One hundred: a full century. That’s how many ingredients you will taste over the course of a meal at A. Wong. You’re told this information as part of the service team’s opening explanation of the dining experience you’re about to embark on. It is an experience unlike any other in the UK, bringing a version of Chinese food to London’s diners that they have never seen before.
During my own visit to Andrew Wong’s eponymous Two Michelin Star restaurant, where I was accompanied by a fellow Michelin Inspector, the other key numbers that informed our evening were that there would be around 30 different dishes, and that all 14 of China’s international borders would have an influence on the cooking. These are the foundations of the ‘Collections of China’ tasting menu, which is the only option available if you visit for dinner, as we did. At lunch, you will be served the ‘Touch of the Heart’ dim sum selection, or you can choose from the dim sum à la carte.
On arriving, the aroma of all those many ingredients wafts out from the open kitchen, but your surroundings will soon be forgotten as you focus on the truly special cooking. The first food to arrive at our table was called ‘The Banquet’; that the first course alone has this name is a sure-fire sign that you will be trying a spectacular number of creations here. Eight dishes arrived in total, setting out stall for the evening with their impressive presentation and elaborate construction. They were an early indication, too, of Andrew’s skilled judgement of flavour. Whether it was the intensity provided by trout roe, garlic vinegar and chilli with the ‘smacked’ cucumber, or the refreshing kick of wasabi with the French beans, a great command of spice and balance was firmly on show.
Following ‘The Banquet’, each subsequent course took the same multi-dish approach, and maintained a consistent level of skill. ‘Dim Sum’, ‘Fish’, ‘Snacks’ and ‘Five Flavours’ made up the savoury servings, with ‘Fruits’ to finish. As each course was delivered, our waiter explained the order in which to eat each dish. This was key to the success of the selections, ensuring that the more subtle flavours were enjoyed first so that they weren’t competing with the more intense dishes.
Among the procession of delicious food, the ‘Dim Sum’ was my favourite course of the meal – which bodes well for a lunchtime visit – with the xiao long bao and a modern interpretation of Peking duck particularly standing out. The former was a superb rendition of a time-honoured dish; the thickness of the dough was just right, the cooking spot-on, the broth warming and the meat tender. A few mustard seeds and ginger-infused vinegar brought an extra dimension to the flavours.
As lengthy tasting menu experiences go, this one flew by. Our visit lasted a little under 3 hours, which might seem a while for your dinner, but with the amount of food served we were never waiting for long between courses. The team should be praised both for the careful pacing of the dishes, and the theatrical touches which kept the experience engaging from beginning to end.
What was evident in this meal was that among Andrew Wong’s greatest strengths – and he has many – is the sheer level of detail he puts into his dishes. Each one was not just cooked, but crafted. Take the chrysanthemum tofu, for example, where the knife skills on display were tremendous; the bean curd had been cut to fan out like a delicate flower, submerged in a broth. Coriander purée added an extra layer to this dish, exemplifying how Andrew’s cooking does not sacrifice depth, balance or intensity of flavour just to make things look pretty. The dishes at A. Wong were a lesson in how detail is not the same as fussiness, in how to create beautiful food that doesn’t lose sight of its central purpose.
Beyond the delicious dishes and sheer scale of its impressive offering, what makes A. Wong stand out is that it brings something different to the diverse and fascinating London dining scene. Chinese food in Britain has never really been given this kind of hyper-detailed attention before. The many varieties and regional specificities that we have observed first-hand during our travels in China, are what make this cuisine so thrilling; in the UK, these have often been sidelined in favour of household-name dishes.
As Michelin Inspectors, we have the privilege of trying a broader range of cuisines and restaurant styles than most people will ever have the chance to. We've eaten thousands of meals in our lifetimes, so finding a restaurant that feels truly different is such an exciting prospect. A. Wong delivers that in spades.
