Young Cheng

I fancy that our misguided Peter is reviewing an entirely different restaurant. This one has a small upstairs (20-24 small covers), a downstairs which I cannot say that I have visited, serves free soup and green tea with lunch (which costs between £5 & £7 and is written in Chinese on coloured paper on the inside walls), is popular with chinese folk (also malaysians as the menu leans that way) and a sprinkling of discerning blow ins from the four corners of the earth.

I am reliably informed by the elderly Chinese couple up from Clapham with whom I shared a table at lunch today, that this is about as authentic a Chinese meal as you are likely to have in the west end ergo its popularity with Chinese people! It has no buffet.
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Jon - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I'm sorry to see the negative reviews here.

Some of these reviews are not actually for the branch listed (Shaftesbury Ave) - they don't serve a buffet at Shaftesbury Ave - I personally avoid the buffet format in restaurants as the quality is usually lower and its a licence for overeating and waste.

I have been eating regularly at this Young Cheng for some years and it is a valuable bolt-hole in the rip off West End.

Now that I know a lot of the menu I have the advantage of knowing which things they are good at or I like and which I'm not too keen on I can't tell you what my favorite is as sometimes it runs out in the eves.

This branch is normally mobbed at dinner time so i wouldnt actually want to encourage you to visit it.. please stay away
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Paul G - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Thursday, February 21, 2008

Sorry: - We went in January, 08. Buffet menu sounded good. - But food aweful. - Virtually no meat, not warm.

Added service to bill, - what service on a self-service buffet?

I did not want to pay service, & they made an enourmous fuss: Wont be back!

Getting the impression that all Chinese restaurants in SoHo are a rip-off!?!
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Peter Austen
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Sunday, January 20, 2008

The outside menu seemed inviting, but when we sat down the waitress nonchantly presented with us with a different menu explaining that for free soup and rice each dish costs £8.90 and you have to order a minimum of 3 dishes, and you had to pay cash (cos these dishes were obviously too good for the tax man). I should have been shot for not walking out of the door there and then, but not wanting to make a scene and thinking that everyone else was ordering from the same menu and they seemed happy, we decided to go for it. What came out was nothing short of pure rubbish, the mustard greens was ok, but was not worth the asking price, the shredded pork and preserved turnip had too much cornflour, and the five spiced chicken had not a hint of the spice and instead was covered with some sort of Hoi sin sauce. It was like being given microwave fish and chips and touting it as being authentic. The next table was a group of foreigners and they paid by credit card. I ask the waitress why was this the case and it was then I found that they had the 'foreign menu' and Chinese customers get a 'special menu'. Seriously I feel that we got royally conned.
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H
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Thursday, October 18, 2007

This cheap and chaotic cafe is a hidden gem in the money sucking black hole that is the west end. Free soup at lunch should never be sniffed at! go for roast pork with rice or in noodle soup, or swallow your pride and point at something someone else is having. Very quick, so good for pre-theatre or cinema, and its open from six ish till pretty late, which is convenient. two thumbs up.
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claire
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Friday, September 29, 2006

Oh yes, this is a great place for your money. It is wonderful portion, and great food. for a fiver, you can't get better than here. Highly recommended for those who like me, hunting for a bargain. if you want to treat your client, never ever go there, they won't even step inside. It's for casual eating, not for formal or anniversary stuff. Service? well, what will you expect for your fiver? at least they are straight forward, and efficient. won't keep you waiting half an hour for your food. Basically, it's like a Chinese fast food shop. hehe, there you go.
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Cher - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, September 27, 2006

great cheap food, free tea and soup on occasion, great location for a quick pre or post theatre diner or when you've been to curzon soho. Go for roast pork or duck and rice or in soup noodles, and a bottle of tsingtao, which they are pretty good at serving up ice cold! Service is brisk but usually friendly, and you're not exactly encouraged to take your time, so not one for long romantic dinners. thumbs up.
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claire
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 10
Friday, September 15, 2006

We had luch menu with soup, main course and free green tea for around 5£ each. VERY good value!
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Han chan
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Monday, July 17, 2006

I have been to this restaurants a few times for dinner. The food is good, at reasonable price and with big portion. Although the service may not be excellent, the chinese food is authentic and delicious. I will recommend this restaurant to my colleagues and friends.
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Michelle Wong
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Thursday, February 16, 2006

I have been going here since 1996 and it has never failed to disappoint. Free soup at lunch and the best roast pork/roast duck in Chinatown. Staff are fairly friendly but still with the 'you sit there you share table' attitude. Food is fresh and not too oily and a good selection of greens and strange stuff (pig skin, fish heads,eels and liver). My new favourite which I saw someone eat and asked the waitress what it is - is Roast pork, wontons, bok choi and dry noodles. Not on the menu but Five quid. Amazing.

PS ask for the lunch menu at all times - this is where the best things lie.
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Cian
Thursday, November 03, 2005