Park Chinois in Mayfair: A superb treat

Lavish – or perhaps opulent – is the first adjective that comes to mind when crossing the threshold of Park Chinois in Mayfair. Compared to its neighbours with grand facades, the restaurant’s entrance is simply gated and almost in shadow, a security guard indicating the wooden doors. But once they open, a thick curtain reveals sumptuous decor: predominantly red and dark brown, very London, yet also evoking other countries and another era.

For this venue (now about to celebrate its 11^th birthday), restaurateur Alan Yau wanted the ambience of a 1930s Shanghai jazz club. Downstairs, Club Chinois, the main space, always has live music, keeps the lighting to a minimum and features polished brass, black and gold. It is a room for both dancing and dining. On the ground floor, meanwhile, the Salon de Chine maintains a comparatively muted atmosphere: long white tablecloths, intensely red lampshades and an amber backlit ceiling. Here, too, there is a piano, and the arrangement of the cushioned chairs (set so that couples sit next to each other, facing the aisle, rather than opposite one another) likewise creates the sense that a performance is about to begin, or has simply paused. 

On first impression, the setting might appear to border on the ostentatious, but only takes a moment or two to get used to it and settle into the high-end, ritzy vibes. The service is attentive without being stiff, in keeping with the envronment.

Romance and decadence are words that resonate throughout the website and the menus, lending a lyrical accent that feels almost rococo. The menu is rich in options, encompassing many of the classics of Cantonese cuisine. At lunch, a broad dim sum range is available. In the evening, we opt for the Chef’s Selection of Dim Sum, and we’re more than content with the four delicious treasures that arrive: a melt-in-the-mouth Har Gau, then Lobster Shumai, the fragrant Seasonal Truffle Dumpling and an Atlantic Sea Scallop & Mui Choi Dumpling. For our starters, we cannot get enough of the Crispy Chilli Chicken with crunchy Szechuan peppers and moreish peanuts. In a different register is the Sea Bass Tartare, which is refreshing and delicately zesty. 

Served in two bars (the Salon Bar upstairs and the Wave Bar downstairs), the drinks menu is spot-on when it comes to cocktails. A section of Highballs pays homage to Scottish whiskies, while the following page is dedicated to tipples that blend American recipes more daringly with Shanghai tastes. From the latter, we pick the Speakeasy Swagger, an Old Fashioned that lingers pleasantly on the palate, made with Angel’s Envy Bourbon and smoothed by Pedro Ximénez Sherry and honey. From the Club Chinois selection, we choose the Dragon Rose, an intriguing Cognac-based libation, aromatised with lychee liqueur and rose syrup. 

For the main course, Yangzhou Fried Rice with corn-fed chicken, king prawn and edamame arrives together with a super-tender and remarkably tasty Stir-Fried Chilean Wagyu Bavette with a light ginger sauce, along with Braised Chicken with Mushroom, glazed with sweet basil sauce and served still sizzling in a cast-iron oval pan. The combination of meaty mouthfuls and individually apportioned rice makes for an appetising experience. 

Playing once again with contrast, the Golden Lychee Delight and the Chocolate Custard Buns share the intent of creatively reworking familiar desserts. The first has a base of coconut panna cotta (much lighter and less sweet than expected), topped with juicy spheres of lychee compote: a balanced coolness. The second is a trio of bouncy, fragrant buns with chocolate centres that mimic more traditional custard filling – a warm hug at the end of the meal. And if there had been more than three, despite the ample dinner, we would gladly have kept eating them.  

Mayfair may no longer have the monopoly when it comes to the top fine-dining spots in town; however, for swanky settings and high-class entertainment, it remains the natural home for Park Chinois. Its notably longstanding presence in this neighbourhood is also due to the high standard of the food – a superb treat. Dress up for the occasion, and enjoy. 

Cristiana Ferrauti
Photos: Anna Francesca Jennings

To book a table at Park Chinois, 17 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8EA, call 020 3327 8888 or visit the restaurant’s website here.