Royal China Club
Marylebone, London
The flagship of the long-established Royal China mini chain, this Baker Street venue is ‘respectable, dignified and expansive’, rather than outright glamorous, with five private dining rooms, signature gold leaf and red lacquer embellishments, and plenty of elbowroom between the heavily clothed tables. The menu covers a lot of ground, offering an impressive selection of seriously priced dishes from the Chinese regions (notably Canton). The Royal China group is famed for its dim sum, and RCC’s daytime selection is some of ‘the most dependable in London’. As a sampler, try wok-grilled pork dumplings with shrimps, scallop cheung fun with winter cabbage and the char siu buns – and don’t miss out on the sweet morsels (coconut moss dumplings with black sesame, anyone?). Otherwise, the menu is big on luxury items, with live shellfish in decorative tanks of seawater. Or plump for grilled wagyu beef fillet with black garlic or steamed minced Iberian pork with salted egg, whole Dover sole with XO sauce or a plate of Scottish abalone at market price (you have been warned). Attentive staff are always on the ball, delivering ‘fast, Chinese-style service at its best’, according one reader. To drink, refreshing loose-leaf teas are alternatives to the international wine list.
Dining Information:
Private dining room, Wheelchair access, Family friendly, Credit card required
40-42 Baker Street, Marylebone W1U 7AJ
020 7486 3898
