Hunan

My husband and I have been dining at Hunan since the past 5 years. Typically visit once every 4-5 months, and love the format and food. Or should I say 'loved'?

I no longer look forward to eating at Hunan as much as I used to, since predictability has crept in - we know exactly what dishes will be served to us. This sort of format easily lends itself to some variation and innovation, but sadly I've found that lacking in Hunan. At best, we can look forward to one new dish in the line-up every other time, but no more than that.

I guess the owner and chefs go by 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'... but would love to see some variety - even if as an experiment - in their line-up.
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Pyra
7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Thursday, June 21, 2012

Pretty fantastic. It's an unusual format - there's no menu - they just keep bring food until you ask them to stop. Small dishes like chicken dumplings, tripe and frogs legs come along every five minutes or so. Presentation is excellint - some dishes resemble glistening works of art.

After these came duck and pancakes and a seabass steamed in soy sauce. If anything the duck was the weakest point. But the preceding thirteen or fourteen small courses could just have coloured my judgement.

I didn't feel rushed at all. Service is perfect. The atmosphere is great - most people there appeared to be repeat visitors. As for price - it was £45 per head without drinks. I'll definitely go back and hopefully soon - I left really happy.

I'm doing something I've not done on any of my previous reviews - giving a restaurant maximum points for everything. I just can't think of how my evening could have been better.
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Rex - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, May 09, 2012

There's no point reaching for superlatives about Hunan. It is otherworldly. Period. I have lived in London +10 years but only recently stumbled across this gem with my wife and a friend a resident of the area who said she had been there only occassionally as it was so good and hard to get in being, well, a bit small. It was worth the wait. The manager, Michael Peng, managed to find us a table with great ingenuity and patience and we were led through a (still counting) tasting menu tour of the most delectable, subtle, and original Chinese (or any Asian for that matter) food I have ever tasted. Anywhere. Ever. From the delicate warm chicken spiced salad in lettuce to spicy mussels to fried frogs legs to what seemed to be a pork onion soup to the incredibly moist and delicate sea bass, ,the courses rolled on and on. As per the other reviews there is a sample menu but tell Michael what you want or like and he will figure it out. The wine list is superb as well and the service, suffice it to say the crabby people in this review column had an off night - not the resuarant - or they don't understand boutique restaurants of excellence. The wait is part of the pleasure. And if you go if you are lucky aside from Chef Peng himself you would be lucky to meet Michaels mom, Mei Peng who is an angel not in disguise but in fact. Beyond all that this restaurant blends a distinctly unpretentious cozy home feel with cooking of the highest order. And the price is a pittance compared to value. A perfect night to remember. Don't miss it.
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E Mitril
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, January 29, 2012

I go to Hong Kong and China 7 or 8 times a year. Hunan is the only Chinese Restaurant in London that I go to as it is genuine and the food is sumptuous. It is backed up by a well chosen and well prized wine list.
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Philippe
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, September 05, 2011

I live in America, but I have been dining at Hunan since it opened in 1982. I dare say, it's the only restaurant I go to anywhere in the world where I'm comfortable having all the ordering done for me. In the 80's and 90's I was in London three to five times a year, at least once a year since, and I never miss a stop during my visit. At worst, of the dozen or so wonderful little dishes that every meal consists of, the odd dinner might have an offering or two that were only very very good. Typically, everything is spectacular. I have never had a bad meal at Hunan!

In my opinion, the camphor wood and tea smoked duck is the finest dish on the planet, and I have often said it was something I'd trade my mother for. When I took my mother there for her 80th birthday, she said she could see why I said that and wouldn't hold it against me if I ever felt I needed to make that trade. I've had lots of terrific roast duck at the best places in Beijing, Hong Kong, Honolulu, San Francisco, and New York, but nothing compares to this piquant offering. I highly recommend that you trade in your own mother.

I'm not fond of sea bass, but I can't get enough of it at Hunan.
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Carl Pick
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, May 11, 2011

I thought it was mixed, some courses very well executed and others below par. All in all much to much food, all four of us asked them not to bring any more courses. Service too fast and graceless, as they want to rotate their tables, given that it is a small restaurant. Awfully noisy. Interesting to have been but nothing memorable to encourage me back.
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Maria Llamas
3 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Excellent restaurant, service fine and not overfriendly, which suits me, and when i chose the wrong bottle of wine it was exchanged painlessly, which is good. i loved the range of food and not having to choose from a menu. the sea bass was incredibly good and finally a restaurant that gives the right amount of dimsum - ie four pieces for a table of four, not three, or five. yes it's more expensive than an eat all you like buffet in Elephant and castle but you get what you pay for.
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HW
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Friday, March 18, 2011

I love the concept of this place.

We had some stunning food and I liked the fact that we got to try several different different types of food in one meal. The courses arrived quickly and we were very full by the end. Overall I thought that the food offered great value. The wine was expensive but very good. We had one half bottle of white and one half bottle of red which cost almost the same as the food. If I went again, I'd be tempted to just have food and a beer or a glass of wine.

The place was very busy and much smaller than what I had thought it would be like for some reason.

Staff were generally very good and friendly.

Will definitely go back at some point.
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Annie - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, January 18, 2011

FAB-UL-OUS! One of the best ever restaurant meals I've had in my life. There were people queuing up at the door to get in on a Monday night - you definitely need to book.

I love that there is no set menu - instead there is rolling delivery of small plates and small bites. They consult with you at the beginning of the meal to check what you do and don't eat and whether you like hot, medium or mild spice, etc. The service was unobtrusive, impeccable and fautless. Only ever two dishes on the table at once so table doesn't get overcrowded. It's like tapas style, but each dish is just one or two bites, so although we ended up trying maybe 15 different dishes, we didn't feel over full at the end.

Another highlight was the beautiful low tannin wine that the Manager / Owner Michael Peng recommended to us. The wine list was impressive, and even lists over 10 varieties of 'Noble Rot' wines - very high end indeed. Wine started from £16 and went up from there, so there is a bottle to suit every budget.

I cannot recommend this place highly enough. Mind blowingly good from every aspect.
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ndavey
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Amazing surprise!!! Food was delicious, I like the fact there is no menu and you have a chance to try many different dishes. Food is great and it´s fun not knowing what will be served next. Great Service too. A bit overprice.
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- View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Monday, August 16, 2010