Without knowing it, BW and I have always been connected one way or another throughout our lives. From being at the same wedding functions to even living around the corner from one another, we never knew each other existed until the day we were introduced. Which brings me to Peking Garden, our local Chinese restaurant that we would both frequent growing up. Peking Garden has been around forever, and wanting some good Chinese food with some nostalgia mixed in, we decided to visit before Ramadan.
The restaurant was quiet as we had just missed the lunch rush, which meant we did not have to shout over each other just to be heard. Hungry, we got ordering.
SMOKED SHREDDED CHICKEN [£7.90]My favourite dish at any halal chinese restaurant; thin pieces of chicken that have been coated in a seasoned batter and deep fried to give a lovely crisp. The smoked salt gives the chicken a fantastic aromatic, smokey flavour, as well as a smell that has your mouth watering. The finishing touches of the fried chillies and garlic added a kick of much appreciated heat too.
SATAY CHICKEN [£7.80]Nothing out of the ordinary satay chicken served with peanut sauce. The chicken had become quite dry at this point, but the accompanying peanut sauce was nice and creamy with a slight kick.
PRAWN AND CORIANDER DUMPLINGS
Ordinary dumplings filled with minced prawns and dumplings. I highly doubt these were made in house but a good try anyways when dunked in the chilli oil.
CRISPY AROMATIC DUCK HALF [£23.90]Your classic crispy aromatic duck served with hoisin sauce, pancakes, and julienned spring onions and cucumbers. Each bite alternated between the crispy skin and the soft, juicy meat, sweet plum sauce, and the floury pancake.
SEASONAL VEGETABLES [£8.50]
DEEP FRIED CHILLI FISH [£9.70]Small pieces of cod that had been battered and deep fried, before being finished off with an abundance of chilli and garlic. Another favourite around the table!
HO FUN NOODLES WITH BEEF [£11.60]Wide rice noodles stir fried with pieces of beef and bean sprouts. Sadly, this dish was forgettable. The noodles themselves needed to have more of a bounce when bitten into and the beef pieces were extremely chewy, which was a shame as I was looking forward to trying this.
The total bill amounted to £114 for four people, including drinks and service, so £28.50 each. Perhaps not the cheapest casual Sunday lunch, but a pretty delicious one. Sure, it’s not the most amazing Chinese restaurant that serves halal in London, I don’t think I’ve found that place just yet, but it’s ideal for when you’re in the area and craving some smoky fried chicken!
