Re: The Laurate - for Chef in HK.

> i don't recall a restaurant on lisle street called Chinatown, do you mean
> HongKong on lisle street?

No, Chinatown, it doesn't have a shopfront as such -looks like double
garage doors opened up which lead into a small courtyard with a mini
fountain.  It's opened by the same brothers (or one of them at least)
who opened GarLayWah in the 80's (one of the better sil choi
restaurants at the time) before they went mainstream and opened China
China amongst others dotted around C/town.

> there's been a few more dimsum/chinese restaurants opening up over the
last
> few years, all on the more up market side. The best example is
Yau'yatcha
> sister rest. to hakkasan but someone i know got invited to one called
> PingPong(i laughed when i heard the name), they were served dimsum at
> night/dinner, some very unconventional ones like duck dumpling? i just
shook
> my head saying oh no! ; ) not traditional! Hahahaa. i also found this
> http://www.shanghaiblues.co.uk/
 in holborn. It looks like they're
trying to
> copy yau'yatcha by the prices & dishes like salmon dumplings with
> goldflakes. the website says the headchef is from China though.

Haven't been to Yauatcha so I can't comment.  I have been to Weng Wah
House though in Belsize Park, who I think are the people behind
Shanghai Blues.  Personally, I think Chinese food in the UK has a
ceiling level to which the price doesn't always reflect the quality as
there's not the market for it.  Anyone tried China Tang?  I heard mix
reviews about the place and a amusing commentary of their opening bash
by Michael Winner. 

Chef!