Hong Kong restaurant — Restaurant in London

Arranged to meet up with my cousin in Islington to visit Hong Kong and just from looking at the menu(with visuals) it was evident that this dining experience would transcend the ordinary. The seamless fusion of impeccable service, and, above all, an orchestra of flavours, made it an evening to remember.

The quickness of service at Hong Kong Restaurant deserves a standing ovation. The staff's efficiency in delivering a delightful dining experience without compromising on quality is truly commendable. It added a dynamic element to our evening, allowing us to savour every moment without unnecessary delays.

Now, let's delve into the symphony of flavours that graced our table. The starters, featuring the delectable Xiao Long Bao and Prawn and Chive dim sum, were a splendid introduction to the feast that awaited us. The salt and pepper squid, a culinary revelation, set a new standard for this classic dish, and the fried shredded crispy beef was nothing short of superb.

Moving on to the mains, the signature Roast Duck was a masterpiece in tenderness and taste. Each bite was a journey through layers of flavour, leaving us in awe of the chef's expertise. The Singapore noodles, both flavourful and delicately spiced, allowed us to appreciate the true essence of the dish without overwhelming heat.

The Morning Glory Greens, expertly prepared with a delectable garlic sauce, showcased the chef's mastery in bringing out the best in fresh produce. The choice of garlic sauce was indeed a stroke of brilliance, enhancing the overall dining experience.

The King Prawn Fried Rice lived up to its royal name – the prawns were not only colossal but also juicy, making each mouthful a succulent delight. The perfectly cooked rice served as a canvas for the rich flavours, creating a harmonious marriage of textures and tastes.

Our culinary journey was further enhanced by a delightful bottle of Pinot Grigio Rosato. This blush wine was a revelation, one of the nicest I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. Its subtle notes perfectly complemented the diverse array of flavours on our table, adding an extra layer of sophistication to the evening.

In conclusion, Hong Kong Restaurant is a culinary gem that flawlessly combines swift service with an unparalleled gastronomic journey. From the first bite of dim sum to the last forkful of King Prawn Fried Rice, every dish was a testament to the chef's dedication to perfection. As I sipped the last drops of the exquisite Pinot Grigio Rosato, I found myself already planning my next visit to explore more treasures off the menu. Hong Kong Restaurant has left an indelible mark, and I will most certainly be back for another...

We travelled a fair distance out of our way to visit this restaurant as it was recently featured on a halal influencer’s page. For reference, a party member is disabled so travel isn’t the easiest, and we made trip especially for this place with it being halal.

The restaurant was very cold and we didn’t understand why as the doors were closed.

We ordered a few dim sum dishes. Whilst they were generous with the filling (you certainly get your money’s worth) they were noticeably lacking in flavour and depth. So much so we ended up buying a main dish and rice (we only wanted to try out the dim sum).

The main dish was overly sweet. The beef was v fatty in parts but inoffensive overall. The service wasn’t anything exceptional - we weren’t asked if everything was ok, nor if we needed anything etc. The food was brought to the table and that’s as far as it went.

We politely declined the service charge and were informed the following by the manager:

If there was nothing wrong with the service it HAD to be paid. Rewarding mediocrity and being entitled to an additional charge for no reason other than the fact it was added on doesn’t mean it’s justified to be charged. He agreed it wasn’t mandatory but we ‘had to pay it’. It was apparently disrespectful if we didn’t pay it. We were polite in our declining it but when asked he was not able to confirm what the disrespect was. They would get into trouble with the boss. We happily offered our name and number if the boss wanted to ask for any feedback. He then became hostile and aggressive saying the service charge payment comes out of their pocket in one sentence and in another sentence it pays for the staff. Both don’t seem proper practices and I’m unsure why we would have to pay for their boss’ approach to business. If service charge pays wages (not supplements it) something doesn’t sound right? We were told we would not be seated again if we were to visit the place again. The food was no where near any reason for us to venture out of our way to visit again so we didn’t mind this rather unusual reaction to the service charge not being paid.

We were polite the entire interaction but he was standing over us while we were seated displaying his hostility, gesturing with his hands and trying to embarrass us in front of the other customers. He was totally obnoxious and rude.

This entitled attitude to service charge needs to stop. You did nothing above that what is expected of anyone visiting any restaurant. If we want to tip for excellent service it should be the customer’s choice. If your running costs the cost of the meal, increase...

I had to give it 5 stars despite the service which I’ll get into later.

This had to simply be the best selection of dim sum I’ve had in my life! It’s up there with Din Tai Fung and even Hong Kong itself which I recently came back from. The nuance of flavours, the texture, amazing! We ordered beef and ginger fried dumplings, crab and chicken siu mai, sea bass roll, steamed prawn and chive dumplings, prawn wontons in spicy sauce but the stand out for me were the crab xiao long baos! So much so that I ordered another round of them.

All halal, which is a real treat because that’s hard to find in the UK with Chinese cuisine.

OK, so the down side, they were slapping on that “service charge” I asked it to be taken off as it was a discretionary service charge and not compulsory, I got asked “why do you want it taken off?” Erm because I’ve paid for your services and the food and I do not wish 12.5% to be added on top. It should be MY choice if I want to tip. Call me whatever you want, but because you’re making me do something, I don’t want to do it even more. She reluctantly took it off after saying she will have to explain to her manager why she took it off and next time I can pay cash and get 10% discount (do the math, still some service charge in there with 10% off).

Do whatever makes you happy? If you don’t like that conversation, pay it. I don’t mind the conversation and am always polite and explain my reasons. Know your rights also, service charges that are discretionary or voluntary are not subject to taxes. If they are forcing you to pay it, ask if this is compulsory because if it is, it will be subject to taxes and you can report that to HMRC to make sure they know it’s a compulsory service charge. Otherwise, it’s just a tax free benefit for every single meal they get.

I’m not saying do that, I’m just saying no one should MAKE you pay a discretionary fee of any kind.

Will I be back? Yes because the dim sum is incredible. And I may or may not leave a tip which will not be dictated by them, but me. Like the good...