Bamboo Basket — Restaurant in Epsom and Ewell

A friend of mine mentioned this place over dinner a few weeks ago and shamefully, I had forgotten all about it! I use to come here every so often when it was the smaller shop back when they opened in 2010, and I so glad they have expanded which is reflected of their quality and progress over the years. Of course, now reminded of the place I had to plan my next visit and decided to take mother there for her Birthday lunch.

Sadly, it does have to be a lunch, or late lunch at that with Thursday and Friday being their latest close of 7pm. But it is the perfect place for a little spot of lunch if you’re a fan of Chinese cuisine. Not forgetting to mention they’re an award winning eatery that also takes pride in selling China teas, teaware, teapots and chopsticks. The weather can be a deterrent if cold and raining, but don’t let that put you off. There’s some seating indoors but mostly for outside as the magic needs to happen indoors.

The menu is vast, with a build-your-own style of ordering that actually keeps things simple. You pick your carb base, like rice or noodles, then your protein. There are some set meals like Thai Green Curry and there’s a good selection of sides like Vegetable Spring Rolls, Golden Prawns and Steamed Buns. Usual selection of canned drinks from the fridge but over 80 different teas to choose from!

Being the hot-head I am, I immediately went for the Honey Crunch Chicken (deep fried crispy chicken in a sweet and spicy sauce) with Rice Noodles and a side of four Mini Duck Rolls. My mum getting the Slow Cooked Pork (pork shoulder with onions) on Egg Noodles and a large Spring Roll. The food was rich, delicious and packed full of flavour, all being cooked freshly on the premise. Decent sized portions and reasonable priced. As expected, good for vegetarians and there’s Vegan options too.

Not to say don’t come as a small party (more than 4) but ideal for a couple and takeaway is also an option. But there is limited space so expect a wait if there’s a few of you and it’s during peek time, but the food is amazing and perfect for a...

From the moment you enter the tiny restaurant you feel like you’ve been transported to an authentic street food shack in the depths of Shanghai. The food is fresh and a mazing. You won’t find anything here that looks or tastes like it came straight from a packet courtesy of an Asian food wholesaler. This is about as authentic as it gets. The menu is easy to follow and allows you to tailor the dish you want to order. So far, I’ve had prawn with Singapore noodles (spicy and delicious) and the sweet and sour chicken with noodles and a side rice, which was on a different level to any take away I’ve had. Yep, this little gem of a place is certainly worth a visit and the fact it’s been here for so long is a testament to how good...

I got a chicken Panang with chilli, it tasted amazing. Best noodles I’ve ever had!! The server/waiter was incredibly polite and friendly; when I was struggling to choose from the menu, he asked me strategic questions which helped me make a decision in seconds, very helpful. The food was piping hot when we got it, only a 10 minute wait. We left without one part of our order , but the server walked 3 minutes away from the restaurant, into the second floor of a car park to give it to us :) I highly recommend trying this place! Very cosy when things open back up again! Has an amazing selection of herbal teas. (my sister says: the fish rendang is elite, AND THE PORTIONS...