Eating out in London can be pricey but it’s worth splashing out for something really special. A meal at Goldfish may set you back three or four times what you’d pay at a standard high street Chinese but, with cooking and ingredients this sensational, it almost feels like a bargain.

The Venue
Hampstead is one of London’s most moneyed, family-oriented and picturesque districts, and Goldfish fits right in. Both the ground and first floor dining rooms, seating about 60 and 80 respectively, are pleasingly broken up by arches, pillars and sections of internal wall so that, wherever you sit, the vibe is cosy. The decor is modish Oriental: red, black, gold and white walls with the odd splash of bare brick; Chinese script; simple, modern, cream, leather chairs; floors of either dark grey slate or black carpet (the latter proving chic but impractical, highlighting every crumb and speck of dust). Tables wear starched white linen as befits a restaurant of ambition, whilst place settings of both chopsticks and spoon and fork suggest unstuffy inclusivity.

The Atmosphere
The well-mannered, well-heeled, 30- to 50-something clientele with its smattering of children and babies feels like NW3 in microcosm. Everyone has a jolly and relaxed time, facilitated by slick but friendly staff who are happy to talk you through the substantial menu to ensure you end up with a balanced meal of the right size.

The Food
A huge menu sets alarm bells ringing but fear not, Goldfish does very many dishes and does them very, very well. From a list of 18 starters, seven soups and four salads, crispy mushroom salad (£7.50) is an elegant, surprising delight, kick-starting the palate, as an appetiser should. Moist, meaty fungi are encased in the lightest, crunchiest batter and sit atop an interesting selection of leaves including whole mint leaves, cherry tomatoes and, unusually, small chunks of strawberry, the acidity of which works perfectly. The soy dressing brings everything together effortlessly. A triumph!

Crispy duck roll (£6.80) is a reworking of everyone’s Chinese favourite, duck pancakes (which are also available). The shredded duck and cucumber batons have already been rolled up for you (in something closer to filo pastry than pancakes) and deep-fried. The meat is rich, tender and flavoursome and, again, they are impeccably crisp. Hoisin sauce comes separately for dipping. Soft shell crabs (£9.50) are also crunchy, and salty, the delicate crab flavour not overwhelmed by the accompanying fine dice of chilli, spring onion and garlic.

Onto the 60-plus mains which include luxuries like lobster, scallops, black cod of Nobu fame, ostrich and, most unusually for a Chinese establishment, Dover sole and foie gras. Even the ribs come with chocolate and coffee sauce, although conservatives aren’t forgotten; you can still have your classic crispy duck pancakes or beef satay. Beware the ‘vegetarian, bean curd and vegetable’ section: almost half contain seafood, fish or even beef although, to be fair, they are clearly described. Eight noodle and 10 rice options complete the dizzying array.

A generous half dozen perfectly cooked hot stone scallops (£16.50) arrive sizzling fiercely in a stone bowl with squidgy bits of onion and sweet pepper, and crisp asparagus cut on the diagonal. The deliciously sweet-edged sauce is redolent of chilli, ginger and lemongrass. The word moreish could have been coined for this dish.

Goldfish offers both regular and Chilean seabass, a huge cousin of the type with which we are familiar, weighing up to 22 pounds and also called the Patagonian toothfish (which sounds nowhere near as mouthwatering). There is concern that it is being seriously overfished, so ethical eaters may prefer to steer clear. It does, however, feel very special, particularly when its pearly white flakes are gently simmered to perfection with East Asian shimeiji mushrooms and crisp bok choy in a wonderfully warming light soy broth (£24). A bowl of beyond reproach steamed rice (£2.50) is the only extra required.

Your average Chinese doesn’t go big on puds and, even though Goldfish is a world away from your average Chinese, it offers only four dessert options, all at £6, one of which is fresh fruit. Sauteed banana coated in red bean paste and fried in crunchy, shredded dough is an upmarket, distant cousin of good old banana fritters. It is decorated with various fruit and looks mighty handsome but cries out for a scoop of ice cream or dollop of cream. Meanwhile, coconut ice cream with cream avocado might seem the wrong side of wacky but is seriously good. The ice cream has tremendous coconut flavour and pleasing texture of desiccated coconut, and the cream somehow manages to taste of avocado without being odd.

You can experience this exceptional food without spending £50 to £60 a head on an a la carte dinner by opting for lunchtime dim sum at £15.50. Most of the dishes are also available to take away which must make this the poshest takeaway in North London.

The Drink
You might want to kick things off with a cocktail of which there are eight, mainly classics like Mojito, Cosmopolitan and Mai Tai, modestly priced at £5.90 to £6.90. Perhaps because wine and Asian food are comparatively recent bedfellows, the wine list is succinct for a restaurant of this calibre, featuring four Champagnes, 15 whites, a solitary rose and 16 reds. There are no half bottles but one Champagne, four whites and three reds are available by the glass. The house white and red are £3.80 a glass and £13.50 a bottle. Anyone still fortunate enough to possess an expense account in these recessionary times might prefer Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose Champagne at £65, top red Chateau Cantenac Brown 3eme Cru Classe AC Margaux, France 2001 for £79 or the priciest white, Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Les Chaumees’ Remoissenet Pere et Fils, France 1993, at £98. Traditional Chinese teas like jasmine, oolong or pu li are a steal at £1.50, there are two bottled beers, four coffee options (£2.50 - £2.80), still or sparkling water at £3.50 per large bottle and various minerals and juices.

The Last Word
It’s really hard to fault Goldfish. The ambience is glamorous yet relaxed, the service authoritative but charming and, most importantly, virtually every dish that hits the table is sublime. It’s far from the cheapest way of getting your fix of Chinese food but it’s fairly priced. £50 to £60 a head is less than you’d pay at some of Central London’s famous and fashionable Oriental eateries where the food wouldn’t and, frankly, couldn’t be any better.

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