Famished from our terribly long hiatus, we're back with the series that ponders that most pressing of daily concerns: where to go on your lunch break.
Chinatown. Throw a spring roll and you hit a restaurant. Londonist spun the lunchtime wheel of chance recently and opted for a dine at the long-established Royal Dragon. We're glad we did too, as a quick scan of the menu led to a speedily served gourmand feast as good as any within earshot and better than many Chinatown options.
Deep fried soft shell crabs with salt and chilli (£5.50 each) were an especially delicious starter. We'd return again for these. Sesame prawn toast (as highly recommended by our server, £4.50) not so much, and kinda greasy, but still pretty tasty. A massive main course of kung po style frogs' legs (£9.20) was perfectly devourable and definitely hot. A more tame dish of stir fried mixed seafood in XO sauce (£11.50) pleased as well. Steamed rice was fine. Jasmine tea was plentiful. A taro bubble tea (£3.50) for dessert would have made a commendable entry in our 2010 bubble tea tour of London.
Service was friendly if a little overbearingly helpful at times, and the menu offered an impressive you-name-it-we-cook-it read: duck's tongue, steak, mango pudding? Open until 3am with private function rooms and karaoke, Royal Dragon isn't just for lunch. But our experience suggests that's a suitably yummy time of day for a visit.
Royal Dragon is located at 30 Gerrard Street, W1D 6JS. Check 'em out online at www.rdklondon.co.uk.
Photo/Chris Osburn
