HK Diner

There are many good posts about the abundant cafes in London's Chinatown. One of my favourite haunts though is HK Diner. Sure there are a few things in here that irk me. Namely the fact that there is a Chinese only menu, grrr. You have to ask for dishes by name or point at a fellow diner's table to get some of the better stuff. Secondly, you do not get an English, itemised bill. Cue over charging, pretending they can't speak English properly and general annoyance. I will say they have got a little friendly here than they used to be, though avoid going after say 10pm if you want to be treated in a civilised fashion (it's open until about 3am I think).

So why do I go then? Well, it's very casual which I love. The food is also pretty decent too. Not amazing, but decent.

Dishes I had recently:

Wonton Noodle Soup - a reasonably sized bowl and a good rendition. I had this as more of a starter but the porky dumplings would be a satisfying lunch on a chilly day in town. (£5 ish).

Red Chili Stuffed with Minced Prawn in Black Bean Sauce (£9 ish). I have no idea if this is traditional or not but it sure is tasty. It is obviously a spicy dish but it's definitely manageable if you are a "Madras" eater. I also recommend a similar dish of aubergine and tofu stuffed with minced prawn in black bean sauce at Gold Mine restaurant in Baystwater. It's immense with rice.

Sea Spiced Aubergine (£9 ish)- a bit of a classic. Sweet and tasty, the aubergine stews down and baths the rice in sticky goodness. One of  favourite versions of this dish can be found at Red and Hot down the road.

For a casual, tasty bite to eat check out HK Diner.

Monster Munch Rating: 75%

HK Diner
22 Wardour Street
London

No need to book.