Rupert Parker reviews JM Oriental, a Chinese Restaurant with Three Golden Chopsticks Awards.
Colindale is a long way from Soho’s Chinatown, a journey made even worse by the temporary closure of the tube station. Still a restaurant that gets 2024’s Golden Chopsticks for England’s best Oriental Restaurant, Best Dim Sum and Best Interior Design has to be worth investigating.
I’m not even sure that I’m at the right place as the sign outside says Jun Ming Xuan, but I open the door to be met by the Chef Proprietor, Andrew Hung. He says they still haven’t got around to changing the logo but this is definitely JM Oriental. And, looking around at the stylish dining room, lounge and cocktail bar, it’s immediately obvious why they won the best interior design award.
We start off with cocktails from their Asian inspired list while we check the extensive menu. Dim Sum, of course, is a must, and a trio of steamed dumplings immediately appears. There’s Scallop, Prawn and Beetroot, Prawn, Chive and Spinach and Pork & Prawn Truffle ‘Siu-mai’. All are immaculate and the shaving of truffle on the last one is an indication that this isn’t a standard Chinese restaurant.
Andrew Hung is from Hong Kong and he aims to introduce a new interpretation of oriental fine dining to the UK restaurant scene, and eventually throughout the world. He opened the restaurant in 2021 and, to realise his ambition, employs specialist dim sum and pastry chefs, as well as cooking himself. Although he describes his food as Cantonese, he takes it further by combining traditional and contemporary dishes.
Starters are Crispy King Prawns with Thai Orange Mayo and Pomegranate, Duck Rolls with Hoisin Sauce and Langoustine Kataifi Pastry with a Mango dip. Katafafi Pastry turns out to be a crunchy noodle exterior enveloping the langoustine with the sweetness of the fruit a perfect match. The crispy prawns also work well with the orange mayonnaise and pomegranate. The duck rolls are some of the best I’ve eaten.
By this point I’ve gladly put aside past experiences of greasy Chinese takeaways and realise that this restaurant is taking Cantonese food to a new level. The surrounding are sophisticated, service is efficient, yet understated, and as each dish arrives, Andrew Hung comes out of the kitchen to explain.
I can only list what comes next: Slow-cooked USDA Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Reduction, Truffle Barbecue Roasted Duck with Fresh Summer Truffle, Steamed Chilean Seabass Fillet with Yellow Bean, Soya and Pine Nuts, Crispy King Prawns, Garlic Flakes, Cashew Nuts and Dried Chilli, Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice and Vegetable Singapore Spicy Vermicelli.
The beef falls apart, collapsing in the mouth, the truffle adds an extra zing to the duck yellow bean sauce works well with the freshest of fish and the cashews are a crunchy match for the prawns. Simple Singapore noodles are a good accompaniment and, just in case we’re hungry, the chicken rice fills in any gaps.
So to dessert, as if we’ve not eaten enough. There’s a splendid warm Chocolate Fondant with Green Tea Lava inside. Pair that with Hong Kong Mike Tea Ice Cream and it’s more than ample. But the real star of the show is the Steamed Egg Custard Lava Bao, a fitting climax to an extraordinary meal. It looks like a large blackened pebble, encircled by a gold band, but is soft and sweet with a stunning lava yolk inside.
So, it must be said, JM Oriental is well worth travelling to the nether reaches of North London for food of this calibre. Freshness of ingredients, attention to detail and the skill of the chefs really deliver a Chinese meal like no other. There’s still an entire dim sum menu to explore, a perfect lunchtime assignation. But also go in the evening and get those huge thumps of flavour from the main dishes. And the desserts alone are well worth a detour.
Tell Me More About JM Oriental In London
JM Oriental 28 Heritage Avenue, Beaufort Park Colindale, London NW9 5GE
T: 020 8912 6215 E:dine@jmoriental.co.uk
Dim Sum around £7, starters from £8 to £18, mains £15 to £42, desserts £7 to £12.
