This ingenious reinvention of the ancient Chinese tea house continues its fast and confident expansion across the capital. Latest to be colonised are the well-heeled folk of leafy Hampstead. And who wouldn’t surrender without a fight when dim sum and killer cocktails in a cool environment cost so little?

The Venue
Like the many sushi bars that have sprung up in London in recent years, Ping Pong’s decorative style might be described as Oriental-lite: the colour scheme is black, chocolate and beige, the tables uncluttered and clothless. There are vaguely- Japanese latticed screens. The ceiling adds a playful touch: it has been wallpapered in a design covered in Chinese characters. On the ground floor, which features a large bar and the currently obligatory open kitchen, customers can eat at conventional dining tables, in a more lounge-like area in the window or at a counter on high stools. There is further seating upstairs.

The Atmosphere
Even on a weeknight the joint is jumping and every table is taken. Ping Pong does not take bookings, so be prepared to wait at the bar. This is absolutely no hardship if you treat yourself to one of the delicious cocktails for which the chain has already become renowned. The clientele of large groups and couples is young, confident and casual. The constantly busy, ever-smiling, international waiting staff look well in head-to-toe black.

The Food
The waiter explains the self-ordering system to Ping Pong virgins: choose about four items per person from the extensive dim sum menu which is divided into categories like ‘Baked’, ‘Steamed’, ‘Soups’, ‘Fried’ and ‘Salads’, and mark them on a printed list. It’s fun debating and negotiating with the other members of your party, and far from easy to arrive at a final decision: in fact, an eraser on the end of the provided pencil wouldn’t go amiss!

You’ll find old favourites like crispy hoi sin duck spring roll, vegetable spring roll and prawn toast (all £2.99), whilst the more adventurous can sample har gau (king prawns and bamboo shoots in translucent white pastry, £3.19) or whole soft shell crab (£4.29). The great advantage of a dim sum or tapas menu, of course, is that each item forms only a small part of the meal, so if something unfamiliar disappoints, it isn’t a disaster. A bowl of wasabi peanuts (£1.09) with aperitifs is a stunning start: the crisp, horseradish coating mind-blowingly hot and utterly addictive.

Dishes arrive in no particular order and not necessarily all at the same time, so you should dig in as soon as the first ones hit the table. Pork puffs (£3.19) are stuffed with minced meat and caramelised onions, the latter explaining their surprising sweetness. They are nicely glazed and baked but could arrive a little hotter. Steamed chive dumplings (£2.99) are almost day-glo green, and have the desired weird-but-wonderful sticky texture. The taste of their minced king prawn filling comes through well, but where is the chive flavour?

Vegetable buns (£3.19) look like snow-white, fluffy, little clouds. Sweet corn is the only discernable vegetable flavour and, again, these are quite sweet, though the texture is a delight. Fried oysters with Sichuan pepper are a crunchily delicious bargain at £3.99 for three (nearly all the portions contain three pieces) but there’s no kick of what is said to be the hottest pepper in the world. A salad of sliced boiled bamboo shoots with shredded black fungus (not the most alluring description) and celery in a chilli, garlic and sesame dressing (£3.49) is crunchy and refreshing, but the dressing is tentative. Similarly, satay sauce accompanying squid (£4.19) doesn’t really shout peanuts.

In fact, most items sampled, whilst perfectly acceptable, are rather tame. Ping Pong might point out that little bowls of hot sauce and chilli oil are provided for those who want to spice things up. And they are probably wise to err on the side of caution and not frighten away dim sum beginners. It still seems a shame, though. The vaguely Oriental dessert options include fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, mango or a mixture, £3.49), mango pudding (£2.50) and ginger and pineapple puff (£3.19). A selection of ices (£3.99) comprises good chocolate ice cream and mango sorbet but underpowered coconut ice cream.

The Drink
Oenophiles will not be beating a path to Ping Pong’s door: there are a mere three white wines, three reds and a single rose (£14.50-£19.00), all available by the 175ml glass (£3.75-£4.75), plus two pricier wines of the month, a shiraz (£6.50/£26.00) and a sauvignon blanc (£7.40/29.50). The solitary sparkler is Veuve Delaroy champagne (£7.50/£40.00).

Ping Pong seem much more interested in cocktails, of which there 22, including two monthly specials and three non-alcoholic coolers. Furthermore, the bartender will rustle up any classics not on the copious list. Half the fun of cocktails is surely their daft, glamorous or erotic names, so titles like ‘gin, cucumber and apple’ (£6.85) or ‘lemongrass and lime’ (£5.65) seem prosaically unimaginative. There, however, the carping ends: these cocktails are big, beautiful to both the eye and palate, and absolute bargains, with only three costing over £6. Tanqueray gin, plum wine, coconut, kalamansi (a sour lime with the fragrance of a tangerine) puree and lychee juice (£5.85) manages to refresh despite being rich and sweet. Kumquat mojito (Appleton Estate V/X rum, lime, mint, sugar, kumquat, £5.95) is more astringently grown-up and a fabulous twist on a classic. You would pay a tenner at least for concoctions of this quality at a fashionable West End bar – bargain! Chilled plum wine, hot sake, spirits, iced teas, juices, fresh still or sparkling lemonade and various teas and coffees complete a brilliantly thought-out, comprehensive liquid list.

The Last Word
Why should fans have to brave tatty interiors and surly staff in some Chinatown establishments to get their dim sum fix? Ping Pong provides the yummy morsels with a clean, cool, modern and unfailingly friendly new home. No food served here is unpleasant, but pleasant too often describes the offerings best. Don’t expect anything to change, however, for this slick chain has perfected the formula for keeping its customers satisfied right across the capital.

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