Grand Imperial London

101 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 0SJ

T: 020 7821 8898
E: reservations@grandimperiallondon.com

The Grand Imperial located within The Grosvenor Hotel near London’s bustling Victoria station is the newest addition to Chef and Restaurateur Rand Cheung’s empire.

The restaurant has been designed by a Feng-Shui master and is luxurious and comfortable with a private dining room separated by gold oriental screen doors.

The menu features a lot of seafood dishes such as Sautéed Crab Meat with Scallops, Egg White and Plum Sauce and Baked Lobster with Superior Stock. The set menus, which range from £20 to £40 per person are good value and you can expect familiar dishes (spare ribs, crispy noodles) alongside more interesting and unique offerings (Spicy, Sour Soup with Mock Shark’s Fin, Steamed Cod “Country” Style with Mushroom and Dried Lily). The Imperial is also offering a Valentine’s Day menu for a reasonable £59 which includes Grand Imperial Special Stewed Beef Short Ribs and Deep-Fried Mayo Prawn and Roast Duck.

It is not a place to take a vegetarian, traditionally well catered for in Chinese cuisine, but for the meat and fish eater it is a delight.

For those who require timely business lunches, they also provide dim sum menus (steamed or fried), which will surely be a hit with local companies looking for a lighter options.

I spoke to Chef Cheung at the launch off this his first restaurant in Europe, celebrated with traditional Chinese New Year entertainment.

How are you finding restaurant culture in London after working in Singapore and Malaysia?

“Culture for dining out here in London is not just much more Westernized – it’s Global and there is a wider variety of cuisine available. London is one of my favourite cities and I am convinced there is a niche for fine dining, authentic Cantonese food

What is your favourite new year dish?

“There are so many wonderful dishes served up throughout the Chinese New Year celebrations. I’d say my favourites are the ones which have symbolic meaning like fish which is served whole and brings wealth or the traditional hot pot – steamboat which offers many of the best meats, fish and vegetables.

Apart from your restaurant, where do you go to eat out in London?

“I like to try new restaurants out all the time especially when I am in London. I normally go out and find the newest place to dine as it is exciting to try new foods from around the world.

How much of an influence does Thai and Indian food have on your cuisine?

“None at all. I serve Hong Kong Cantonese food as it should be, using the freshest ingredients to give my guests the full flavour of our traditional cuisine.

What are the most important ingredients in Cantonese food in your opinion?

“Cantonese cooking is based on using fresh ingredients so they are all important. A ‘real’ Cantonese dish should be well balanced, be true to quality by selecting the freshest seafood and meats, and easy on the spices to avoid overriding primary flavours.”

What dishes would you recommend to novice chefs to try cooking at home?

“Steamboat is a traditional New Year dish and can be created effortlessly at home. All you need to do is boil up a vegetable and herbal soup base and then steam fresh raw fish and meats in it. This is also a great dish to prepare at any time of year and brings friends and family together.

http://grandimperiallondon.com

Reviewed by Helen Forrest