the UK based Restaurant and Hotel Review
Back in 1997,Fred Chan, Chinese culinary expert and cookery teacher
came with me to review the Oriental Restaurant at the Dorchester. We both rated
this one of our most memorable gastronomic experiences ever, a memory that I
still cherish. Suzie Quattro and her agent were at the next table, and we were
soon enthusiastically comparing dishes and swapping restaurant stories, some
best forgotten.
Since then there have been significant changes in personnel, with Head Chef Simon Yung for whom the kitchens were specially kitted out) succeeded by Chef Poon. Meanwhile DeeTang has taken over from the redoubtable Jimmy Man, who was a great example of one of the old school of maitre d's.
We therefore thought it high time for an update - and who better to send along to review than Charles Pelham, who until recently was our Far East correspondent. The old review is still in the archive, for those who want to drool over more leisurely times, but I can assure you that the standards at the Oriental are as high as ever
Read on...
You will all be relieved to hear that The Oriental at The Dorchester Hotel in London is as good as ever. What is about the place that makes it so good? I think that it is the clean tasting aspect of the food. The flavours are not cloying, but rather a gentle juxtaposition of subtle flavours. Of course, MSG is nowhere to be seen, or tasted.The service here is impeccable. I noticed particularly that the moment the lady on the front desk saw us enter that she immediately asked her telephonic interlocutor to hold, while she got hold of our coats and got someone to show us to our table. Unusual, I thought!
The restaurant itself is very elegant, but even better are the Private Rooms on the Ground Floor. The one to go for is the fabulously ornate Chinese Red room. There is also a Japanese yellow room and a Thai room too. For those dining in smaller groups, you are taken up a staircase to a mezzanine level with a ceiling that was a touch too low I thought, but go for a table in the far left hand corner, preferably side by side on the very comfortable banquettes.
The excellent service unfolded. The charming sommelier steered us towards a German Riesling, saying that that it was the perfect accompaniment to Chinese food. It was very good but I actually think that Jasmine Tea is an even better bet.
The first course was a magnificent selection - Sauteed Prawn stuffed with spring onion and prawn pate, Taro cakes stuffed with crispy duck, and spicy Lamb neck. The chicken soup that followed was absolutely sensational with a real depth of flavour to it.
Then we had Dover Sole in a chilli sauce which was stunning and the fish brilliantly filleted. The great aspect of the chilli sauce was that it was pure and clean, without the usual heaviness you normally find in Chinese restaurants in London. We then had choi sum swimming in a chicken broth with Yunnan Ham, which is such a brilliant way to have this vegetable. Soft and perfectly steamed Chicken in a Peking sauce (quite lemony) followed with fried rice.
Dessert was very simple, which is the best way forward in Chinese cuisine. (Who wants red bean paste?!) We had Mango Pudding and very unusual fruit. The former was even better than is to be found in that temple of Cantonese gastronomy, One Harbour Road, in Hong Kong.
After dinner Chef Poon kindly showed us round his spotless kitchen, where the most interesting piece of equipment was the special Peking Duck oven, that was a like a tall stainless steel drum. The wok burners were also fascinating as they looked like an ordinary kitchen hob, but underneath lies a pedal, which when pressed emits an enormous roar of heat for the quick stir fry.
While the cost of this elegant establishment is high (c. GBP70 a head), the quality of the experience does make it fair value. We had a great evening and did not emerge overly sated, which was nice. The older I get the more I am allowing myself to persuade waiters not to over order, especially when they are as friendly and efficient as those in The Oriental!
Do try it for that special occasion, or even if you just feel like first class Chinese food
The Oriental is one of Dine Online's Most Highly Recommended Restaurants
Charles Pelham, March 2002
The Oriental Restaurant, The Dorchester Hotel,
Park Lane, London W1
Reservations: 020 7629 8888
Lunch Monday - Friday 12noon - 2.30pm
Set lunch Menu £25.00
Dinner Monday - Saturday 7pm - 11pm Closed Sunday
Chef's recommendation set Dinner Menu £48.00
Typical a la carte dinner including drinks from about £65.00
Click here for a review of the Dorchester Grill
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