Get Steamy And Spice Things Up In Chinatown London | Warmth Of Winter

EMBRACE THE WARMTH OF WINTER IN CHINATOWN LONDON

Winter is a time of comfort and bringing people together, and what better way to do so than with food!

As the days get darker and the temperature starts to plummet, we’re embracing the Warmth of Winter through moreish dishes, fiery spices, and the heart-warming joy of spending time with loved ones. Chinatown is the perfect destination for steamy soups, hearty hot pots and lavish laksas, all best enjoyed in good company.

WINTER DINING IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Winter Solstice, better known as the Dongzhi Festival “the arrival of winter” – falls on the shortest day of the year, usually between 21st- 23rd December. During the festival there are celebratory dining customs in different regions of China, with dumplings and glutinous rice balls being the most popular dishes. As well as foods like lamb, wontons, and ginger, which warm the body on bitter cold days.

Although the festival originates in China, many ESEA regions celebrate the occasion by coming together with loved ones to eat festive, seasonal, and hearty dishes. Today, Dongzhi is celebrated by Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese people around the world.

Get together and warm the senses with our pick of the best Winter dishes, desserts, and drinks in Chinatown, and where to find them:

Let’s steam things up with broth bowls and cosy cups…

Hot Pot
Winter is just the season for hot pot! A warm, comforting, and social meal to enjoy with friends and family. Hot pot consists of a large steaming bowl of broth that sits in the centre of the table; meats, vegetables and noodles are then submerged into the soupy bath and cooked to your preference. Hit up New China, Shu Xiangge and Little Lamb for some of the best hot pot in town.

Pho
A fragrant Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat. Savour and slurp on Viet Food’s Rare Beef Pho; with wafer thin slices of pink beef that slowly cook in your hot soup. Pho & Bun also offers a selection of meat, seafood, and tofu Pho for you to choose from and devour.

Laksa
Laksa is a popular Peranakan spicy noodle soup. Peranakan culture is based in Southeast Asia and is a mash-up of Chinese, Malay, and Indonesian influence. Love some Laksa? Lap up the finest Malaysian laksa in Chinatown at C&R Café, which serves up a delicious Penang Assam laksa with a perfumed lemongrass broth.

Douhua
Otherwise known as tofu pudding, Douhua is a popular dessert served in Chinese dessert cafes, made by coagulating soy milk into soft curds. Typically served hot with a sweet ginger syrup. Give it a try at Five Friends Desserts.

Hot Drinks
To warm the palms as you wander through Chinatown, sip on piping cups of joy. If you fancy a brew, Chinatown has a vast offering from traditional to loose-leaf teas including Plum Valley which has an extensive menu of floral teas. Head over to ‘Dessert Alley’ to enjoy a toasty Hojicha Latte at Tsujiri or for something a little more indulgent and kid friendly, stop by Filipino bakery Mamasons for their Ube (purple yam) hot cocoa.

For those who can handle the heat, feast on spice and all things nice!

Spices are fundamental in ESEA cooking and during these Winter months, essential for giving warmth and flavour to dishes. Join us for an exploration of the seasonal spices used in traditional cooking this time of year, across East and Southeast Asian cuisine. And if you can handle your chilli or you’re partial to the kick of Sichuan peppercorns, you’re sure to feel the heat.

Kimchi
Kimchi, a popular Korean dish, is best described as a spicy, slightly sweet, pickled, or fermented cabbage. Korean red pepper powder – also known as Gochugaru is used in Kimchi to give it a kick of chilli. Savour some Kimchi Jeon (a Korean pancake with Kimchi and vegetables) at Korean BBQ spot Olle and if you just can’t get enough, grab some Kimchi at Oseyo to enjoy at home.

Malatang
Malatang quite literally translates as ‘hot, spicy soup’ originating from Sichuan province, that is now a popular street food throughout China. The base broth is made by slow cooking pork and beef bones, herbs and spices including Sichuan Peppercorn which is known as a distinctive seasoning that adds warmth to meat dishes along with Star Anise that gives a pronounced aniseed flavour. Grab a spoon and brave the heat at newly opened ZhangLiang Malatang.

Curries
You can’t go wrong with Katsu and Misato is just the place for this mild curry. The curry sauce itself is made using onions, garlic, and ginger, as well coconut milk, stock, and spices such as turmeric – an essential ingredient in curry powders and Asian curry sauces. Turn up the temperature with Rasa Sayang’s popular Beef Rendang, a dry curry with tender meat and plenty of red chilli.

Cocktails
If you like a little heat in your tipple, Golden Chopsticks Award winner Opium’s Opium No.8 cocktail blends spices with tequila, Darjeeling tea, kumquats, and a kick of ginger. Highly versatile and common across ESEA cuisine, ginger is best for adding a sweet, aromatic heat.

Feeling inspired by spice? Chinatown’s specialist ESEA supermarkets including See Woo and New Loon Moon stock fresh and dried spices so you can have a go yourself at preparing and cooking with them at home. For something a little bit different, Black Cardamom is widely used across China, and enhances the flavour of meat and fish with a distinct smoky camphor aroma. Commonly mistaken with ginger, Galangal has a peppery, citrusy flavour and is used as either a herb, seasoning, or spice in Asian cuisine. Macaw pepper is perfect for adding both a fresh citrusy aroma and spicy taste, often used in Taiwanese cooking.

If you want to stay in your comfort zone…

Noodles
The ultimate comfort food whether served dry or in a broth, you can’t go wrong with noodles.
Savour Old Tree Daiwan Bee’s scrumptious Taiwanese Beef Noodles – a clear beef noodle soup, topped with zingy pickled greens. Kung Fu Noodle is the first live hand-pulled noodle concept within Chinatown London. With a menu of moreish noodle soups and dishes from Gansu province in Northwest China.

Bao Buns
Bao buns are a delicacy enjoyed across Asia and range in size and filling based on the region. A favourite amongst Chinatown visitors, Bun House is the go-to spot for steamy Cantonese buns. Go for their classic pork belly Pig bun or why not try their Lamb bun, seasoned with cumin, chilli spice and garlic. For something a little sweeter, tuck into a warm smashed red bean bun from Chinese Tapas House.

Dumplings
A staple Cantonese dish enjoyed all year round, these steamy bite sized parcels of joy are ideal for sharing. Often filled with pork or prawn and accompanied by a delectable dipping sauce. Head to Dumplings’ Legend and chow down on their delicious Spicy Duck Dumplings, seasoned with Sichuan peppercorn, and juicy chilli. Tao Tao Ju source their ingredients daily, so you can be sure that your Crystal Prawn Dumplings are freshly prepared. And Orient London specialises in delicious seafood dim sum.