Cha Cha Moon

I went when this place first opened and quite liked it and so was really disappointed when I returned last night. the food is still tasty although no longer such great value but the most disappointing thing was the truly awful service which ranged from charmless to downright rude.

what was really suprising was that it wasn't just one staff member, it was all of them- from the girl who seated us to the waiter who whisked away plates and banged down the bill literally seconds after we'd finished eating. as we were leaving we could hear several other parties saying they would never go back becauase of the service and i'd have to agree.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Friday, December 11, 2009

I was not impressed by the food here at all. Everything was far too sauced up and over salted. I ordered a crispy duck salad that had been seriously over marinated and far too strong, covered in gooey sweet dominating sauce, then the worst of all - a Thai chicken curry which was as far away from Thailand as you can get - it was swamped in CURRY POWDER. It was truly disgusting; the taste of the fresh chillies, coriander, garlic and lemongrass completely swamped by what can only be described as a student's heavy hand with a fist full of curry powder.

The only good thing was the service - cheap student food posing as a tredny restaurant.

the ingredients were all fresh and lovely but totally ruined by amateur cooks
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melinda
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

I went to Cha Cha Moon when it had just opened and thought that the food was very mediocre - but worth £3.50 a dish. At the price of a Starbucks coffee, you can't really complain.

I went again last night with a friend. We were very pleased to see that for a change, there was no long queue outside. As soon as we sat down, we realised why. The food has doubled in price! At those prices, Cha Cha Moon stops being value for money and you are allowed to be a bit more critical about what you get for your money.

I ordered a warm duck salad (about £8). The salad leaves were wilted. Some of them even looked crushed and dark. The pieces of duck looked like they were deep fried - very dark and chewy - not like the crispy duck you normally get in asian restaurants. The whole dish was dressed with far too much of a sticky sweet dressing. I ordered the salad as a 'healthy option' - but i couldn't see anything healthy about it.

I won't be going back here again.
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Dame Edna - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Went yesterday. It really is that bad. Roast duck - very dry meat, oiling soggy skin (no crunch). Noodles tastless dry and not fresh - stuck together in lump. £9 not £3.50. avoid.
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Gary Shearin - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, July 01, 2009

A great place for a quick bite with friends.

They have long tables with benches which means at busy times you literally sit elbow to elbow with the people next to you, and it's very difficult to get out if you're sitting in the middle of one of the benches!

The prices are superb for the quantity you get and considering the central location.

Staff are courteous but sometimes it is difficult to get their attention. Also food seems to come out in a random order so one of you may get yours 10 minutes before the everyone else.

The food is very tasty. Good variety of noodle dishes, none which have disappointed me thus far.

Great for lunches or a quick bite with friends after work.
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cowlon - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Thursday, May 28, 2009

Awful. The prices really shot through the roof. Almost £7 for a bowl of Duck Noodle Soup (uesd to be £3.50). There was 4x tiny slices of duck in the noodle soup, and one sad strand of pok choi!!! Duck Noodle Soup costs £5 in Chinatown, with actual chunky pieces of roast duck in a huge bowl.

Not coming back to Cha Cha Moon.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Thursday, May 07, 2009

went there MAY 2009, the one in whiteleys, was hoping for something tasty and reasonable priced similar to the makers other offerings like wagamama etc,

very disappointing, hardly any starters, small menu, no desserts, 6.50 for a main course that left me and my 5 friends hungry!

the prawn lao mien noodles were vermicelli, and i can honestly say a pot noodle would have been more filling and better quality!

all in all wouldnt return!

such a shame cus the restaurant has such a lovely decor and location
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roxy
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Just went there for lunch today with colleagues. I have been here once for dinner and quite enjoyed the light delight dishes. It is typical Taiwan Xiao Chi (equivalent to Hong Kong Dim Sum). The atmosphere is very amiable and cushy: the long benches and sharing tables reminds one of Wagmama or Busaba, which has the upside of being close enough to each other, and the downside of being too crowded. The food is quite decent in terms of choice, flavour, and portion. In general, good value for money, and nice place for friends causal catching-up.

One thing to remember about the service: they do not fill up the tea, as most Chinese restaurants do; it is difficult to catch the eyes of waiters/waitresses.
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King - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The main attraction of the restaurant - all dishes at £3.50 each - is unfortunately gone! Won't be rushing to return anymore, time to revisit Chinatown for more authentic alternatives.
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me
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Alan Yau deserves some kind accolade from the Queen for his services to the restaurant industry in the UK and now the world. His Midas quality is plain to see from the communal phenomenon of Wagamama to the Michelin starred Hakkasan. The man put himself on the map, and we the masses are happy enough to be inspired or at least be fed by him.

Cha Cha Moon (If recited backwards, ‘moon cha cha’ means dazed and confused in Cantonese) has been feeding a large number of people in its refectory-like dining room since May this year. The location within chic Carnaby Street is a brilliant marketing exercise, close to the hustle and bustle of both Oxford and Regent streets whilst retaining a degree of calm and oasis on where it stands. Since it first opened, all the food dishes were priced at £3.50; no more and no less. At those prices, it would've been pathetic to dismiss or disembowel Yau’s then new venture. The quality and quantity of the dishes were quite simply reflected in the introductory prices. The noodle based one-dish meals were in essence cheaper and better tasting than a Big Mac meal at McDs.

Six months later only 25% of the food menu consists of dishes that are still priced at £3.50 and this is mainly found on the sides options. The Spring Rolls, lovingly described as containing cloud ear, carrot, Chinese chive, cabbage and dried shrimp- were at best mediocre, not too unlike the frozen variety that one buys from Oriental supermarkets. The Prawn Guotie (fried dumpling) was tasteless and over salty. For dumplings of this ilk you can’t beat the Cantonese with their Deep Fried Prawn Dumpling in Salad Sauce. Beef Ho Fun- this dish totally dumbfounded me. An all-Chinese crew as far as I could see manned the kitchen, sadly this dish tasted as if it was cooked by some long lost Phoenicians. It tasted slapdash and quite possibly formulated (that’s how the dishes at Wagamama ended up when it began to expand nationwide). The ironic thing with this dish was I thought the peppers that came with it were actually yummy. The final dish of Cod and Bitter Melon Glass Vermicelli tasted wholly experimental- the vermicelli was way under seasoned, the batter encasing the cod was a tad rancid and the poor bitter melon felt hopelessly lost in this dish.

Despite the findings of the above, Cha Cha Moon deserves a huge credit for not over inflating the prices, none of the main dishes costs more than £5.50 and no service charge imposed on small groups of diners. The service from the young staff I find eager and helpful. Do I come back, yes only when I’m in the vicinity and can’t be bothered to go to Chinatown instead.
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bellaphon
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, December 24, 2008