Whenever Larry and I assemble for a review, it’s a very solemn, serious affair. The conversation is weighty, the photographs are immaculately posed – just as soon as I go to take some tempting morsel, Larry figuratively bats my hand away, telling me to stay out of the shot until he has the perfect image – and, by and large, the places that we go are grown-up, distinctly high-end affairs. We don’t do loud music, waiting staff with excessive tattoos or attitude, or being sent out of the dining room after an hour and a half so they can turn the table. We want something special.
Which is certainly what we received recently. The high-end Chinese and Cantonese dining market in London is one that has its fair share of contenders – not least the peerless Gouqi – so in order to stand out in a crowded field, you’ve got to offer something rather special. This is where Fitzrovia’s new opening 3 Gorges stands out, following on from well-received outposts in Kingston and Bromley.
Not only does it have, in the form of Chef Qian, the former head chef of Gouqi, but it also specialises in one of London’s most intriguing tasting menus, which climaxes with some of the best black pepper beef I can ever remember eating.
Like any good exercise in anticipation, the selection builds up to it with a variety of delights first. There is a curtain-raising selection of dim sum, of which my favourite was the delectable XO scallop dumpling, which is every bit as good as the delights at Gouqi and beyond. Then the pace of the meal quickens, both literally and figuratively, after you’re served an excellent glass of Riesling to match the first couple of courses.
There is a fine, witty take on a chicken and sweetcorn soup, this time featuring double boiled duck with goji berries, and a selection of small plates, of which the most intriguing is a padron pepper stuffed with a mixture of minced Iberico pork and prawn.
There is then a considerable fuss made about the piece-de-resistance of the house exclusive, the 8 Treasure Duck. It comes complete with “Glutinous rice, Diced Chinese Mushrooms, Dried Shrimp, Lotus seeds, Chinese Sausage, Abalone Pieces, Yam Bean, Jinhua Ham” and is served with a glass of exceptionally fine Priorat Spanish red.
It’s very fine, but for me outdone by the beef that follows it, which is utterly sensational and worth the trip on its own, complete with some of the best fried rice I can remember having. We’re all but replete, but there is still one further treat: a choice of dessert, and opting for the fruity mango pudding proves a safe, if slightly unadventurous, finale to the meal.
If you’re on a tighter budget but still want to try the delights of 3 Gorges, there’s now a £39 set lunch menu, which is frankly a bargain for cooking of this calibre – not least because it includes the wonderful black pepper beef – and highly recommended. But as we retie our figurative braces, Larry nods in approval. “Just as good as what you’d get in China, and none of the hassle with immigration.” I can only concur.
3 Gorges, 36 Goodge St, London W1T 2QN. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.3gorges.co.uk.
