Not quite buried treasure, but it has its charm.

The Venue
If not for its large Singapore Chinese Restaurant sign, one could easily mistake this for an Oriental speakeasy masquerading as a teahouse; the descent into the underground opens to a well-used Italian leather three-piece suite and an unsophisticated bar in chinoiserie surroundings. Cosy cubicles with rounded Oriental arches are carved into the walls and hidden behind red lacquered railings, an inadvertent provision for people-watchers.

The exterior of the restaurant is also inconspicuous: the main entrance is a small plain door that peers from under the shadows of the old building it rests in. The main sign faces inwards - towards the side street, so passersby walking west on the Holland Park Avenue will not notice it.

The Atmosphere
The subterranean air is still and surreptitious, an atmosphere reinforced by the quiet erhu music and the lone diner reading a newspaper in a corner. When large groups arrive, however, they head straight for the buffet whilst the regulars, without glancing at the menu or the buffet selection, ask for the hotpot. The staff politely accommodates all types of customers.

The Food
The restaurant offers the typical Chinese fare - categorised by meats, staple types and hotpot - as well as a Singaporean selection that includes laksa, yong tau foo and sambal prawns. The hokkien mee (£5.90) is unfortunately not like its Singaporean progenitor: devoid of gravy and stir-fried with thin rice noodles in dark soy sauce, it resembles more its Malaysian counterparts. Apart from the hotpot, which is priced at £25 per person (minimum of two people), the menu's prices are fairly affordable. On weekends, diners have an extra option: the £6 all-you-can-eat weekend buffet lunch (£3.50 for children under 10). Although the selection is smaller than most buffets (ten dishes only), the items offered are of different variety (eg. satay sauce, curry) and of slightly better quality.

The Drink
Play it safe with water and Chinese tea. Those living on the edge might want to pick from the assortment of alcoholic beverages stashed away in the homely bar.

The Last Word
Poor ventilation and dish deviations aside, the large portions, slightly above average quality of the ingredients, reasonable prices (except for the overpriced steamboat at £25) and responsive hospitality seem to sit well with its family-oriented and couples-on-a-budget diners.

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