Royal China (Chinatown)

Superior Dim Sum in London's Chinatown

Stepping into the warmly bustling confines of this Chinatown favorite is like navigating a secret garden of culinary riches, and oh, what treasures abound. The dim sum delights dazzle with each bite—Xiao Long Bao elegantly rich with a symphony of filling and broth; pickled jellyfish that spring to life on your palette, ostensibly imported directly from the oceanic kitchens of the East. Specialists here navigate the dance floor of dim sum carts and orders with a rhythm that whispers the brisk efficiency of seasoned waiters, without the robotic drone. Amidst the deft balancing acts, societal vibrations echo smoothly off the high ceiling, cushioning a din of lively conversations in a chic ambience that's elusively spacious.

The saga continues upstairs where complex Cantonese dishes reign supremely. Peking duck makes its entrance to applause; succulent helpings, alongside beef dressed in oyster sauce drips decadence. Even salty-sweet pitfalls linger on the service horizon, but when a menu seems librarian cataloged with choices, what's forgetting a dish among friends? As expert guidance hums behind smiling attentiveness, shortcomings fray gently at the edges, falling away in favor of intense returns. True, opinions on their dessert display may stay regionally reclusive in praise, but for an occasional miss, offerings soar—a culinary Mekong water packed into hungrily ordered Wagyu noodles and luscious Har Gow stealing scenes. An authentic refuge lies here waiting; in need of just some small improvements, perhaps, but undeniably worthy of allegiance. — Clarissa Cuisinier