Dragon Castle

I've been here a few times now and can honestly say its a top notch Chinese restaurant. And I'm not normally a fan of Chinese food (too greasy for me) so it was with a slight feeling of trepidation that I went there last year as a guinea pig to see if it would be any good for a work Christmas party. (It was, and it was enjoyed by all)

Their daytime menu includes dim-sum, which I have yet to try, but is apparently pretty darn good. In the evening you can order a la carte or they have an extensive range of set menus. Last time I was there I had the 22.50 menu and very nearly ruptured my stomach trying to cram it all in.

All the usual suspects appear on the menu, king prawn kung po, chicken with cashew nuts, chilli shredded beef, as well as some more obscure (and in my opinion, scary!) seafood and meat dishes.

The roasted duck is melt-in-the-mouth delicious and the best I've ever tasted, and with not a single bit of fat or grease or gristle. They shred it at your table and you're practically drooling by the time they let you at it.

The dishes seem expensive but thats because its all too easy to compare prices with the local back-street take-away and forget that this is a restaurant! I couldn't help but grumble at first but I soon realised they'd used quality ingredients and invested time, thought and effort into the preparation of each dish. Add this to the elegant dining area and good service and I think you've got good value.

There's an extensive wine list and whilst I'm no wine connoisseur I can say that very much enjoyed the bottle of third-least-expensive wine which we selected. Draught and bottled beer is available, and a full selection of spirits for any aperitif you might fancy.

It is in an odd area but not far from Elephant and Castle tube, and this area is undergoing huge regeneration at present. This doesn't seem to have hindered its popularity.

I don't know if I'd suggest hiking over here from, say, Cricklewood or Richmond - but if you're not a million miles away and fancy a nice sit-down Chinese dinner without the bustle and brisk service you get in Chinatown then give Dragon Castle a whirl.