Imperial
City
Tel : 020 7626 3437 | Cornhill, EC3V 3LL | last visit : September 2005
Let's just forget about Ken Hom's
directorial role in this top table city Cantonese.
How much of a part he plays in running the place is quite frankly
irrelevant. The food and the service is exemplary, this is
exactly how all restaurants in the city should be. Smooth as silk
and totally professional, the staff never put a foot wrong from the
moment they greet you at the spiral starcase to the final presentation
of the bill. The room itself is set in the vaults underneath the
Royal Exchange and it's been left pretty much brick bare basic with
just a single ornate water feature in the entrance as a nod to oriental
kitsch. Once the menu arrives, the surroundings no longer
register. With somewhat conservative clientele round these parts,
there are certain dishes whose exclusion from the menu would cause
dismay and alot of empty tables. So, many of the familiar Canton
classics are here but, importantly, there's plenty of interest
interspersed amongst the mundane. A perfect example is the smoked
eel fillet, a dish that appears on at least one michelin starred menu
right now.
While this version may not be quite up to that standard, it was still a
treat of a starter. After the ubiquitous crispy duck (expertly
and deftly shredded at the table of course) the main dishes all add a
bit to a twist to their standard fare progenitors. So, we have
venison instead of chilli beef and razor clams to replace prawn
balls. The last major differentiator is the wine list, carefully
selected and pretty pricey, this is where the wallet gets a proper
workout. Somehow this place manages to extract serious sums yet
still leaves you smiling and happy (if economically battered).
Imperial City really is fit for a king, or at least a king size bank
balance.
Food 9/10
Service 10/10
Atmo 6/10
Vege 6/10
Alco 9/10
Total 80%