I don't know about you but I rushed out to buy Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love once I heard all the hype about it (Hillary Clinton said she loved it). I read the book and felt nothing other than disappointment. There were no life affirming moments or life changing insights. Aside from mildly interesting anecdotes from exotic locations (Italy, India and Bali) there really wasn't anything more meaningful (certainly not in my humble opinion anyway) to inspire me. Besides Elizabeth didn't really take a year out to find herself following divorce and depression. She took a year out to write a book (which someone else funded) about finding herself, and to me there is an enormous emotional difference between those two experiences.
I even gave it another chance by watching the movie, hoping that with a little Hollywood magic and a decent cast (I'm a big fan of Javier Bardem and Julia Roberts) I would be moved. But alas, even Javier couldn't save this movie. I felt nothing. So instead of Eat, Pray, Love, I decided I'm just going to go off on my own folly (without having to quit a job and take a year off from my life) to Eat, Drink and Drink some more.
Where to begin this folly on a rainy Sunday in London? Well, why not in the West End and in the good old comfort of yum cha (or dim sum as its more widely known). For those of you who don't know "dim sum" is a Cantonese term for a type of Chinese dish that involves small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate. Going for dim sum is usually known in Cantonese as going to drink tea (yum cha). My friends and family back in Australia have always called it yum cha, so it's always yum cha to me. Basically it's the chinese version of tapas (small tasting dishes) with bottomless cups of tea (or in my case today, lychee martinis but we'll get to that part later).
A little lesson in dim sum etiquette: it is customary and polite during dim sum to pour tea for others before filling one's own cup. To thank the person pouring your tea you tap your bent index finger (if you are single) or both the index and middle finger (if you are married), which symbolises 'bowing' to them. It doesn't seem to matter which hand you use to tap so use the one convenient. I am not entirely sure as to the origin of this gesture but according to legend it dates back to the Qing dynasty (circa 1644-1911 AD). This story has also been told to me by a dear friend during yum cha in Oxford many many moons ago so I am going to repeat it here: once upon a time there was an Emperor who liked to venture out to see his people. He would often leave the palace in disguise so he could travel unnoticed. While travelling with his companions on one trip, they stopped for tea. The Emperor poured his companion some tea, which was a great honor. The companion, not wanting to give away the Emperor's identity in public by bowing (as is custom to bow before the Emperor), instead tapped his index and middle finger on the table as a sign of appreciation. And so the tea pouring/finger tapping tradition started.
I do miss yum cha back home. It's not quite the same here ordering your food from a little menu card you tick with a pen and hand to your waiter. There's something quite special and fun about having trolleys packed with different offerings being wheeled to you at your table at various times to tempt you, tease you and generally make you eat far more than you should. Anyway enough said, I live in London now so I've built a bridge and gotten over it.
I've tried a few places across London and a few in Chinatown so am always up for trying somewhere new. On the recommendation of a girlfriend, I went to Imperial China (25a Lisle Street, London, London WC2H 7BA). On arrival the entrance doesn't look like anything special but don't let that fool you, as once you step inside it's like a tardis. Down a small pathway, cross a bridge over a pond with carp (an instant hit with kids I suspect) and you're into a simply decorated modern spacious restaurant. It offers all the typical dim sum dishes and it all arrives promptly. It's a great place for a family dim sum as it's more spacious than most chinese restaurants I've been to which makes it easier for prams, it isn't as noisy and bustly which allows you to talk to each other and be heard and also allows children some space to run around (and go a see the fish). It also has very clean toilets (all important for little ones). The food was good but not outstanding and the service was perfectly adequate.
For some reason, it was one of those days when we decided it was a good idea to drink at lunch. I don't do it that often (children in tow, responsibilities and all that jazz) but being child-less today, my arm was easily twisted. Some would recommend a riesling, a sauvignon blanc or even a gewurztraminer with asian cuisine, but for us, bring on lychee martinis. The waitress didn't even flinch when we ordered one which impressed me (it was 12.05pm), though by the time they delivered our third martini there were a few wry smiles from the waiting staff. Anyway, nice place and nice food so I'll be back with the kids next time.
So far, Eat (tick), Drink (tick) and whereto for next drink...? the new chic and cool W Hotel just around the corner of course (10 Wardour Street, Leicester Square, London, W1D 6QF).
As one walks through the shiny new entrance, one can't help but notice the vast number of disco balls suspended from the ceiling which perhaps appeal when one has had a couple of drinks under one's belt but in the foyer? That said, the W Lounge has a bright slick contemporary feel, is well designed with large comfy lounges and spectacular glass column fireplaces scattered throughout the space. Visually very appealing. We ordered lychee martinis and waited for our drinks. We waited. And waited some more (mind you when we arrived we were the only customers in the Lounge). 10 minutes and one tiny empty nut bowl later, our drinks arrived. Hooray! Well kind of. When the waiter put our drinks down, I noticed a blackberry floating in my drink. I questioned the waiter as to why this was the case given that I ordered a lychee martini to which he replied (god bless him) "we make it with blackberry here". I was gobsmacked but hey you only live once so why not take a sip. Oh. So. No. So Wrong.
Here's cocktail lesson no.1 on How to make a Lychee Martini:
- 150ml vodka (the posher the vodka the better it tastes)
- 4 lychees in syrup
- lots of crushed ice
- splash of vermouth
Assuming you're not drinking alone, place 1 lychee (either au naturale or poked through with a toothpick depending on your whim) into each cocktail glass (which can be cooled in the fridge beforehand). Put the remaining lychees into a cocktail shaker, along with a good handful of crushed ice, a splash of the lychee syrup from the can, add vodka and a splash of vermouth. Shake the shaker vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into the cocktail glasses and serve with a broad cheeky smile. Job done.
Nowhere in the recipe is there a blackberry! Hello, if the resident mixologist (apparently that's what bartenders/cocktail makers are called these days) cannot make a lychee martini then please tell me and allow me the courtesy to order something else. Please don't make something else, throw in a blackberry and tell me it's your twist on a lychee martini. It's not. It's just you making me a really bad drink I didn't want. The waiter recoiled with our blackberry drinks and we ordered another cocktail off their cocktail list. Much better result. However a mixologist who can only stick to the script is frankly a tad bit dull. I can't quite believe I got a better lychee martini in a chinese restaurant than a cocktail bar? Life is strange. Still, it's a lovely place to have an expensive drink (15% surcharge on top of the drink price). I won't be going back in a hurry unless I'm going to the theatre and pop by for a pre/post-theatre drink. W Lounge's saving grace is its location, it's smack bang in the West End and it's a swanky place to bring a girl (if you want to impress her) for a drink. Just don't order a drink that is not on their drinks list.
Imperial China
Food (3.5/5) Service (4/5) Ambience (4/5). Overall Michelle star rating 3.5 out of 5.
W Lounge, W Hotel
Drink (2/5) Service (2/5) Ambience (4/5). Overall Michelle star rating 3 out of 5.
