Tip: This place served authentic dim sum. Sadly, this location has shuttered for good, but there…read moreare other locations to enjoy good Chinese dim sum.
On my first full day in London, in December 2013, my goal was to get to M&M's World. I was on a mission to visit every M&M's World in, um, the world. I had London first, followed by Shanghai at the time.
A female staffer at the Piccadilly Circus underground station was great directing me to get to M&M's World by foot.
Along the way, a Russian man approached me and asked this question:
"Chinatown?"
I'm a tourist. I barely know how to get to M&M's World. I didn't know.
Well, after having my first visit to this beloved store, I walked around Soho. I saw lanterns above me. I was in Chinatown.
I could now answer Russian guy's question!
I spotted this eatery. I took a chance on Jade Garden, as I was hungry.
I walked in. A friendly woman greeted me. It was me wanting a late lunch. She immediately seated me at a table.
She asked me if I had a tea preference. I asked if she had jasmine tea. She did. I got a pot of it. It was so fragrant and perfect for a December afternoon.
I got a pink piece of paper with dim sum items and more, and a pen. I love dim sum and went to town ordering a few dishes.
I got these items:
- Har gow (4)
- Siu mai (3)
- Barbeque pork rice rolls (3)
- Sticky rice bundles (2)
- Steamed pork dumplings (3)
It didn't take long for my dishes to arrive.
I tried a har gow first. My first thought was how yummy it was. It had a lot of shrimp in each one.
I then had a siu mai. So good! It had a ton of filling.
I remember alternating eating from these two steamers and how happy I was to be eating authentic dim sum.
The barbeque pork rice rolls were excellent. This place was generous with the barbeque pork that you got in each rice roll. It had the best sauce that I poured on top of each roll.
I loved the sticky rice bundles. Sticky rice screams comfort food when it's steamed in leaves and I unwrap them. The rice was steamed perfectly. Each bundle had a generous amount of filling. This place does barbeque pork so well and it was highlighted in these sticky rice bundles.
The steamed pork dumplings were amazing. Each one was stuffed with pork, chives, peanuts, and more. The wrapper on each dumpling was perfect.
I'm salivating. I remember being here like it was last week!
I paid with a credit card. I tipped. Done!
I used the women's washroom before I left. It was clean. The door was short, so I could see everything in front of me when I stood up in the stall that I was using... haha!
I was sad to learn that this location has closed permanently. However, there are other Jade Garden locations in the city. I hope to visit one of them whenever I return to London.
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