Written by Ray Hobbs
Chinese food is now one of the most popular cuisines that we can enjoy in the UK. And whilst there’s been a 46% rise in wok sales online as a result of people trying their hand at home, it’s still our nation’s Chinese restaurants that give us the best way to enjoy such delicious cuisine.
But seeing as China is such a huge and diverse nation, it’s also delivered a near-infinite range of specialities to try. So here’s a look at how Bristol’s top Chinese restaurants can give you a lesson in the wonders of Chinese food.
It’s perhaps Cantonese food that most of us in the UK will be most familiar with. And The Mayflower on Haymarket Walk in the centre of the city provides a fantastic way to reacquaint yourself with celebrated Cantonese dishes like sweet and sour pork and steamed ribs in black bean sauce.
What’s great about The Mayflower is that it’s often packed with Chinese locals which is surely a great sign that this restaurant is delivering traditional food of the highest quality.
But as people in the UK have grown familiar with these Cantonese classics, it’s also become evident that we’re starting to look for lesser known cuisines from the regions like Sichuan and Hunan.
This is where celebrated restaurants like Dynasty on St Thomas Street come in, as their menu includes delights like Peking-style hot and sour soup and crispy shredded beef Szechuan style.
And even if you don’t fancy walking through the impressive gateway that forms the entrance to Dynasty, then online delivery brands like Deliveroo offer instant access to a range of Chinese restaurants whose takeaway service will give you plenty of chance to practice your chopsticks skills.
However, no discussion of Chinese food in Bristol would be complete without a mention of Chilli Daddy. Not only has this stall become famous for being the first purveyor of Szechuan street food in the UK, but many of us have been introduced to the delights of lesser-known delicacies like Chicken Dan Dan Noodles and Pork Saozi Noodles as a result of this cost-effective food outlet.
So whether you’re having an extravagant evening at one of Bristol’s famous Chinese food emporiums, or are taking it easy at home thanks to the convenience of a Deliveroo Chinese meal, then we can all enjoy plenty more delicious Chinese dishes throughout 2017.
Image credits:
Flaming Wok: By KellyB. from Mandarin Restaurant [in Bountiful, Utah] (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Sweet and sour pork: By ProjectManhattan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Dan Dan Noodles: Kake via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
One aspect of eating out in Chinese restaurants in Bristol that complicates things is the discretionary discount granted by most establishments of between 10-40%. This goes some way to explain why Chinese locals can be found in some restaurants and not others. I only came to find out about it through a friend who is married to someone of Chinese ethnicity, suddenly explained why the menu prices are so high in some establishments and yet they are still filled most evenings.
Interesting, thanks for sharing, Ian – I’d not heard of this before!