Fulushou in Leicester Square

A gaming hall wouldn’t necessarily be anyone’s first choice for a good meal out, however, Fulushou restaurant sits in the Empire in Leicester Square serving “affordable pan-Asian cuisine” (perhaps affordable as a gesture of goodwill to those who have played the house and lost). The building also houses four bars, most notably the Icon Bar, boasting balcony views over Leicester Square and the Carlsberg Sports Bar, boasting both Carlsberg and sports.

The pan-Asian food was a new type of zero calorie noodle. Made of glucomannan flour, the noodles are calorie free, carb free, gluten free and soy free, so it wasn’t unsurprising that like most things that contain nothing, they tasted mostly of nothing as well. Among the dishes that comprised the noodle showcase was Kimchi Beef.  This had a sense of warmth about it but the sauce was too thin to contain any real depth of flavour and the thin slices of beef did little to lift the mundane dish. The Pad Thai fared slightly better as the paste was quite clearly handmade and had the classic balance of salt, sweet, sour and hot, however it didn’t really disguise the oddly stodgy texture of the noodles.  For those with allergies, these noodles allow a way into a previously feared cuisine, but if you are going for the healthy option you may find yourself missing the wholemeal taste of a buckwheat or the chunky bite of an udon.

The Green Tea Champagne Cocktail Garnished with Redcurrants was nice, and contented noises overheard emanating from others holding cocktails suggested the drinks are probably the forte of this venue.  The food may not hold “a touch of Vegas” as the venue purports, but the place is oddly seductive with its glowing marble ceiling and oriental screens. Your sense of time is suspended upon entering – as in Vegas it could be any time of the day, which is good as last orders in Fulushou aren’t until 1.15am. You could find far worse places to eat before and after a game, so if you find yourself in the building it’s worth a try.  I wouldn’t suggest that it was worth going out of your way to visit, though, unless of course you have a celiac in tow who will be most impressed!

Emma Marks

To book a table at Fulushou, The Empire 5-6 Leicester Square London WC2H 7NA, call 0203 582 5321 or visit their website.