Britain has been exposed to the good, bad, and ugly Chinese restaurants for decades. Chinatown in London has become more of a tourist attraction that a venue for quality food. The stretch of Chinese restaurants just off Shaftesbury Avenue provide fast food at competitive prices but the end result - the food - is largely of poor quality. However, one street away is a gem of a restaurant.

The Venue
Imperial China is a place rival restaurants should learn from. It’s not like your typical Chinese restaurant. It’s not surrounded by fish tanks, it has a huge set of tables on the restaurant floor, and the service in impeccable.

Imperial China has two forms. On the main floor it’s packed with large tables and a huge window out into a fantastic traditional Chinese walkway. Elsewhere in the restaurant there are some marvellous top quality karaoke rooms that can seat from 10 to 50 people. If you want a good night out with a fabulous Chinese meal then this is the place to go.

The Atmosphere
On entering, the staff immediately put you at your ease and the service isn’t rushed. One of the most annoying things about going into a restaurant can be the pace in which you are sat down one minute and then asked if you want to order seconds later. This doesn’t happen at the Imperial China.

The Food
At Imperial China care is taken to give the menu a classy European twist. The mixed hors d'oeuvres are pretty standard now in set Chinese meals. The spring rolls though are crisp and without that fatty taste. The spare ribs are light and won’t leave you feeling like you’d already consumed a whole meal.

The Lobster Feast is a good deal if you’re with friends. There are reasonable lobsters and very good lobsters - clearly the chef at Imperial China knows the difference. The lobster is succulent and fried with ginger and spring onion… the portions are plentiful and left you feeling like you’d had a meal rather than a few claws of meat!

The real difference with the food at Imperial China comes with the effort that the restaurant puts in to giving you a little more variety. The grilled scallops with salad cream just melt in the mouth and are cooked to perfection. In fact, two of these aren’t really enough as they’re quite addictive. If you’re a seafood addict then the fried Szechuan style prawns which also hit the spot. Elsewhere on the menu there’s a good range of lobster soup and Wun Tun soup and if you’re looking standard Chinese fare then you can’t go wrong with the two house set menus. Chicken and sweetcorn soup, crispy duck, fried chicken and prawns, and sweet and sour pork all for under £17 per person.

The Drink
There’s always a dilemma with house wines in restaurants…some you wouldn’t even pour on your plants. Impressively the house white at Imperial China is refreshing and a good choice if you’re on a budget. If that’s not to your taste then there are 16 other whites on the menu with a mix of new world wines, like the Kirkton Vale, Semillon Chardonnay and the Highcliff Chardonnay, from Barossa Valley, both under £17. There’s also a mixture of French wines from the pricey Sancerre to the much more economical Muscadet. The reds are also within most people’s budgets - highlights are: Highcliff Shiraz, the Stonemason Shiraz, or the Chianti DOCG II Carduccio from Tuscany. Off the wine route there’s also a range of very good beers.

The Last Word
Imperial China has a nice atmosphere and the food is of a high standard. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Chinatown then go one over to Lisle Street and experience something refreshing.

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