Hunan

My girlfriend is Chinese and we regularly eat at top end Asian restaurants in London. It was by chance that we stumbled upon Hunan last summer and since then we have been back several times - it is undoubtedly in my mind (and more importantly since she is prob a better judge of Asian food than me!) quite simply the best Asian restaurant in London.

The concept of no menu may seem off-putting to certain restaurant goers at first but my advice is to go with the flow and so long as you are not vegetarian (if you are you prob should not be at the restaurant in the first place) then you will not be disappointed at all with what you are given. Every time we have been the 8-10 dishes you are given have contained a number of new and always delicious numbers.

The service can be a bit eccentric, particularly from the father, but again I think this adds to the uniqueness of this restaurant. The fact this restaurant does not have a Michelin star is a travesty but then again it does not detract from it for its regulars and prob keeps a certain type of unwanted clientele out of the restaurant! Besides I think the stuffy Michelin inspectors may not yet be ready for the greeting from the father in broken english "what you don't eat" and the no menu approach!
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Owain Griffiths
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, May 09, 2008

I had the pleasure of going to this restaurant last night...and it was without a shadow of doubt the best Chinese restaurant I've had the pleasure of eating at in London. I'd even go so far as to say it's the best meal of any description that I've had in several years...my own cooking excluded of course ;)

It's situated in Pimlico near Victoria station. A number 11 bus from Liverpool Street takes you almost to the door.

It's a relatively small restaurant - probably space for 35 diners, and when you arrive you are given a wine list only. There is an a la carte menu, but the strong suggestion is that you go for the "feast" menu...which consists of 10+ different small dishes. Calling it tapas doesn't do it justice - for while it is lots of small tasting dishes, a lot of care and attention goes into them, rather than them being spooned out into serving dishes like tapas can be.

The wine list is superb - mostly French, but with some interesting wines from around the world - Austria, Chile, New Zealand, Australia etc. There's wines to suit a wide range of budgets too.

Food - there's very little to say other than it was one of the best meals I've had. The variety, texture and flavour of all of the dishes was fantastic, and we finished everything we were given.
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Ken Okumura
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, April 08, 2008

It is a tiny restaurant, with perhaps six tables in the front, and six tables in the back.

Michael greets me, (he is the son of the owner) and kindly offers me a table by the window, although technically they are not open for lunch for another half hour.

Michael Buble's Feeling Good plays in the background, and I DO feel good :)

There are lovely lillies in a glass vase by the bar. Chinese paintings of the Emperor are on the walls, and there are Buddha figurines, dragons and vases on top of a cabinet.

The tablecloths are beige and white. Heavy off-white chopsticks rest on a delicate white china stand.

The lady behind the bar brings me hot tea, which she says is specially blended to go with the food, and does not need sweetening. (being a sugar junkie, I disagree, but do not ask again for sweetener.)

She follows this up with tiny bites of pickled cucumber (delicious), and salted pine nuts.

I watch deliveries being made, as there are hidden steps to a basement on the sidewalk. Crates of brown eggs, beans and fresh vegetables disappear and my stomach growls.

Michael comes over again to ask what I like to eat. There is no menu. Chicken, pork and vegetables, I tell him. Sour, hot and spicy...

Individual servings are brought. As I finish one, within two minutes, another appears.

Minced chicken in lettuce has a very fresh, light taste.

A century old egg is brought with pickled vegetables. The egg is, as expected, gray, almost black. I think it tastes gross, but pat myself on the back for being adventurous enough to try it.

(But after one bite I try to hide it under the vegetables so Michael will not know that I haven't finished it)

Crispy garlic beans are next, and they are wonderful. Spicy smoked chicken is equally good, and Michael comes to check and see if everything is to my liking.

Pork with tofu and shredded vegetables comes next, followed by plum & pork parcels in a sesame crusted wrapper. Everything is fresh and nothing is left over.

Taro chicken arrives, and after I have finished its savory goodness, I am stuffed, and cannot eat another bite.

(although Michael would have brought more had I been able to. No-one leaves his restaurant hungry.)

There are bites of toffee banana, apple and pumpkin for dessert.

I'll be back, and next time bring some friends. This was wonderful food, with attentive service.
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Loving Annie - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, April 03, 2008

I am from Hong Kong and my girlfriend is from Hunan!! But as mentioned in the restaurant’s website, the name Hunan is just the birthplace of Chef Peng's mentor. The food they serve here came from various Chinese regional cuisine.

Just so you know, we both can eat a lot! After serving us a few cold starters (octopus, pig ear, cucumber, jelly fish, etc.) and 10+ hot dishes (soup, tofu, dumpling, duck, bitter melon, braised pork belly, red pepper, frog leg, aubergine, filet wrap, “white rice” mini-fish, etc.), the manager came by and asked us if we were full. I asked “Do you have scallops?” He said, “We got a crab for you, but I will bring you both.”

We were definitely a bit full after the big whole crab with a huge soup noodle. But since the manager asked us again if we were full, I told him it was about right, but maybe one more dish. He gladly said not a problem at all. After a 10min wait, he brought us a whole steamed fish. For dessert, we asked the manager what dessert they were serving that night, he then brought us all three desserts!

Conclusion, my girlfriend said a few dishes she definitely had in Hunan. Also, there were a few other dishes reminded me of my grandma’s cooking when I was a child. There were also a few innovative items, but I would NOT call them Westernize-Chinese. From both the ingredients and the cooking technique, I would still call it Chinese food. I think some people here are mixing up between modern/innovative dish and westernize-Chinese dish! (By the way, you don’t call it sushi whenever you see seaweed!)

You cannot try as a wide variety of dishes in any other Chinese restaurants if you only have two people. This place is perfect as everything is in tasting portion (except for the whole crab). Good food, great value (food ₤40 per person) if you can eat a lot!!!
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FineDiningExplorer - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Sunday, March 16, 2008

This is an interesting restaurant, and the idea of having no menu and relying on Michael to do all the ordering is unusual. But if you know your Chinese food, the novelty of this approach will not make up for the disappointing food. It's westernised Chinese cuisine, with a bit of sushi mixed in - calling the restaurant Hunan is a trade descriptions abuse. And if you care about your wallet, ignore this place since you will the prices are more Japanese than Chinese. If you want to know how the bill got that big, bring along a Chinese dictionary.
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Friday, February 22, 2008

Hearing all the good things of Hunan, me and my friend couldn't wait to go there for dinner. Decoration of the restuarant is mediocre, nothing too posh. Sat down ordered drinks and Mr. Peng came to us knocking our table asking for our food preference. To be honest, I was a bit lost with his attitude. Anyway, food shortly arrived. The first was a pork based soup in a tiny bamboo cylinder and it was fantastic! It's full of flavour yet very light. After soup then a chain of main courses follow. Food lovers will appreciate the small portion of main courses as it allow you to have a variety of great food. It was a 2 hours dinner and between the 2 of us, we had at least a dozen courses plus dessert. I was only let down with one of the dish and all the rest remain a very high standard. More importantly, it's not the usual chinese takeaway food, it has it own character. With the bill of £60 per person, I would say it worth the value. I would definitely recommend it to the non-fussy food lovers and those who are more open to try out new things.

I have to agree service can be much improved, I believe they have so many customers who are dying to come in and they have a slightly cocky attitude. Especially senior Peng, my tip is not to take it personally and enjoy the food.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, February 07, 2008

the review from elizabeth below simply cannot be correct because

1. they don't have a menu! as they will simply ask you what kind of food you like and then they will decide what dishes you get.

2. there is no way you could leave here paying less then £35/head or usually closer to £45/head exclusing wine.

3. It's impossible to leave this place hungry as they will keep serving food until you say you are full. ( unless of course you are a vegetarian in which case you will have a hard time in every chinese restaurant in the uk )

went last night with a group of 12 and had a dinner in the large room upstairs.

some may argue that the dishes are not are not 100% hunanese but even if they are not, the quality of every dish is excellent.

Mr Peng was in a very good mood even helping to feed one of the girls that refused to try the frogs legs :) he got a kiss from her for his efforts.

the managers manner maybe a little strange coming across as rude think og it more as being eccentric, treat him nicely and he will treat you very nicely.

all in we had about 8 bottle of water , tea, coffee, 4 bottles of wine, and a 15 course meal. the total was about £60/head which included service charge.

so you see not a cheap meal but everyone left full, happy and most importantly wanting to go again! but we all came to the conclusion if you are going to go you have to go in a group otherwise you will not be able to try so large a variation of dishes.

This is not a normal chinese meal by normal uk or cantonese standards think of it as a chinese banqueting meal if you are chinese. If you are western think of it as a tasting menu.
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sam
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, January 27, 2008

After reading a string of reviews and assessments of this restaurant, curiosity overcame me, and so, today at lunch I went there with my wife and brother. We arrived a little bit earlier than we'd booked to find Mr Peng junior and the staff eating their lunch. We apologised, but were made to feel VERY welcome.

Without going through all the 17 dishes that we were brought, I would like to say that the we found the food wonderful, as good as anything I've eaten anywhere - including some fairly well regarded hotels in Hong Kong. Our waitress, who was very friendly and polite, had something of an accent so sometimes we had problems deciphering the more obscure dishes, but we got there in the end. The wine list is magnificent and prices a bargain.

We drank (looking longingly at a Leflaive Meursault 1st growth at only £60) some excellent high grown Oolong Tea, and for the banquet for the three of us, paid a total of £105. Amazing value.
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Ian Hoare
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Saturday, January 05, 2008

Just THE best Chinese food in London !
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, January 03, 2008

I can not belive the negative reviews for a resturant I continue to revist on a regular basis. I took my husband there yesterday for his birthday and as always received a warm welcome. The food as always was wonderfull and teased the taste buds with every mouthful. Yes portions are small but are ample as differnet tasters continue to arrive at your table until you say stop. If you go to restaurants because you love to eat, rather than because you enjoy fawning waiters, then this is one of the finest experiences in London.
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Victoria
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, November 22, 2007