Memories of China Ebury Street is very much the older sister of Kenneth Lo’s London-based culinary offspring, bigger and busier than its sibling in Kensington High Street. Gordon Ramsay has even mentioned it as one of his favourite Chinese restaurants in his Kitchen Heaven cookbook – now that’s a promising sign.

The Venue
Unlike the relatively inconspicuous and underplayed Kensington branch, this Memories of China stands prominently on the corner of Ebury Street and Ecclestone Place immediately recognisable by its maroon canopy. The restaurant, which consists of the front bar area with tables by the windows and a spacious room set further back, is large enough to be more than accommodating but small enough to retain a warm and intimate feel. The classic Ken Lo charm reverberates through the bright red chairs, the crisp, white tablecloths, the glistening array of glasses and fresh flowers on the table and the theatrical red and gold Chinese etchings on the walls.

The Atmosphere
It would be easy to tar Memories of China Ebury Street with the same brush as several self-righteous, seemingly superior Belgravia-based restaurants but, put simply, Ken Lo’s is not stuffy. The smart, suit-attired staff are incredibly friendly, smiley, helpful and more than willing to explain the difference between Sichuan Aromatic duck and Imperial Peking duck (to be ordered a day in advance) without an ounce of condescension. This vibrant restaurant draws in such a diverse range of clientele, young and old, business men and women, families and couples. One gets the impression that some loyal customers have been coming here for years, and it is not hard to see why.

The Food
The menu, as one might expect from a well-reputed long established restaurant such as this, is quite extensive and does not cut corners on either the food or wine front. The sprawling menu offers an array of starters including plump, fragrant Peking Kuo-Tieh chicken dumplings with the obligatory little pond of vinegar and floating ginger (about £8). Smoked chicken on a bed of crispy seaweed is flecked with chilli slices, garlic flakes and spring onions. It is spicy, salty, smoky and surprisingly sweet with sugar all at the same time (about £9). Push the proverbial boat out and order the steamed scallops with a light black bean drizzle; the scallops are tender, cooked to opaque perfection and there is something unexplainably special about eating scallops straight out of the shell (about £16). Alternatively be slightly kinder on your pocket and try the vegetable spring rolls or the ubiquitous hot and sour soup (both about £6).

This adapted and at times Westernised Chinese menu’s starring meat dish is one not often found on a Chinese menu – lamb. Peking quick-fried lamb with ginger and spring onions. The tender, literally melt-in-your-mouth lamb is smothered in a rich, velvety, tangy sauce and is a joy to eat (about £14). This restaurant clearly hasn’t cut corners when choosing a meat supplier as the Cantonese style medallions of beef maintain the flawless perfection of a prime cut fillet steak despite being laden with a thick, highly flavoursome sesame infused sauce. The chow mein noodles with beef, chicken and King prawns served soft or crispy with a delicate broth to moisten them are far from the bland, under-seasoned noodles that so many pass off as a dish. This is very much a dish in itself as opposed to merely a carb accompaniment! A moist egg fried rice served in a copper pot and fresh steamed pak choi with skiitake mushrooms in oyster sauce and garlic, however, make wonderful accompaniments. The set menus offer a variety of different food to suit any occasion ranging from a £20 quick executive lunch to a £42 Sichuan duck and fresh lobster feast.

The Drink
The drinks menu comprehensively covers many different wines categorised by region. The South African Chenin Blanc Stormy Cape (£18) is a stylish, dry white wine served satisfyingly chilled. It is fresh, crisp and certainly robust enough to hold its own against the intense flavours of the food.

The Last Word
Memories of China offers an exciting dining experience, perhaps for that special evening out where you want quality food and drink, where you want to feel comfortable and a little bit indulgent – a tad pricey but utterly worth it.

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