KONG: 25 YEARS OLD AND GOING STRONG

Mr Kong
21 Lisle Street
London
WC2H 7BA
020 7437 7341
Monday to Saturday: noon to 3am
Sunday: noon to 2am
CAPTION: external view
Chinatown, London. It’s a must visit and a great place to be but, as a tourist, your eye line is bombarded with lights, sounds and restaurant signs.
Just where do you go to eat? OK, you look at menus posted outside various establishments.
You can salivate at the array of duck in one and also view at the various testimonials in the windows of others.
But, sadly, that’s not guaranteed to provide a mouth-watering winner.
Sometimes, glitz is not best. I’ve tried several establishments in Chinatown on business trips and the quality of food has varied.
Word-of-mouth works in business and it was spot-on with Mr Kong. We loved it.
If you want a quiet meal, forget it. If you want top drawer service, Forget it. If you want good cooking, atmosphere and a piping hot food then Mr Kong is the place for you.
The menu has something for everybody, from plain, to vegetarian to exotic. We chewed over steamed razor clam with glass noodles and garlic of fried cuttlefish garlic sprout and Balechan sauce.
However, the consensus was to go for crispy aromatic Szechuan duck as a starter. It was cooked in its own marinade and then crispy fried. It arrived with wheaten pancakes, spring onion and cucumber accompanied by hoy sin sauce. The meat was tender and the food came piping hot. A great choice.
I’m not a lover of sweet and sour pork, but Jennifer is. The sauce was packed with flavour but not overpowering of the meat. I pinched a bit and enjoyed it.
Sath and I plumped for crispy chilli beef. The beef was beautifully cooked and the sauce was just right.
A steaming bowl of rice accompanied the dish and nothing was left over.
The place was packed on a midweek night. And, judging by the noise, and the happy faces, we weren’t the only ones to have enjoyed a great night.
It’s the second time that Jen and Sath have been to Mr King’s. They’re just back from a trip to Hong Kong and Thailand so they have some experience of traditional Chinese cooking in the Far East.
They enjoy Mr Kong. Trust me, it will be up there when we consider meeting in Central London.

SLOW BOAT FROM RATHO

Canal cruising
from The Bridge Inn
27 Baird Road
Ratho
EH28 8RA
0131 333 1320
www.bridgeinn.com
Open seven days

It’s a bitter night. The thermometer had plunged to minus 7C. It’s been snowing and the roads are treacherous. Not the best start to an evening and the lure of a dinner by the fire was strong.
However, we made the trip to the canal cruise from The Bridge Inn at Ratho and came away warmed by the experience.
It’s over 30 years since Pam and I had been on a similar cruise from The Bridge Inn situated in a village on the west side of Edinburgh.
That cruise was on Midsummer Night and was also memorable as we were stuck in the mud several times and we arrived home at 2.30am.
On this occasion the skipper also had problems. He had to back-up and turn on the power to break the ice but it was, once again, something we’ll not forget.
The attentive staff made everybody welcome aboard the 36-capacity craft and the Pride of Belhaven chugged its way up the Union Canal.
The floodlight on top of the boat lit up the banks and it was somewhat surreal as the ice cracked and the barge slowly made its way up the canal whose banks were covered in thick snow.
Thankfully, it was cosy inside the spacious cabin and the diners who called off because of the inclement weather were the ones who missed out.
I’d eaten the day before at 125mph on the East Coast main line train returning to Edinburgh from London. This was totally different.
The leisurely pace of the barge, in contrast, allows one to chill out and the smell of the food from the galley increased the experience.
Starters were considered as an accordionist played in the background, a nice touch for this Saturday night cruise on the eve of St Andrew’s Day.
Cock a leekie soup, partan bree topped with seared scallops or mini beef and haggis olives with red onion marmalade were the options.
Pam went traditional and the soup proved a winner. Piping hot and full of flavour.
Spot on for a cold night.
My beef and haggis olives were most enjoyable. The seasoning in the haggis was just right and the cold red onion marmalade added to the dish.
We then had four options for main course. Braised Borders lamb shank stuck out for me as a nap selection. I’ve savoured this dish at home and abroad and I was keen to see how this would match up.
Pam had more of a selection quandary. The homemade vegetarian haggis and char grilled aubergine parcel, wild mushrooms and tarragon sauce looked mouth-watering.
However, it eventually came down to a straight choice between skirlie stuffed chicken supreme with haggis tattie dauphinoise, whisky and Arran mustard cream or trio of Scottish salmon with orange zest and caper crème fraiche.
Pam loathes whisky and was veering towards the salmon but, eventually, chicken won and her fears over the sauce were misplaced. It was mild and added to the overall taste of the dish.
My lamb was wonderful. The meat fell off the bone and the red wine and herb sauce was perfect, bringing out the sweetness in the lamb but not overpowering the dish.
We both loathe soggy vegetable and on-board chef Lee Skelton must be complemented in producing broccoli, carrots and green beans which had just the right amount of crunch.
Thankfully, the staff gave us time to digest the first two courses before asking for our pudding selection.
Wild berry cranachan with shortbread was a possible or trio of Scottish cheeses but we both decided that warm spiced rhubarb strudel with ice cream was ideal for a cold night.
The sharp rhubarb taste was complimented by cinnamon, a brilliant mixture, however the double whammy on the taste buds did tend to negate the flavour of the vanilla ice cream and the pastry was a tad disappointing.
Coffee and mints followed. I always feel it is bad policy for a restaurant to just offer one cup. It seems so stingy and we were not disappointed here. A second was offered and it was accepted gratefully as we were about to disembark into the freezing weather.
The cruise took around three hours and I’d have no hesitation in recommending it, not just for the experienced but for the food.
It can’t be easy cooking in a restricted space and without all the equipment you would have on land. Take a bow Lee.
Rachel and Graham Bucknall took over at The Bridge Inn earlier in 2010. They have lived in the village for several years and are desperate to see the well-known venue climb up the culinary charts.
Long-term plans include turning the clock back with the decor – not before time – to make The Bridge Inn once again a country local.
They also, when possible, use produce from their garden including apples from the orchard for their apple pie and pork from their Saddleback pigs.
Plans are already laid to extend the garden and grow more produce. More power to their elbow.
The are working hard to re-launch the venue and their energy is to be commended. So is a night cruising, even in sub-zero temperatures.

HEAVENLY FOOD AT ANGELS

FLAIR: Chef Paul Whitehouse

Angels with Bagpipes
343 High Street
Royal Mile
Edinburgh
EH1 1PW
0131 220 1111
www.angelswithbagpipes.co.uk
Open seven days

EDINBURGH’S atmospheric Royal Mile houses an eclectic mix of historical attractions, tourist shops, restaurants, eateries and pubs.
During the world-famous Edinburgh Festival it is a major focal point for tourists and street entertainers.
The street also is also at the centre of Scotland’s legal system, being the home of both the High Court of Justiciary and the Court of Session.
It’s no surprise then that Marina Crolla picked the location, but the restaurant faces stiff competition.
A name can be crucial and she admitted agonising over Angels with Bagpipes. It arrived after spotting an angel during a walk through nearby St Giles Cathedral, the High Church of Edinburgh, which is directly opposite the 90-cover restaurant. Divine intervention?
Marina also thought long and hard over the key appointment of a head chef and she eventually recruited award-winning Paul Whitecross. Under his guidance, this heavenly restaurant is going from strength to strength.
Attention to detail is evident and he dishes are stunningly-presented. Paul specialises in using produce from Scotland’s extensive food larder then providing an Italian twist, a tribute to Marina’s homeland.
He doesn’t just pay lip service to dietary considerations. I’m lactose intolerant and he obliged in style.
My three courses were subtly altered to provide maximum flavour without diminishing the visual experience.
Seared Orkney scallops, Stornoway black pudding and pea puree (instead of parsnip, because of my diet) was eye-catching and mouth-watering. The scallops were cooked to perfection but my one criticism would be the sauce which was a little tart.
My main was roast rump of Ross-shire lamb, pancetta cabbage and white beans. Artistically a delight and the cherry tomatoes added a welcome extra colour and flavour to a superb dish.
Unassuming Paul saved the best to last. His raspberry soufflé was sublime. It arrived with apple sorbet (succulent Granny Smiths cut quickly with a touch of lemon to maintain colour and speedily frozen). The beautiful dish arrived with a tiny Kilner-type jar packed with raspberry puree – simply wonderful.
The meal was a triumph of innovation and flair by the award-winning chef who has tickled the taste buds of the late, great operatic tenor, Pavarotti, and international film stars Kevin Costner and Samuel L Jackson, plus the owner of car giants Ferrari.
My wife Pam was effusive in her praise of the busy, up-market restaurant. You feel comfortable and looked after by the accommodating team at Angels with Bagpipes.
So, what was her selection? The starter choice included lentil soup, a traditional Scottish dish, with unique twist, shaved chestnuts and truffle oil.
She could also have picked braised pork with white pudding and apple and creamed goats cheese with picked beetroot, apple and balsamic.
Pam also swithered over oak smoked Scottish salmon or terrine of chicken and foie gras but decided to wait for the main.
Her selection was roast cod, smoked haddock and chive potato scone, parsley oil and citrus salsify. It was, once again, beautifully presented and a delight to taste, the flavours merging to provide a tremendous dish.
Alternatives included rib eye of Angus beef with pesto plum tomato and garlic mushrooms, Highland loin of venison with pearl barley, turnip and bitter chocolate (correct) sauce, a risotto of butternut squash, sage and walnuts or pan fired sea bream, handpicked crab ravioli, creamed leeks and lemon butter sauce.
The extra payment for side dishes – buttered spinach at £3.50 and thin cut chips at £2.95 – grated, but that’s a personal thing and, of course, rates are high in the Royal Mile.
However, on to desserts. Pam’s choice was baked date and toffee sponge with puff candy ice cream, pistachio and banana. It could not be faulted.
Once again, the choice was difficult and it included apple and cinnamon crumble with green apple sorbet and a bitter chocolate mousse with passion fruit sorbet and caramel dusted popcorn. Mouth-watering.
Simply, Angels with Bagpipes is a gastronomic treat to be experienced. The hand-prepared main dishes (without sides which are ordered separately) come at a cost and ranged from £12.95 (risotto) to £20.95 (rib eye of Angus beef) on the night we were there, however, it is memorable.