8. Red Farm, Covent Garden
Dish to order: Black truffle and chicken soup dumpling
Red Farm’s all-day dim sums are exactly what the traditionalists love to hate. After all, its signature dish is the Pac Man dim sum: a line up of colourful har gau ghosts and a wedge of tempura sweet potato for Pac Man. Adding to the novelty are the cheeseburger spring rolls and the porcupine dumpling (prawn mousseline spiked with flakes of toasted almonds). But just when you think it’s all fun and games, out comes the black truffle and chicken soup dumpling, its red and white paper straw helping you to suck up the last drop of those delicious juices, and you realise that yes, this is a serious contender.
Address: Red Farm, 9 Russell Street, London, England WC2B 5HZ
Website: redfarmldn.com
9. Tofu Vegan, Islington
Dish to order: Wontons in the house special sauce
At Tofu Vegan’s three neighbourhood restaurants – in Islington, Spitalfields and Golders Green – chefs have given popular dishes such as Peking duck a plant-based makeover with the help of tofu, mushrooms and other meat substitutes. The menu is fairly compact compared to your average Chinese restaurant, but on the dim sim front, the respectable lineup includes the likes of tofu and mushroom xiao long bao, spicy edamame dumplings and garlicky Chinese chive dumplings. By far the best, though, are the wontons in the house special sauce – fragrant and chilli-laced morsels that will satisfy even the pickiest of meat-eaters.
Address: 105 Upper Street, London N1 1QN
Website: tofuvegan.com
