Bull in a China Shop - London

Food was good here. Service, I would describe as ‘chipper’ and not in a good way. We made a same day online booking via this Google listing. On arrival we were immediately told off by the waiter for doing this. “What’s the point?” he says. I would normally let this slide but as I’ll go into later, it created problems afterwards. The waiter checks his paper list of bookings and it seems we aren’t on the list, but at least there was a table free so we managed to get seated and order some food and drinks. Food overall was good. The meats were well cooked especially the roast pork and char siu pork and the sides and small plates were tasty. You would get better/more authentic chicken karaage and gyoza at other places, though. We had a cocktail each afterwards. (Waitress didn’t seem to understand what a ‘long drink’ is. Decor was cool and quirky. Tables were packed fairly closely together. Good for parties but not so much for romantic/couples dining. While sitting at the table I get an email from Quandoo saying the restaurant has marked us down as ‘no show’. It turns out Quandoo handle the Google Maps booking integration. I reply to Quandoo saying that we are sitting inside the restaurant so clearly they are mistaken. The following day Quandoo follow up by email asking for proof of payment in order to correct the fact that we are marked as no show on their system. It’s hardly worth doing so but I don’t like to have a black mark on Quandoo’s system when I actually care a lot about the health of the hospitality industry and never cancel bookings late if it can possibly be helped. (Good thing I wasn’t asked for card details when booking or I would be having to chase up a refund from Quandoo… All this digital paperwork from Quandoo could be avoided if the restaurant used the booking system as it was intended to be used. If you don’t want to deal with same day online bookings then do something about it in the booking system and let people know instead of telling them off when they arrive! Quandoo doesn’t have a particularly good reputation either, and in fact, I would strongly advise management to review their contract with Quandoo and possibly switch to a different booking service. It might save you a few per customer on bookings.

We really enjoyed our night here at Bull in a China Shop. Great cocktails in a socially distanced but well heated outdoor area, and the food was superb. I'm not usually a fan of modern Asian fusion as it can be executed poorly, but this place does it justice. We had bao buns with crispy pork and hoisin sauce, the bbq platter (succulent babyback ribs, chicken wings and rosemary chips), and the Peking rice boxes as mains. Everything was cooked perfectly and so tasty. I could eat their hainan rice every day for the rest of my life. Definitely pay this place a visit!

2017 Review: I wrote a 5 star review for Bull in A China Shop in Jan 2016 that is still there below this updated review. I've been again recently (September 2017) though and the changes are really not for me so I've revised to 2. The menu has changed. Instead of a large plate of delicious ribs in 2016 it's more tapas sized serving, with a majority of the plate as decoration and a minority as food. We had the pidgeon, duck, some veggie plates and the chicken and the chicken was the only one that was sans blood and edible for me. I left very hungry, and quite unhappy no longer a food offering for the mouth and stomach (only for the eyes). Food: 1/5 Service: 4/5 Drinks: 3.5/5 Value for money: 2/5 2016 Review: I don't give 5 stars by default. We went on 2016 01 15. Service from the doorman to waiter was extremely friendly welcoming, hearty and well explained recommendations etc. I got the ribs (with sweet potato fries) and I think these were probably the best tasting ribs I've ever had. My wife got a veggie burger, which she said was top 5 she's ever had. Reasonably priced food. Drinks are quite expensive but no points taken for that as the price vs. what you get for drinks are right there in the menu and you choose to add that to your bill or not. Amazing experience. Food Taste: 5/5 Food Value for money: 4.5/5 Service 5/5 Overall Value for money: 4.0/5 (expensive meal with the drinks expect about 65GBP, but feels worth it)

Nice food and place was ok. A bit chilly at times. Service was good at times and sometimes you waited a while. But generally a good night out.

Must visit shop with a range of whisky and super friendly staff.