Dim Sum Duck
King's Cross, London
'The trick is to arrive half an hour before opening at noon or 5pm to stand a chance of getting a table immediately,’ advises a fan of this constantly rammed, pint-sized no-booking Chinese on King’s Cross Road. Queues come with the territory, but the manager handles things efficiently and the food more than makes up for any discomfort or inconvenience. Inside, the vibe is surprisingly smart and shabby-chic ('like some indie Chinese movie'), but service is warm and the sight of all those steaming baskets should surely pique your appetite. Regulars love the salt-and-pepper squid, the BBQ meats and even the special fried rice, but many other dishes have been mentioned in dispatches: the house cheung fun ‘in all their slippery, glutinous majesty’; the xiao long bao dumplings (‘pockets of soupy affirmation’); any of the classic steamed dim sum (preferably with some hot, tangy chilli oil on the side); and the fried prawn wontons – ‘a dazzling standout’ served with house-made salad cream (a soothing relic of 1980s Hong Kong). If you’re still curious and hungry, dip into the line-up of congees, noodles, peasant-style hotpots and other regional specialties such as stir-fried French beans with minced pork and chilli. Drink tea or a bottle of Cantonese lager.
