Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 8 and Version 4 of Sanxia Renjia, W1T 2PP

Version 8 Version 4
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They have two menus, one with the familiar Anglicised dishes and another with regional Chinese specialities including Sichuan and Hunan food. When we first visited in June 2010, the latter menu was only available in Chinese, but as of March 2011 it's fully translated and even illustrated. They do [[Category Hotpot|Chinese hotpot/steamboat]] as well <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellaphon/6433379521/ photo of ticksheet]</small>.
[[Kake]] visited on a weekday lunchtime in June 2010. There were only a couple of other customers in. Background music was playing, rather repetitive, but not too loud.
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On [[Kake]]'s weekday lunchtime visit in June 2010, there were only a couple of other customers in. Background music was playing, rather repetitive, but not too loud. Service was very friendly and helpful.
They have two menus; an English one and a Chinese-only one. I didn't look at the English menu because I'd already decided I wanted to try ordering from the Chinese one, which includes a number of Sichuan and other regional specialties &#8212; my translations of this are on Flickr: <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4694274006/ cold dishes/appetisers]</small>, <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4693643515/ hot dishes 1]</small>, <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4693645713/ hot dishes 2]</small>, <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4693648893/ lunch specials]</small>.
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From the lunch menu, sea-spicy shredded pork with rice (&#39770;&#39321;&#32905;&#32114;&#39151;/y&uacute; xi&#257;ng r&ograve;u s&#299; f&agrave;n; &pound;6) wasn't bad at all, with plenty of chilli heat. The rice was good, not mushy in the slightest, and of the perfect texture for picking up with chopsticks (in my experience of Chinese restaurants in London, this is rarer than it should be). I also had a cold dish from the regional Chinese menu: tiger salad (&#32769;&#34382;&#33756;/l&#462;o h&#468; c&agrave;i; &pound;6.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4694333972/ photo]</small>. This was really rather good &#8212; a very spicy yet well-balanced salad of shredded green vegetables, chillies, fresh coriander, and thin, firm tofu strips.
From the lunch section of the menu, I ordered &#39770;&#39321;&#32905;&#32114;&#39151; (y&uacute; xi&#257;ng r&ograve;u s&#299; f&agrave;n, or fish-fragrant shredded pork with rice; &pound;6); this wasn't bad at all, with plenty of chilli heat. The rice was good, not mushy in the slightest, and of the perfect texture for picking up with chopsticks (in my experience of Chinese restaurants in London, this is rarer than it should be).
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[[Kake]], [[Sarah]], [[Ewan]], and Alice paid another visit on a Monday evening in March 2011. There were a fair few people in, but no trouble finding us a table. We ordered from the regional Chinese menu, and our waitress was careful to make sure that we understood which dishes were served cold, and which were on the spicy side.
I was also intrigued by a dish on the main part of the menu &#8212; &#32769;&#34382;&#33756; (l&#462;o h&#468; c&agrave;i, or tiger salad; &pound;6.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4694333972/ photo]</small>. I have a feeling that they don't usually offer this menu at lunchtime, but my waitress was pleased by my interest in the dish and offered to ask the kitchen if they'd do it for me anyway. It turned out to be really rather good &#8212; a very spicy yet well-balanced salad of shredded green vegetables, chillies, fresh coriander, and thin, firm tofu strips.
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Jellyfish with shredded chicken (&#28023;&#34567;&#38622;&#32114;/h&#462;i xi&#257;n j&#299; s&#299;; &pound;6.90) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/5560427229/ photo]</small> was good, as was shredded kelp (&#28092;&#25292;&#28023;&#24118;&#32114;/li&aacute;ng b&agrave;n h&#462;i d&agrave;i s&#299;; &pound;4.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/5551350198/ photo]</small>. Tiger salad (&#32769;&#34382;&#33756;/l&#462;o h&#468; c&agrave;i; &pound;5.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/5552493133/ photo]</small>, now translated as "mixed vegetables (cold dish)", wasn't quite as good as on the previous visit, being a little too salty, though still the best [[Kake]] has had in London.
Service was very friendly and helpful.
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Mao's braised pork (&#27611;&#23478;&#32005;&#29138;&#32905;/m&aacute;o ji&#257; h&oacute;ng sh&#257;o r&ograve;u; &pound;9.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/5553344001/ photo]</small> was well-flavoured and had a nice balance of meat to fat. [[Ewan]] thought this was really very tasty. Deep fried beef with cumin (&#23388;&#28982;&#29275;&#32905;/z&#299; r&aacute; ni&uacute; r&ograve;u; &pound;9.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/5553380155/ photo]</small> had plenty of chilli heat; [[Kake]] was quite keen on this one.

Steamed rice was fine, as before. Their rice pricing is a little confusing; we ordered three portions of rice to share between the four of us, and received a communal portion that would have been enough for two people at most. We had to ask for rice bowls (they'd given us large flat plates instead), and were only brought three to start with. When we asked for more rice, the serving dish was refilled from a rice cooker at the side of the dining room. Our bill included "steamed rice x 3". Perhaps it's priced per person but refills are free?

They are licensed; we had a bottle of white wine (&pound;15.80) which was fine. They also have KTV (karaoke) rooms if that's your thing.

[[Kake]]'s verdict: I liked this place last time, and I liked it this time too. The atmosphere is quite basic, but the food is good and the central location is convenient. Portions of some of the dishes are perhaps a little smaller than elsewhere, but not to the point of being a rip-off.

== Line 24 ==
* [http://bellaphon.blogspot.com/2011/12/sanxia-renjia.html Bellaphon's review]
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* [http://pickyglutton.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/san-xia-ren-jia-review-mouth-numbing-spiciness/ Picky Glutton review]
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<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], [[Sarah]], [[Ewan]], and Alice, March 2011. Opening hours taken from the Sanxia Renjia website, April 2011.</div>
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], June 2010.</div>
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category='Chinese Food,Hotpot,Restaurants,Sichuan Food,Takeaway'
edit_type='Normal edit'
category='Chinese Food,Restaurants,Sichuan Food,Takeaway'
edit_type='Minor tidying'
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formatted_website_text='http://www.sanxia.co...'
host='81.187.166.218'
hours_text='11:30am-11pm Mon-Wed; 11:30am-11:30pm Thu-Sat; noon-10pm Sun'
formatted_website_text=''
host='81.2.102.215'
hours_text=''
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major_change='1'
major_change='0'
== Line 45 == == Line 35 ==
opening_hours_text='11:30am-11pm Mon-Wed; 11:30am-11:30pm Thu-Sat; noon-10pm Sun'
opening_hours_text=''
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phone='020 7636 7688'
phone=''
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summary='Small Chinese restaurant on Goodge Street in Fitzrovia, offering Sichuan and other regional specialties.' summary='Small Chinese restaurant on Goodge Street in Fitzrovia, offering Sichuan, Hunan, and other regional specialties.'
website='http://www.sanxia.co.uk/'
summary='Small Chinese restaurant on Goodge Street in Fitzrovia, offering Sichuan and other regional specialties.' website='http://www.sanxia.co.uk/'

Small Chinese restaurant on Goodge Street in Fitzrovia, the new occupant of the premises most recently vacated by Miga. Its name is a direct transliteration of the Chinese: Sānxiá Rénjiā (三峽人家).

Kake visited on a weekday lunchtime in June 2010. There were only a couple of other customers in. Background music was playing, rather repetitive, but not too loud.

They have two menus; an English one and a Chinese-only one. I didn't look at the English menu because I'd already decided I wanted to try ordering from the Chinese one, which includes a number of Sichuan and other regional specialties — my translations of this are on Flickr: cold dishes/appetisers, hot dishes 1, hot dishes 2, lunch specials.

From the lunch section of the menu, I ordered 魚香肉絲飯 (yú xiāng ròu sī fàn, or fish-fragrant shredded pork with rice; £6); this wasn't bad at all, with plenty of chilli heat. The rice was good, not mushy in the slightest, and of the perfect texture for picking up with chopsticks (in my experience of Chinese restaurants in London, this is rarer than it should be).

I was also intrigued by a dish on the main part of the menu — 老虎菜 (lǎo hǔ cài, or tiger salad; £6.50) photo. I have a feeling that they don't usually offer this menu at lunchtime, but my waitress was pleased by my interest in the dish and offered to ask the kitchen if they'd do it for me anyway. It turned out to be really rather good — a very spicy yet well-balanced salad of shredded green vegetables, chillies, fresh coriander, and thin, firm tofu strips.

Service was very friendly and helpful.

Accessibility: A shallow step up to get in. Toilets are down a flight of stairs in the basement.

See also:

Last visited by Kake, June 2010.

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