YUN Cross Bridge Rice Noodles — Restaurant in London

There are not many places for Yunnan cuisine hence I was glad to come across this restaurant so I made a few visits to get a fair idea of what the food is like. The Classic Yunnan style beancurd noodles from Kunming is probably the famous dish that most people would know about. Lesser known is the Rushan Cheese which is milk curd pulled/stretched which is then grilled/fried and served with sweet things like chocolate, rose jam etc. Unfortunately, you can't get Rushan here so they have substituted it with halloumi which was interesting as it was served with sugar. Other dishes I discovered were three red chops, Grandma's mashed potato, ghost chicken, split pea porridge noodles and ham & potato rice.

Yunnan ham and potato rice! To be honest, it could have been much nicer if they used proper Yunnan ham which is like parma ham instead of the bacon they used. I wasn't keen because the bacon is nothing like English back bacon but the potato cubes were seriously good as it was soft and sticky. The only spoon they had for the rice was a ramen ladle which was useless as it was too big.

Yunnan split pea porridge noodle. This was an interesting noodle which I felt was comforting because I can relate it to English pease pudding. It is surprisingly, they have a pea puree which they put on top of the noodles and drink as a porridge. Again, another tasty noodle with the pickles, fresh chives and tasty mince when you mix it together.

Yunnan Split pea pudding! Just some starchy stuff!

Dali Fried halloumi with sugar inspired by Yunnan Rushan Cheese! I thought the restaurant was going serve the real deal but it turns out that they just used Halloumi and coated it with sugar! Rushan cheese is milk curd pulled/stretched which is then grilled/fried and served with sweet things like chocolate, rose jam etc.

Yunnan Ghost duck salad. [That was the name, I don't know why] however after googling it turns out they have this ghost chicken dish where they use silkie chickens where the meat is black to ward of ghosts. However at the restaurant, there was an option of chicken or duck so I chose duck which is more flavourful and it turned out to be a refreshing salad. Think of it like a Thai salad with coriander, cucumber, carrots, cherry tomatoes drenched in lime and Sichuan peppercorn. Absolutely addictive and moreish!

Classic Yunnan style beancurd noodles. These are best I have tasted especially when you mix it together. The flavours come from the mince with salty yellow beans, pickles and then you get the spices from the Sichuan peppercorn chilli oil dressing and chives. Simply delicious.

Yunnan noodles with three red chops and Grandma's mashed potato! Again this is new to me because there are not many Yunnan restaurants so I ordered this so I could try the famous three red chops and Grandma's mashed potato. Interestingly, they were both relatable to Western food so it was comforting. I was surprised to find mashed potato on the menu because people in Asia just don't like potatoes. The three red chops is basically like a simple bolognese base with chilli. The mashed potato was interesting because it had dill another unusual ingredient that you rarely see in Asian dishes. It was nice but I was expecting more depth and flavour in the mash from the gherkins, dill and a peppery kick according to the recipe. So that sense it was similar to Eastern European dishes but lacked...

I feel so sorry for the signature Cross Bridge Rice noodles here. As it costs £17.90 and I totally paid £20.20 for only one position of noodles, it’s definitely overcharged and no mention that all the ingredients tasted stale. The broth as one of the most important elements of Yunnan rice noodle isn’t warm enough to reheat all the other ingredients. The shrimp, turned out to be anything but fresh. It exhibited an undesirable soft and gooey texture upon biting into it. Also the pork served in the combo is also dry, as another sign of unfresh. The quality of the rice noodles is also not satisfied, describe it in a Chinese way we said ithey tasted akin to plastic. I acknowledge the challenges in crafting fresh rice noodles, but given the price point, I anticipated a level of authenticity and quality comparable to what £15 in London can procure for fresh pasta. Unfortunately, this fell far short of my expectations, leaving me questioning the value and authenticity of what was billed as an authentic Cross Bridge Rice noodle experience in London. I acknowledge the challenges in crafting fresh rice noodles, but given the price point, I anticipated a level of authenticity and quality comparable to what £15 in London can procure for fresh pasta. Unfortunately, this fell far short of my expectations, leaving me questioning the value and authenticity of what was billed as an authentic Cross Bridge Rice noodle experience in London.

In addition to my culinary disappointment, I notice the apparent overwalmed effort in updating the menu or introducing new offerings in this restaurant. Instead of evolving and diversifying their culinary selections, the sole flagship dish, the Cross Bridge Rice noodles, left much to be desired.

I had envisioned this establishment as a specialized Yunnan rice noodle haven, where I could indulge in a variety of high-quality offerings. Regrettably, my experience has underscored an overwhelmed menu and a missed opportunity to showcase the richness of Yunnan cuisine. I believe a commitment to culinary tradition and the introduction of focused dishes could breathe life into this restaurant and elevate its reputation beyond a mere disappointment. I sincerely hope for a positive transformation that befits the expectations of patrons seeking an authentic and gratifying Yunnan rice...

Do yourself a favour and visit this lovely restaurant in London. Went with a group of friends but you could easily go solo or as a date. The atmosphere was chill and staff really friendly. It was decorated in such a cute and clean colour palette - makes you feel welcome. The food was soo good and flavourful. For starters we had salt & pepper tofu, fried yellow split pea cake, yellow split pea jelly, marinated egg and pu'Er su king prawns. All are a must try especially the pea cakes. They are little golden pockets of joy.

My main dish was Yun Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles was a little bit of an experience dish - add the quail egg first to cook in the hot broth and then add the rest and mix in - makes an incredibly yummy dish. We also order the Little Pot Rice Noodles (spice level was perfect) and Duck Rice Noodles all recieved well.

The desserts we shared were delicious - totally recommended Pao Lu Da which is a coconut milk tapioca and croutons simple but yummy. We also had rose sticky rice which was really soft and good.

Would definately reccomend and hoping to visit again as plently of...