Gold Mine (Cantonese duck and pork specialist)
Crowds come for a roasting at this Cantonese duck and pork specialist on Bayswater’s high street
It may look like a provincial function room, but this Chinese roast meat specialist attracts as many visitors from the Far East as it does local students. The must-orders are the duck and char sui (barbecued pork), which can be seen hanging in the open kitchen by the front window – although most dishes pass muster.
Gold Mine is so renowned for its roast meats – which can be seen hanging in the open kitchen by the front window – that diners from near and far can be seen tucking in here, both local students and visitors from Hong Kong. The dining room seems to have been decorated on a tight budget and, as with many Chinese cafés, red (symbolising good fortune) is a popular colour, appearing on carpets and chairs. Large gold-framed pictures of vintage Chinese scenes add a cheery note.
Unsurprisingly, top marks go to the Cantonese roast meats, especially the duck and char sui (barbecued pork). Flavours are big, and dishes can be oily. Thick-cut pieces of deep-fried squid arrived with a whopping amount of garlic and chilli. Equally hearty was the ‘house special bean curd’, which turned out to be pei pa tofu served with shiitake and baby pak choi in a dark soy sauce. Staff tend to be chirpy and attentive. If you’re in the area and after no-frills Cantonese food, this is a little gem – though its next-door neighbour Toa Kitchen is better.
Address: 102 Queensway, London W2 3RR
Phone: +44 20 7792 8331
Tube: Bayswater tube
