Chi

As I was reminded the other day, desperation is a bad colour to wear.  So when I had a severe hankering for Chinese food combined with laziness meaning I wouldn’t go far, I didn’t have a choice.

I was fortunate though in that there was a place within acceptable circumference from my house that at least looked decent.

As in it wasn’t the usual Chinatown eatery where your feet would stick to the floor, you had the privilege of eating off paper tablecloths to be easily whisked away once you had finished things and you were not subject to muttered swearing in Cantonese under the waiters’ breath.

Yet, the obligatory prawn crackers at the start was something that I would have expected at cheap and cherry joints.  This place was not cheap but it remained to be seen if it was cheery.

Interesting notched square plates though.

Beef tenderloin in claypot.  Delightfully tender and full of flavour.  The beef tendons melted away leaving delightfully springy residue.  The sauce was thick, almost cloying but overridden by enough umami taste to make it worth while.  My only concern here was that it was a fairly small portion.

Crispy sea bass in sweet and sour sauce.  Rather radioactive colour.  Tart and crispy.  Although here, perhaps a bit too tart.  So maybe this was more than just faintly irradiated.  Only time will tell if I now glow in the dark.

Chicken fried rice.  Something fairly nondescript and ordinary here.  Strangely, it seemed that they had gone for chicken breasts rather than chicken thigh (that is where the taste is) here as other rice I have known would have always gone for the more tasty option.  No matter, I guess they have to cater for western tastes if they are marketing at western prices.

Chi wasn’t bad.  It just wasn’t really that good.  Although the beef was good, this fish led the spiral downhill.  When I got off the conveyeur belt at the end, having paid much more than I would have though I should bargain for, I was reminded of an undeniable fact.  Living in nice places mean you pay nice prices.  For sometimes not very nice things.

A quiet eating 7/10.

Dinner (2 course equivalent) was GBP35 excluding drinks and service.

Chi

71 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich,
London SE22 8EP