Pearl Liang — Restaurant in London

I visited this renowned restaurant in Paddington, London, while savouring the meal , I also had this personal quest to indulge in their roasted suckling piglet and roasted duck , pair these roasts with some fried bee hoon and boiled broccoli and explore how their flavours differ from the ones I’m familiar with in Malaysia. I was eager to discern the subtleties and differences that regional influences might bring to these roasts. The roasted piglet skin was glossy, non-cracking skin. The piglets are typically older, more than 3 months and bigger, which results in a richer layer of fat beneath the skin. This fat renders beautifully during roasting, giving a crackling first bite and as you continue, the texture shifts, becoming chewy and failing to deliver the finishing crisp. It was a clean finish. In contrast, the piglets used in Malaysia, often sourced from Vietnam, are younger, 3 months or less, with a different fat distribution. The appearance of the roasted skin from London has a stunning, glossy finish and a deep amber colour. The smooth, shiny surface, free from burns or charring, reminds me of the Thai-style suckling pigs, also known for their similar glossy skin. In Malaysia, the suckling pig’s skin surface is characterised by a more even, finely textured skin with a deep golden-orange hue. The roasted crackling skin has a slight, consistent granularity that enhances its visual appeal. You get a satisfying crackling first bite and finish off like biting a piece of prawn crackers, crackling all the way. Next, I turned my attention to the roasted duck. Ducks commonly served in London eateries come from Europe and thrive in moderate weather conditions. They're visibly plumper, which shines through in their succulent meat and crispy skin when cooked up just right. some restaurants even go for the well-regarded Irish ducks for that extra touch of quality contrasted against the leaner tropical ducks found in Malaysia that bring a different texture and flavour profile due to their lower fat levels while still retaining their deliciousness. The increased fat content found in ducks leads to a crunchier skin when roasted properly because the fat melts away and creates a natural basting effect that contributes to achieving the ideal crispiness of the skin during cooking. Furthermore, the fat left enhances the tenderness of the meat, which makes the meal more enjoyable overall. Complementing these roasted meats with stir-fried bee hoon and broccoli added a sense of comfort and familiarity to the dish, highlighting the subtle flavours of the roast piglet and duck This experience was interesting as it showed how the different climates in regions can influence the variety of food, in...

Absolutely and utterly horrible experience all around. Never had any experience like this in the most negative sense imaginable. We were a small group that came with a positive mood, as we were hungry and excited for the food, but all of us left the place in a hurry and very disappointed after our experience there.

I have to add, I never left a bad review in my life so far. In fact, I never leave any reviews, but this one deserves it - for all the wrong reasons.

Where to start... The staff with the exception of one person (seemed to be new there) had horrible attitudes from the beginning. They were straight out rude, which left us confused, but we wanted to give it a chance, so we decided to stay and wait for the food. It was not very busy in the evening, but the staff was clearly not well-organised and they seemed stressed. Having worked in service roles, I am deeply empathetic in that regard, but the staff clearly let us know that they were very annoyed that we dared to enter the restaurant and order something. They were even more annoyed, when we kindly followed up because food for one person was missing. Not only that, but we had to ask three different waiters until we finally received a very rude response that had nothing to do with the situation. The second waiter was clearly annoyed one of us didn't know how to correctly pronounce the name of a dish, even though the person asked. Instead of answering and helping out, the waiter rolled his eyes, stood there playing dumb and let the person spell out the name of the dish, and then just walked off, leaving us confused as to whether he had taken the order. It was just shocking, I still can't believe it. The waitress that came to give us the bill was not any better. No communication whatsoever, just silent handing over, no asking about the food, about the service, nothing. I don't expect anyone to be exaggerately friendly, but the whole situation was just weird and extremely uncomfortable.

About the food: horrible. Overall bland, small portions, didn't seem fresh and I could bet it was simply heated up from frozen. For those who know: Chef Mike was probably involved as well.. Overpriced on top of that, any cheap Chinese takeaway has better quality and taste, let alone service, than that place. After having read the positive reviews here we had positive expectations. However, after trying the food, we had to wonder what the standard of Chinese food is in that area, if this is considered great.

We are still horrified and trying to forget that night as soon as possible. Absolutely cannot recommend this place whatsoever.

0 stars are not possible, so it is one, but that may be justified given the nice...

Solid Chinese restaurant near Paddington that offers lovely surroundings but the food just lacks a bit of value that other Chinese restaurants tend to offer in Chinatown. Given its location it is understandable that prices are slightly higher although some portion sizes are a little smaller.

I have eaten here with family on a number of occasions for banquets, dinners, family gatherings etc. and the food itself is generally well received. The pictures shown are from their Pearl Set Menu (Aug 2018 £40pp) - which unlike some set menus lists quite traditional Cantonese dishes rather than a collection more geared to western pallets. The dim sum selection was surprisingly given to each diner and was of good quality with thin skins and generous filling. The Peking duck was well cooked although there was too little garnish for the amount of duck and pancakes. The steamed lobster whilst well flavoured and cooked well was on the small side but this will be seasonal and dependent on stock. The sesame chicken was overdone but the steamed sea bass was cooked perfectly. The prawn dish with 'fruity sauce' was similar to sweet and sour and again was a little small in portion sizes. Finally the kai lan cooked with garlic was done perfectly and the fried rice a good accompaniment full of flavour and pieces of seafood.

The advantage Pearl Liang has is the decor and ambience. It is one of the best looking restaurants which make it perfect for banquets and dinners. The staff whilst friendly and professional were a little slow in their service. Our meal took just over 2 hours and even surrounding tables not ordering the set menu were left to wait for their meals for well...