispy and tender....I don’t know how that works either!
My one note would be the main dishes are expensive, but they are huge! DO NOT ORDER ONE EACH!
Let me know if you try it out! See there website here: http://www.imperialchina-london.com
As stated. Excellent food, fast service.