Step through the cherry blossoms and big red doors for a leisurely lunch at Park Chinois, and you will soon lose track of reality. The ambient lit salon de chine is decked in red velvet with gold accents, colours of prosperity and fortune. If you’re superstitious, these colours are very much a good omen for the rich food that is ahead.
Every day of the week, Park Chinois offer a set lunch menu with 2 courses for £30 or 3 courses for £35. It includes a few Park Chinois signature dishes and is the perfect choice if you are short on time or are having a shopping pit stop in Mayfair. An à la carte lunch menu also boasts an array of enchanting options including luxurious caviar and the Duck de Chine, so exquisite it earns its own section at the top of the menu.
Any meal at a Chinese fine dining establishment must feature dumplings, thankfully Park Chinois have a divine dim sum selection separated by cooking method, including but not limited to: steamed, grilled, baked and fried. We began with the Crystal Roast Duck Wrap, aromatic duck and perfectly cooked vegetables wrapped in a soft clear dumpling skin and swimming in a light broth which begged for a spoon to slurp every drop. There are three in a portion but we could very happily eat only these for three hours non-stop.
Another standout dumpling and must order is the fried chicken, taro and salted egg croquette. Ludicrously light and crunchy with a hot savoury filling that simultaneously stimulates all the senses. Then you have a Wagyu Beef Gyoza, well-seasoned meat of the highest quality in a perfectly steamed and then fried dumpling. At this point we had to show restraint and refrain from ordering more dim sum in order to keep space for what was to come.
For the main event we enjoyed one of the signature dishes, Cantonese roast duck with a champagne and orange sauce. A Cantonese nod to Duck à l’Orange with a splash of champagne, the citrusy zing complements the aroma from the duck while the succulent segments provide a welcoming contrast to the crispy duck skin. The duck was amazing, however the stir fried lamb cutlets with chilli mint sauce are the main reason you must visit Park Chinois. Forget the fact that lamb is not typically Chinese as the sauce is perfectly balanced and the cutlets are so soft and tender that your teeth effortlessly glide through them.
A vibrant bright orange cheesecake cleverly shaped like a plump mandarin had caught our eye on the table adjacent as we walked in so it was predestined to be our lunch finale. The “Mandarino” is playful, light and citrusy – a perfect finishing point for a feast of flavours, but if you want to end on a more indulgent note, opt for the chocolate fondant draped in gold leaf for the final touch of luxury.
Opulence, elegance and decadence are three things a trip to Park Chinois guarantees. The lunch menu and even the set lunch menu are decadent and also great value for money whether you’re enjoying a weekend in London, having a business lunch or catching up with friends.
The set lunch menu is available every day from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. To book, visit https://parkchinois.com/
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