Restaurant Review: Tea Room, Soho

The irony's not lost on us: in the shiny throes of gentrification, Soho's newer establishments have often plumped for a seedy, neon-steeped vibe. Tea Room lands just the right side of the glowing gimmick, with its ersatz 1960s Hong Kong feel — a wardrobe-sized radio cabinet cooing out vintage cantonese pop here, a menu moonlighting as a newspaper there.

While the food's not on a par with the dai pai dong of Hong Kong, it is extremely good — the lacey dumplings providing a wonderful crispy/chewy texture, the pickled melon cutting through the pile of deep fried duck tongues, and the Cigarette & Palm cocktail playfully presented with a tin of candy smokes. It's surely a good sign that, despite being stuffed, we can't help picking at the char siu pork until it's gone. And, for anyone who hates over-bright restaurants and bars, the lighting conditions are perfect.

Tea Room, 24 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 4DZ