What: The London outpost of one of China’s oldest restaurants. Songhelou was founded in 1757 in Suzhou, a city in China’s Jiangsu province. Much more recently, the noodle specialist has expanded and now operates over 30 sites across China. In Chinatown London, the 144-cover site marks this most venerable of restaurant brand’s international debut.
Who: The London launch is being overseen by Songhelou CEO Mr Pan. The group is operated by Yuyuan Inc. , a subsidiary of Fosun Group, a huge Chinese-owned multinational conglomerate.
The food: Songhelou is best known for its soup-noodle dishes which are offered with a wide range of toppings and sides. These include Suzhou-style braised pork; stir-fried crab meat and roe; sizzling eel slices in oil; and sweet-and-sour squirrel-shaped bass (pictured below). The latter is one of Jiangsu cuisine’s most well-known dishes, although whether it bears any resemblance whatsoever to a squirrel is debatable. Noodle dishes are served as a complete meal with the chosen ‘topping’ and a selection of accouterments including dressed greens, mushrooms and fresh grapes. Prices start at about £16 for cheaper topping such as braised pork and deep-fried pork cutlet and top out at £38 for the squirrel-shaped bass. Sides include stir-fried kidney slices; blanched seasonal vegetables; fried eggs; and a curious but tasty tofu preparation flavoured with five spice that is accurately described as ‘tasting a bit like chicken’. Desserts include red date sticky rice steamed cake; and three-colour sticky rice cake.
To drink: Songhelou’s drinks selection is basic consisting of three choices of tea, a small range of soft drinks and a single beer.
The vibe: Designed to ‘reflect the tranquillity of Suzhou’s water towns’, the 3,600 sq ft three-storey space has a traditional feel. Key materials include bamboo, grey stone and antique copper.
And another thing: According to Guinness World Records, the oldest restaurant in the world is Sobrino de Botín in Madrid, which launched in 1725 some 32 years before Songhelou.
22 Wardour St, London W1D 6QQ