I don’t usually write about my hometown food, but this time it’s deserved. The last time I ate jellyfish was in Nha Trang, Vietnam. What a discovery that was. Last night I rediscovered it in the dark and gloomy depths of Walworth Road, south London, right by the lyrically named but distinctively ugly Elephant & Castle. So this flashy new-ish Chinese restaurant is called Dragon Castle. It’s by far the best I’ve ever sampled in London. How many slimey. tasteless meals have I had thrown at me by surly waiters probably on slave-wages in our so-called Chinatown i.e. Gerrard St environs? This was something else. Here’s the Seasoned jellyfish with cucumber salad - quite delectable.
Then came more epicurian stuff in the form of Double cooked pork with garlic, pepper and Chinese cabbage - a total wow. Exquisite balance of textures, gently spicey - and hugely generous. I’m salivating as I’m uploading the picture… this is seriously inspiring stuff.
As my companion and I were en route to see a film at the newly revamped British Film Institute, we merely added on to our order an absolutely out-of-this-world Aubergine braised with Sea Spice sauce. Never have I enjoyed aubergine so much before; it had somehow been transformed into another food entirely and slipped down exquisitely with the steamed rice served in a bamboo tub. By then it was time to go - we were running late of course.
And so we missed the film - but with time to kill discovered a very funky new bar / restaurant hidden at the back of the BFI (picture below). Don’t miss it - and above all don’t miss the Dragon & Castle.
Wunderbar.
I am impressed - We must get the punters in now. Having been your companion for the evening I now find myself startled at how your writing-up on it elevates the evening to new levels even in my experience. This is of course what we need the blog readers to get hooked on.
Opening re-write is v good.
See you later.
Comment by c on September 28, 2007 @ 11:15 amCx