The Lotus Chinese Floating Restaurant

Ordered steamed / fried dumplings also from menu, food was awful, not much steamed dumplings choice, they kept delivering foods we didnt order, when we told them, they just left it on the table, so we didnt touch it, when the bill came it was not fully itemised, and we refused to pay service, but they kept insisting we pay for food we didnt order, on top of that, they were extremely rude, the whole experience was stressful, obviously, we will never return again.
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lina
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Sunday, April 14, 2013

Location of the restaurant is excellent however the intetrior design kills it! When I was there for dinner on Sunday, there was a 'disco' type of party taking place on the second floor and it was very very loud and unpleasant music... The food was barely average. The worst thing is that the main course was served very late. On top of that the waiters were rude. It was a very frustrating experience. I will not go there again!
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2 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Sunday, April 15, 2012

I'm based in Paris and a frequent visitor to the Belleville and 13th arrondissement asian districts, so it's fair to say I've tasted some of the very best chinese and vietnamese dishes that are on offer that side of the channel. This weekend I had the opportunity of meeting up with sculptor James Matthews and two other cousins in London. We'd decided it would be a nice idea to share a lavish chinese meal to celebrate the upcoming unveiling of James' portrait of Nicholas Parsons.

We'd initially planned to do this in Chinatown, but having read a number of the reviews of restaurants available on london-eating, some of which described "dark chapters" of people's lives taking place there, we thought it perhaps best to avoid what overwhelmingly appears to be a full-on tourist trap...

As we carried on with our internet research, we somehow came across the Floating Lotus. The mainly positive comments and idea of eating on a chinese boat on the Isle of Dogs seemed to fit in perfectly with our plans.

24 hours later, I can safely say that this was probably one of the best culinary moves we've ever made in London.

The place itself is an absolute wonder - superbly corny, but what else can you hope for from a floating pagoda in Docklands?

The service, with Mandy and Mei was nothing less than sublime.

The food was truly delicious (I would especially recommend the soft shell crab, the jelly fish with chicken, and the suckling pig) and although their wines were perhaps only average, they certainly aren't over-priced. Some of the main courses were perhaps a touch too common, but none seemed overly MSG-ed nor too greasy. In a nutshell: wholesome, genuine chinese in a corker of a location, at a pretty reasonable price.

Perhaps somewhat anecdotal, is the fact that the toilets are located down in the hull of the boat, so you really get an impression of setting sail for the East - or wherever else you're inclined to voyage after a couple of glasses of riesling.

To sum it up: a delicious hoot.
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Jacob Matthews
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Sunday, April 15, 2012

Dim Sum on Sundays. My partner and I do this every 2 weeks!

We have been a regular at Imperial China, Leicester Square ( China Town) for ages. We were quite disappointed the last time we were there. Yesterday, we thought let’s try something new. My partner found this place and he assumed I would love it. I was quite a travel from my place. It was in Canary Wharf. I was anxious and grumpy as I was starving! It was 1pm when we arrived. I loved it! Lotus it was called. Lotus the Floating Chinese Restaurant - It was packed. There was a handful people waiting to be seated. We were greeted by beautiful lady dressed in Chinese Costume presenting pamphlets t for Shen Yun . ‘Table for 2’ I requested to the attending staff. ‘No No, No place come after 2’ he replied abruptly. How rude I thought. I asked if they take reservations. ‘NO reservation, Come after 2’ I was actually quite annoyed with is abruptness. But I wanted to have lunch there, it was crowded and filled Chinese originates. This could only mean one thing. GOOD FOOD! I am happy to overlook the rudeness, just to taste the food and judge for myself.

We went to the nearest pub for drink while we waited. We got back to the restaurant quarter to. It was still packed and at least half a dozen on customers were still waiting to be seated. He recognised us and said ‘Ahhh you came back.Wait i find you table’. Couple of minutes later he come back and offered a table for two facing the river. Lovely view. I loved it. And all his rudeness before just seemed to have disappeared.

The menu, they server both Dim Sum and ala carte dishes. The wine menu look pretty good for a midrange Chinese restaurant. Couple of dishes caught my eye. Fried Ying Yong! I have not had that for ages. Rice with salted fish and sliced pork. I love this dish.

We ordered a few classic dumplings , siew mai, char siu bau, crispy yam courgrates, cheong fun deep fried battered squids, rice with salted fish and sliced pork, stir fried pack choi garlic style and egg tarts; accompanied by jasmine tea. Everything was scrumptious. This has been one of the best dim sum I ever had. Bear in mind I am from Malaysia and we do have very good Dim Sums.

We are definitely coming back here, and the next time we are going for the full blown meal. Meat, vege and rice!

I highly recommend this place. Try it at least once. You will not regret it. Perfect for Sunday lunches with family
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Bea
8 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

We have been having Dim Sum at the Lotus the last few years, the excellent quality food and non-expensive price is the reason for us to go back again and again. My sister went to a nearby Dim Sum restaurant on Boxing Day after found out Lotus not open. She had a bad experience! We then discussed and agreed The Lotus is our choice.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, January 04, 2012

I find the food poor. The service is ok. the chinese dont have the whole please and thank you thing like we expect but you gotta get used to that.

however. like I say the food is not good. Its greasy, and low quality. nothing is fresh there in my opinion. restaurant is a great locaiton on the dock there. but thats all its got going for it.
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4 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

visited the lotus floating resturant 27.7.11 and travelled from romford essex with my family for a nice meal on the river as it looked really nice. however we didnt get past the starters, we ordered crispy aromatic lamb pancakes and it was totally disgusting, unedible is an understatement. the lamb looked old and recooked, it was rubbery and chewey with no flavour, the spring onion was shrivelled and the cucumber was mostly skin. we decided there and then to leave, however after informing the waiter we didnt want the lamb the owner came over to try to tell us ithere was nothing wrong with it and it was cooked in an authentic chinese way. this is not the first time we have had this dish, we eat it all the time at our local chinese resturant, where it is absolutely delicious and served perfectly everytime, it beats duck pancakes anyday. however we were not charged for the lamb or drinks, so we left and had a superb meal at gauchos nearby, would never waste my time going to the lotus again.
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beverley hall
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, July 28, 2011

I have been a regular customer of the Lotus Floating Restaurant for more than ten years. It is a well managed and friendly place with an excellent menu, arguably the best Dim Sum in London and with competitive prices that mean one can eat there once or twice a week without feeling the pain.

I recently recommended the Lotus to some friends and was very surprised to hear that they had read the reviews on your web site that, by and large, suggested one should avoid eating there. I encouraged them to ignore the reviews and eat there any way. They did, and thanked me for introducing them to a new eatery that they would add to their list of favourites.

Out of curiosity I read the latest review and I was very surprised to see that it was written by a person who could barely spell, and who clearly had problems with the '@Banguenting Coordinator' (sic) and her 'condensing' atitude (sic). The reviewer was also surprised that the staff spoke Chinese!
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a very happy customer
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Ok I will be honest and fair, as much as I am able....

The intention of this visit was to secure the venue for a particular date. Firstly I arrived and was offered a drink while I waited for the @ Banquenting Co-ordinator.

Co-ordinator arrives discussions begun around planning an surprise event.

Co-ordinator's attitude was condensing. Throughout her talk she gave the impression that she was bored. Whilst completing the tour of resturant, the co-ordinator became puffed up like a peacock when informing me that 200 ppl had made a booking for a Sat evening. She then selected a drab corner at the back of resturant near a 'pantry'', she meant kitchen for my proposed 40+ guests.

Ok that aside, my guest with me has alerted that she is now hungry with all the aromas whiffing up her nose. We decide to have a light snack before any final decisions are made to complete the booking.

We are seated, drinks are brought over. To my shock and horror....the glass that I was given was sticky on the outside and had a LIPSTICK mark on the rim. Vile!!! Immediately I brought this to the attention of the waitress serving me. She apologies, moves the glass to the side of the table and brings me another drink.

The Co-ordinator returns was yet another menu with higher prices, when I had specified my budget. I inform her of the drink incident. Her reaction - no surprise at all. Just asked if the drink had been changed. I also inform her that I was still waiting to place an order for some food. She summons over another waitress and whispers in her ear in Chinese - I've no idea what. Then the waitress takes our order.

Within 5 mins cutlery, plate and a bowl of cold water with a lemon is brought to the table. The water should have been warm and provided at the end to clean hands. This is followed swiftly by the order that is brought to the table. I sample the rice that I had chosen. It was wet, stuck together and there was a ever so subtle a whiff. But the scallops were lovely.

Prices are too high for the drab deco and poor attitude.

As my guest stated I will be dining with my friends and family anyway, not the staff. All they will do is serve. Do you think I should continue with the booking?
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Hugely Disappointed Visitor
1 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, March 08, 2011

I recently visited this restaurant for a dim sum lunch.

I'd like to start with the positives. The gentlemen's toilets were very spacious and really quite clean. I liked the fish tank at the entrance, which was also quite clean.

The first waitress who tried to serve us seemed to have difficulties with the English language. A waiter came over & we ordered our tea, ti kuan yin, which did not taste like any ti kuan yin I've ever had before, in any country.

The dim sum itself was a mixed bag. The har gau & siu mai were good-sized portions and taste was acceptable,. The char siu steamed rolls & the "squid" in curry sauce were also acceptable. However, the tripe in ginger sauce was appalling. Over-cooked. The Vietnamese spring rolls were also well below par.

Overall, it was a very disappointing dining experience & I shall not be returning.
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G Y Shin
4 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Monday, January 03, 2011