Ping Pong has already got nine outlets across London. The turquoise blur logo against the black is almost recognisable. Each site is similar in design with elegant furniture, lighting and panelling and artwork across the walls. Ping Pong is a contemporary dim sum chain of restaurants, very different to the traditional Chinese kind.
Ping Pong invited me to try out some of their seasonal spring menu food. I choose to visit the St Pauls one since I knew restaurants around the area won’t be busy with people dining.
Passing the windows you see the words 點心 etched on the window, which directly translates to “touch your heart” and dim sum always brings a smile to my face.
Inside the interior is elegant and almost fancy looking, unlike the usual Chinese restaurant you go to there’s room to freely move around instead of tiptoeing carefully around other people’s tables.
Plates and chopsticks are neatly placed on the table, and the menu you are prettily designed around spring colours of cherry blossoms and turquoise. We ordered some cocktails and mocktails first.
Hong Kong colada is a different take on a pina colada, the usual coconut, rum and pineapple is present with lime being quite prominent served in a bamboo cup.
The brother doesn’t drink alcohol, and the lemon and lychee drink served as a great alternative without the booze. The ice teas are worth a mention here; if you’re a huge tea lover like me you can find tea infused delicious concoctions here.
Ordering your food is simple; you’re given a piece of paper where you can tick what you want next to the boxes. With things like dim sum it’s easy to over order and this method of ordering is great on keeping track of what has come out as it gets crossed off.
I know Ping Pong is not like the usual typical Chinese Dim Sum restaurant and we tried to opt for things that’s a bit different to stuff like ha gar, su mai.
From the seasonal special dishes we got wu xiang lamb spring roll, duck and ginger dumpling and the salmon, prawn and mint dumpling.
The rice dishes were a winner, honey chilli chicken and mushroom rice pot and prawn, scallop sticky rice. One wrapped in a lotus leaf steam parcel of sticky glutinous rice filled with savoury ingredients.
Crispy prawn ball are very unique and is a first I seen in dim sum restaurant and is a dish I will order over and over again. A ball wrapped around with string like wonton pastry deep-fried, with minced prawn hidden inside accompanied with fish sauce.
I do love the pastry skins for the dumplings; they are perfectly steamed in their bamboo basket.
Last but not least we managed to share the yuzu matcha finger cake between us. A sliced square of perfection with strong citrus flavour from the yuzu punches through.
Ping Pong is great to pop in for something small for lunch dinner and their tea infused drinks are addictive. Ordering food is a breeze and service is speedy and efficient.
https://www.pingpongdimsum.com