So the weather has taken a turn for the worse, everyone has got the sniffles, and my bank balance has taken a smack in the face due to my increased heating bills (which hurts more when you're on an electric meter and you don't have central heating!)
I hate the cold weather for many things...I don't seem to socialise as much and work seems to drag but at least trash tv has got better and you have an excuse to sit in and munch on takeaways with your friends.
The Mayflower is a vibrant and buzzing restaurant in the centre of the city that provides authentic and tasty Cantonese food. Don't be put off by its location next to the dreaded Bear Pit. Venture down the grimy, smelly stairs and you'll find the Mayflower shining out like a golden nugget in the grey dankness of the pedestrian tunnels.You may even smell it before you see it....and that's a good thing! You'll want to race home with your pile of foil wrapped boxes and devour its insides!
The restaurant itself is warm and inviting with friendly staff that are knowledgeable and helpful with regards to the menu. It's a bonus to see how many Cantonese choose to eat at the restaurant as proof of its authenticity ,however this Saturday was not one to eat out but an excuse for me to sit in front of X-Factor and stuff my face (very sad I know!)
The Won Ton soup is amazing! I didn't get much of a chance to eat any as my friend wolfed down all the dumplings before I even had a chance to get the plates out. The chicken and sweetcorn soup is lovely in consistency with no scrimping on either of the main ingredients. Our pork chow mein was ungreasy and our takeaway box filled to the brim...as was our chili crispy beef. My only disappointment was the sweet and sour chicken balls. I can be quite particular about my balls (as it were!) Due to the fact that I always feel like such a fat pig by the time I'm onto my fourth, they are always my 'naughty' treat on the menu, and I like them crispy with a good mouthful of chicken. Unfortunately these were not my favourite. The batter felt heavy and soggy and on occasion I only got to the chicken on the second bite.This could just be me being overzealous as my friend ate the whole lot but personally, I wouldn't say they were the best.
Right then, enough talk of balls! Next stop is to eat in the restaurant. With an authentic Chinese menu (which you will need help translating!) along with its Anglicized version, there is lots of tasty treats still to explore at this little gem of a restaurant. read more