Thursday 27 August 2009

Harbour City

Harbour City is by now, one of Chinatown’s grande dames. It serves a purpose.

I only come here for the Dim Sum. Together with Phoenix Palace, these two are one of the few places in London that are faithful to the traditional fayre that’s found in Hong Kong. You’re more likely to find older Chinese diners here than the younger ones who prefer a buzzier ambience and 21st century interference on the dishes (like venison pastry, why FGS?) at places like Yauatcha or Royal China (heavens!).

What I tend to order when I come here-

Left- literally White Flower Fish Stomach Dumplings or more appetisingly, Fish Maw dumplings.
Right- Siu Mai

Deep Fried Squid

Cha Leong
Same as the prawn cheong fun but stuffed with fried dough instead.


Tai Saik Foong Chow
Thai style marinated chicken feet. If you can eat squid then this boneless dish shouldn’t prove too much of a challenge. Crunchy and inexplicably moreish.

Sa Loot Meng Har Gok
Fried prawn dumplings with salad cream (yes the Heinz variety!) as a dipping accompaniment.

If this place is good enough for me and as it so happens, Marco Pierre White likewise, then it’s likely that you’ll be satisfied as well.

NB don’t get too upset with the oft-condescending service, it’s Chinatown!




46 Gerrard Street
London W1D 5QJ

5 comments:

Su-Lin said...

Uh oh - craving dim sum now. I don't think I've been to Harbour City before...

bellaphon said...

Su-Lin: This place is ok. I used to think that the Golden Palace in Harrow served the best dim sum I've had but like all Chinese restaurants, they have an undesirable habit of going complacent without warning.

Mr Noodles said...

I haven't been here in years but the dim sum looks proper old school and in my book that's a good thing. I'm also very tempted by the largest portion of cha leong I've seen south of Manchester !

Hollow Legs said...

I prefer old school places too - Yauatcha left me feeling a bit cold. More informal and family style is better.

bellaphon said...

Mr Noodles- Thank you for stopping by. Like I said HC is alright, it fulfils to a point.

Lizzie- But then again there are old school types like Chuen Cheng Ku; that place embarrasses me greatly! I'm going to give your rec of Dragon Castle a go soon.