Restaurants: Hunan, London

Hunan is a remarkable restaurant. It’s been a Pimlico institution since 1982, and is widely regarded to be one of the best Chinese restaurants in London (or anywhere?). I lunched here recently with a small group, and came away thrilled with the food.

The thing about Hunan is that you don’t get to choose. Specify any dietary issues, and indicate whether or not you like things to get very spicy, and that’s it. The dishes just keep coming. There’s no real description and the bill isn’t itemised, but I did get a copy of the pass showing the food we had as a group of six. Personally, I really like not having to choose. Leave yourself in the hands of the professionals and let them decide.

The wine list is a really good one. It’s modern and Liberty-heavy, but with a lot of interesting bottles. It’s on the expensive side, but this isn’t a place you come for cheap eats. It’s on the Hunan website https://www.hunanlondon.com/pdf/HUNAN_WINE_LIST.pdf

For a large tasting menu (we had 16 dishes) this isn’t too pricey by modern London standards, with lunch £60 and dinner £100 per head. For a special treat, I’d be back again, because it’s a deeply impressive gastronomic experience.

Website: www.hunanlondon.com