Any cheap dim sum places I should know about ? [London]

[FarleyFlavors]

Yauatcha, Royal China and Hakkasan are all very well (and all very tasty), but sometimes I just want a cheap, downmarket Dim Sum experience. Usually fried turnip paste, glutinous rice, steamed pork buns, cheung fun, dumplings. I usually hit Golden Dragon, Joy King Lau or Gerrard's Corner. Are there any other cheap places with half-decent dim sum ?

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Royal China
13 Queensway, Paddington, Greater London W2 4, GB

[sichuanjunkie]

we always go to Yi-ban near the excel centre (restaurant looks over the Thames facing City Airport)- think the nearest station is Royal Albert on DLR- if you are driving ample parking at the London Rowing club which shares the premises with Yi-ban

just be aware that unlike the expensive places they stop serving at 5pm

SJ

[limster]

Like that - also like the place (can't remember name but have posted on it) in the Holiday Inn in Greenwich.

[astereilla]

Oh yes, Peninsula is what it's called, I think. I also just remembered the Lotus floating restaurant at Crossharbour DLR. They do great cha siu puffs (not steamed buns) and egg custard tarts. Their cheung fun is wonderful as well. A bit out of the way and not as cheap as Chinatown, though.

[sichuanjunkie]

is this in like the 80's where the capital radio is now? think it was called Man fu kung (excuse the spelling) I used to be taken there every time my parents were visiting London as a kiddie :)..didn't they used to have trolleys and long queues

[FarleyFlavors]

Yes, that's the place - well remembered. They did indeed have trollies and it was insanely popular at the weekends. Despite being vast, there were always queues for a table.

[astereilla]

Princess Garden of Mayfair had exellent quality dim sum when I went last year. Unfortunately I can't remember the prices, but I don't think it's that much more expensive than any of the places you mentioned.

[limster]

Yumcha in Camden and Dragon Castle near Elephant and Castle are both good, certainly superior to Joy Kng Lau in my experience. Caveat: been over a year since I've been to these places.

[gemuse]

Seconding Yumcha in Camden. If you go on Mon-Weds between 5:00 and 7:00, the dim sum is half price, so you can really gorge yourself. I think the menu is slightly restricted during the "happy hour", but there's still a decent range. We've had szechuan ducks tongue, pork buns, XLB, scallop and prawn dumplings, etc. I'd note that their lunch menu is much more extensive than their dinner menu. (Cheung fun is on the lunch menu but not the dinner menu.)

[FarleyFlavors]

Wow - half price dim sum ! I'm there. Like the sound of the five spice pig ear on the dinner menu.

Thanks, everyone, for the other suggestions too. I'll be sure to check them all out at some point.

By the way, does anyone remember that huge dim sum emporium on Leicester Square next to the Odeon ? I can't for the life of me remember what it was called ...

[zuriga1]

Jia at One Harrington Rd. (South Ken Tube right there) has very nice dim sum and I didn't think it was too pricey.

[PhilD]

Pearl Liang - back of Paddington Station is good and not exy.