Restaurant Review: Abandon yourself to Won Ton delight

20 May 2015 - 02:13 By Yolisa Mkele

Like an Asian Harry Potter, the Red Chamber in Hyde Park sits under the shopping centre's escalators among acul-de-sac of banks. The overriding theme is tranquillity and its location in a characterless, quiet corner next to moneylenders is a tour de force of placement.Separating you from the herd is the first step they take to help you and your stomach achieve inner peace.The next step comes as you walk through the entrance and step inside a culinary temple. Barring a backlit photograph of green bamboo, all is muted. Plain white bowls are placed on dark wooden tables, everything swimming in dim yellow light.Dining at Red Chamber is like being invited to your Chinese friend's house for a semi-formal family gathering. You're never quite comfortable enough to put your feet on the table, but it is intimate and welcoming.The menu even encourages you to ask for another waiter should the staff's English prove unsatisfactory. This tip proves useful if you come, as we did, with a boisterous group that attempt to democratically order food to share.The best way to enjoy your meal at Red Chamber is en masse, in much the same way you would in a tapas restaurant.Pick a few things from the menu and lather your taste buds in a cacophony of traditional Chinese fare.Combining the half Peking duck, which comes with pancakes and plum sauce, with the shredded pork and egg fried rice is the equivalent of dipping your tongue in Chinese heaven.For those unwilling to have a flexible waist size, there are a variety of healthy low-carbohydrate options.The LowdownWhat to eat?As much as possible including the tiger salad - shredded cucumber with chilli sauce- and all things duck related. There are Lazy Susans on the large round tables, so get a range of dishes to share. A must is the strangely appealing seaweed salad, which is slightly caramelised.When to go?On a Friday for a long and boozy business meeting that gets more interesting as more bottles are ordered.Noteworthy?They have a strictly no MSG policy, which sets it apart from many other Chinese restaurants.Who to take?A business partner from a Brics country or Jacob Zuma with his love of all things Chinese.What one thing should you know?How to tame chopsticks.What to say?''Lai ren na!" which means ''Call somebody else" and will come in handy when the Mandarin you picked up watching kung fu movies fails you.How much?Around R500 for two hungry people sharing a few dishes. Tack on an extra R200 to R300 if you have a few bottles of wine.Where?Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre, Corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and 6th Road, 011-325-6048..

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