London’s high-end Chinese restaurant scene is about to get a new power player, in the form of 3 Gorges.
It’s named after the trio of picturesque canyons that meet in the central reaches of the Yangtze River, and not (we assume) after the gargantuan hydroelectric power station of the same name – although it is generating some serious buzz.
Why? Because the man at the helm is Chef Qian, who sone of the most experienced and revered Chinese chefs in the city, having taken stints at places like Hakkasan (during its Michelin Starred heyday) and Mimi Mei Fair.
3 Gorges is going to be in Fitzrovia, taking over the space left behind by a small family restaurant named Trattoria Mondello – it’s a compact but characterful space right on Goodge Street, and it’s got a column of tables flanked on its wings by two rows beautiful curved alcoves holding booths. Hopefully, that makes a nice dining canvas for the designer they let loos on the place.
It’s tasting menus only, starting with a £69pp six courser, with dishes like crispy soft shell crab with almond; spare ribs with sour plum; crispy noodles with prawns; baby pumpkin fried rice; braised beef shank with mala sauce; and something called peach gum duck soup (which involves slow-cooked duck and a natural resin that forms on peach trees).
If you really want to push the boat out? Then chef Qian will basically channel the spirit of an imperial banquet, with a ‘luxury set menu’ that involves the likes of wine sauce Spanish red prawns; premium Budda Jump Over The Wall; cheese lobster & black truffle king crab noodles; and caviar Beijing duck.
Hydroelectric plant or not, it sounds like it’ll be worth a dam.
NOTE: 3 Gorges is set to open in late February. We’ll be back then with the full scoop. In the meantime you can keep an eye on the 3 Gorges website.
PREVIOUS PERK: Nudge Members (+1) had their own secret soft launch, with 50% off the food bill from 27th February until 13th March.
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3 Gorges | 36 Goodge Street, W1T 2QN
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