Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 40 and Version 1 of Dragon Castle, SE17 1JL

Version 40 Version 1
== Line 0 == == Line 0 ==
Chinese restaurant on Walworth Road near [[Elephant and Castle Station]] (they have another branch, [[Dragon Inn, SE1 5TY|Dragon Inn]], on the [[Locale Old Kent Road|Old Kent Road]]).
 Large Chinese restaurant near [[Elephant and Castle Station]], apparently very good. Dos Hermanos point out that there's a "secret" menu that you only get if you ask for it, very odd. Dim sum served lunchtimes, not sure about evenings.
== Line 2 == == Line 2 ==
The huge traditional studded door sets it apart from the rest of the buildings in the area; entry, however, is actually accomplished via the slightly less imposing glass doors set on either side of it. The (fairly large) main seating area is mostly filled with small tables, but larger parties can be accommodated on the raised section at the back of the room.
 Other reviews:
* [http://majbros.blogspot.com/2006/05/dragon-castle-surprisingly-good-south.html Dos Hermanos]
* [http://campion.thisislondon.co.uk/2007/06/dragon_castle_s.html Charles Campion]
* Time Out: [http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/8924.html 2006 review], [http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/9308.html 2007 review]
== Line 4 == == Line 7 ==
They serve dim sum until 5pm. [http://www.chowhound.com/topics/524874 According to Ian Fenn on Chowhound], the original dim sum chef left at the end of May 2008 and was replaced by someone else. The dim sum menu also changed slightly; see <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/sets/72157618573050068/detail/ Kake's photos of the dim sum menu as of May 2009]</small>.

[[Kake]], [[Bob]], and [[Nick]] have been here for dim sum several times, in various combinations. Most of our visits occurred prior to the change of chef/menu, and some of the dishes we enjoyed then are no longer on the menu (the curried whelks, for example). Others remain on the menu; venison teriyaki, which on our late 2007 visit was lovely and tender, and the deep-fried frogs legs, which on the same visit had lovely crisp, ungreasy batter, and a very tender interior. See <small>[http://flickr.com/photos/rjw1/sets/72157603194691251/ Bob's November 2007 photos of the dim sum]</small>.

[[elvum]] and friends visited for a dim sum lunch in July 2008, a couple of months after the change of chef, and found the food to be still excellent. Chicken, turnip and peanut dumplings were delightful, and the steamed buns with roast pork as close to perfection as [[elvum]] has ever come across. The final bill was &pound;11 per head.

[[Kake]]'s most recent dim sum visit was in May 2009, and was a little disappointing. Neither Shanghai-style pork buns (&pound;2.10) nor Shanghai-style crabmeat dumplings (&pound;2.80) contained any soup (despite being listed on the menu with the Chinese characters for "xiao long bao", or soup dumplings), and the topknots on the wrappers were rather thick. Grilled cheung fun with XO sauce (&pound;3.20) were unnecessarily greasy. Scallop cheung fun (&pound;3.30) were better, though they would have been better still if they'd included the fresh coriander they used to have when we first started coming here. Har gao (&pound;2.60) and grilled turnip cakes (&pound;2.10) were fine.

On the brighter side, the grilled pork dumplings (2.10) were flavourful and juicy, and the roast pork pastries (&pound;2.10) were well-filled and had decent pastry. Perhaps the highlight for [[Kake]] was the prawn and Chinese chive steamed dumplings (&pound;2.30); good wrappers that were thin yet resilient, and a well-flavoured and well-balanced filling. Our final bill for the three of us, including service, was &pound;13/head for a total of 13 dishes plus tea all round.

We've also been for dinner, but only once; [[Kake]] and [[doop]] visited on a Monday night in August 2007. The menu had an impressive range, from the usual Chinese restaurant staples right up to chilli frog's legs and shark's fin soup. We started with pork dumplings, which were very well done and tasted extremely fresh, and scallop sashimi, which included an ingenious little leaf of coriander that exactly complemented the taste of the scallop. Moving on to main courses, the sea-spiced aubergine main course was tasty (somewhat on the greasy side according to doop, but just fine and only to be expected for this dish according to Kake), and the home-made-style tofu was very good and served with perfectly stir-fried vegetables. The poached eel, however, was composed of little mouthfuls of erotic bliss: it's really hard to exaggerate just how amazingly good it was. The service was friendly, and very attentive indeed, without getting in the way.

[[Kake]]'s verdict: My latest dim sum visit (May 2009) was slightly disappointing in relation to glories past, but on the basis of food, service, and ambience, this is still an excellent option for the area. I'd like to try the evening food again some time.

See also:
* [http://majbros.blogspot.com/2006/05/dragon-castle-surprisingly-good-south.html Dos Hermanos review]
* [http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/jayrayner/story/0,,1805452,00.html Jay Rayner's review]
* [http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/10798.html Time Out review]
* [http://www.london-eating.co.uk/28958.htm London Eating comments]
* [http://www.chowhound.com/topics/520651 Chowhound thread]
* [http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/580168 Another Chowhound thread]
* [http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/884566 Yet another Chowhound thread]
* [http://genuiness.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/dragon-castle-review/ gen.u.ine.ness review]
* [http://genuiness.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/dragon-castle-2nd-visit-review/ Another gen.u.ine.ness review]
* [http://www.randomwire.com/2008/02/03/dim-sum-musings/ Randomwire review]
* [http://www.qype.co.uk/place/69823 Qype comments]
* [http://www.tehbus.com/2009/02/eat-chinese-dragon-castle-elephant-and.html Tehbus' review]
* [http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.com/2009/11/dragon-castle-elephant-and-castle.html Cheese And Biscuits review]
* [http://rwapplewannabe.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/dragon-castle-elephant-castle/ An American In London review]
* [http://www.foodbymark.com/2009/11/25/dragon-castle-elephant-castle-london/ Food By Mark review]
* [http://buzzarfood.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/all-hail-the-dragon-castle/ Food Fight review]
* [http://www.rocketandsquash.com/dragon-castle/ Rocket &amp; Squash review]
* [http://theskinnybib.com/2011/02/08/the-london-dim-sum-binge-continues/ The Skinny Bib review]

<div class="getting_here"><b>Getting here:</b> The area has become less confusing since the subways under the southern roundabout closed. If you're coming on the tube, it's best to leave using the Northern Line exit, orientate yourself using the maps on the bus stops, and then stay above ground. Alternatively, a No. 12 bus will take you from central London to a stop opposite.</div>

<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]] and friends, 20 May 2009. Opening hours taken from a business card on an August 2007 visit.</div>

 <div class="last_verified">Opening hours taken from the 2007 Time Out review.</div>
== Line 43 == == Line 9 ==
category='Chinese Food,Dim Sum,Featured Article,Restaurants'
edit_type='Minor tidying'
 category='Chinese Food,Dim Sum,Restaurants,Take Kake Here'
edit_type='Normal edit'
== Line 46 == == Line 12 ==
formatted_website_text='eu/">dragoncastle.eu'
host='81.187.166.218'
hours_text='noon-11pm Mon-Sat; 11.30am-10pm Sun and Bank Holidays'
 formatted_website_text='www.dragoncastle.co.uk/">http://www.dragoncastle.co.uk/ '
host='217.147.80.147'
hours_text='noon-11pm Mon-Thu; noon-11.30pm Fri-Sat; 11.30am-10.30pm Sun'
== Line 52 == == Line 19 ==
major_change='0'
 major_change='1'
== Line 54 == == Line 21 ==
node_image='https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1043/1257817833_e39e931546_m_d.jpg'
node_image_copyright='Kake'
node_image_licence='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/'
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/1257817833/'
opening_hours_text='noon-11pm Mon-Sat; 11.30am-10pm Sun and Bank Holidays'
 opening_hours_text='noon-11pm Mon-Thu; noon-11.30pm Fri-Sat; 11.30am-10.30pm Sun'
== Line 61 == == Line 24 ==
phone='020 7277 3388'
 phone='020 7277 3388 '
== Line 63 == == Line 26 ==
summary='Rather good Chinese restaurant near Elephant and Castle station.'
website='http://www.dragoncastle.co.uk/' website='http://dragoncastle.eu/'		 summary='Chinese restaurant near Elephant and Castle, apparently very good.'
website='http://www.dragoncastle.co.uk/' website='http://dragoncastle.eu/'

Large Chinese restaurant near Elephant and Castle Station, apparently very good. Dos Hermanos point out that there's a "secret" menu that you only get if you ask for it, very odd. Dim sum served lunchtimes, not sure about evenings.

Other reviews:

Opening hours taken from the 2007 Time Out review.

List all versions