APUS — Restaurant in London

Having lived in China and being familiar with its vibrant culinary scene, I was excited to try this Chinese style restaurant in London. However, I left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed by the overall experience. The restaurant attempted to capture the essence of China through its decor, but it fell short in creating an authentic atmosphere. The ambiance felt forced and lacked the lively energy that characterizes true Chinese eateries. The service was lackluster, with slow and inattentive staff. It seemed as though they were not well-versed in the menu or knowledgeable about the dishes they were serving. Their disinterest reflected poorly on the overall dining experience. Now, let's talk about the food. The menu promised a taste of China’s iconic dishes, but unfortunately, they failed to deliver. The flavors were bland and lacked the boldness and complexity that define Chinese cuisine. It felt like a diluted version of the real thing. The dim sum selection was particularly disappointing. The dumplings were overcooked and lacked the delicate texture that makes them so enjoyable. The fillings were uninspiring and lacked the authentic flavors I was craving. Furthermore, the famous Chinese-style barbecue items were a letdown. The roast pork lacked the coveted crispy skin and succulent meat that I have come to expect. The char siu lacked the sticky glaze and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that make it a Chinese favorite. Overall, this Chinese style restaurant failed to capture the essence of the vibrant food culture that China is known for. It felt like a watered-down version, lacking the authenticity and bold flavors that make Chinese cuisine truly remarkable. I hope that the owners take the feedback constructively and work towards improving the quality and authenticity of their offerings. As someone who cherishes the flavors of China, I believe that this restaurant has the potential to provide a more genuine experience to...

I come here quite often with my partner and friends! I always love the food, the service and the space is very warm and inviting. We love coming here and always manage to get a table at any point in the day!

Some of the dishes might not be as you’d expect them in Hong Kong, and that is perfectly fine. Each person will have their own cooking style and the quality of the food can be dependent on resources available. I know that Aquila has listened to certain feedbacks and made improvements. Even so, Aquila is constantly striving to provide a taste of home. Trees in different countries may feel different based on the favourite tree that you grew up with at home, but they both give you oxygen. I think it’s better in general to come to restaurants with no expectation rather than to compare it to the best meal you’ve ever had before you take a first bite.

Either way, Aquila is so much more than just a Hong Kong restaurant. It’s a supporter of the Hong Kong diaspora in London, providing leaflets of different support networks, calendars and movies for people interested. They make food to order for the holidays - most recently for Dragon Boat Festival, which was great as it’s hard to source a lot of the ingredients in the UK. And they’ve even catered events for the Hong Kong diaspora too. It’s very clear that they’re run with a community mindset to everything they do. This is not a individual enterprise but one that is built with people in mind.

Having been here numerous times, I personally wouldn’t want them to change too much. Maybe a buy 5 meals get one free card, as that would be helpful for us loyal customers! But that would...

This place was delicious!!!! The food and drink were authentic, and tasted amazing.

The staff are very kind and speak Cantonese and I presume they speak Mandarin as well. They are very friendly and attentive.

We ordered: Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, Beef Brisket Noodle Soup, Fu King Fried Rice, Mixed Veggies with Prawn Stuffing and Wonton Soup.

Both the salt and pepper chicken wings and Mixed Veggies with Prawn Stuffing were very delicious though my personal favourite were the chicken wings as they were soft and juicy but had a very crunchy outside. They were so good!

All of the noodle soups were very tasty and had a lot of noodles in them. The wontons were perfectly cooked with a moist interior. The beef brisket was soft and fell apart to the touch, but don't expect all the meat to be, well, meat as a lot of it was fat but I didn't mind as this is how it is traditionally made.

The Fu King Fried Rice had a nice texture and tasted fresh. It had a good presentation and was well seasoned.

Finally, to end this review, I would like to talk about the deserts. It seems like the Asian deserts are worse then the others, for example the egg tart was dry and had a hard centre but the lemon cheesecake was delicious and tangy so I would definitely get it again!

In conclusion, I would recommend this restaurant but mainly for the savoury food and not the deserts.

Photos include: Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings Beef Brisket Noodle Soup Fu King Fried Rice Mixed Veggies with Prawn Stuffing Wonton Soup Lemon...