Eat & Drink
Originally published on Thursday, 11th September 2008
Min Jiang
I've been writing about pubs quite a lot recently so I thought I'd readdress the balance with a healthy dose of glamour.
Min Jiang is the posh new Chinese perched on top of the Royal Garden Hotel, and with its slick lacquered decor and impressive vistas over Kensington Gardens, it's a real 'get dressed up and enjoy the view' kinda restaurant. I'm generally more a cosy banquette kinda girl but this is show-offy food which requires a more formal setting and slightly over-attentive service - luckily, though, the food is so good you almost don't notice the fussing.
It's all beautifully, delicately executed, from the pretty, pastel-coloured dim sum to the green bamboo tea, not to mention the lobster with ginger and spring onion which made me want to put a bib on and suck every last ounce of flavour from every bit of shell. But it's really all about the Beijing duck, which is proudly presented to you all wood-fired and honey-glazed before it is turned into pancakes, lettuce wraps and duck-crackling.
If you can, save room for the banana toffee fritters - we've got to allow ourselves some consolation for not having had a summer.
Hours: Lunch 12-3pm • Dinner 6-10.30pm
Place: 2-24 Kensington High Street, W8 4PT
Cost: £60
Web: www.minjiang.co.uk
Book: 020 7361 1988