I said I write a few thoughts about the HK Diner to the group, so here goes.

Any restaurant that has my daughter grabbing the noodles from her bowl with
both hands can't be that bad. Especially when entering you can smell the
wonderful fresh noodles that only a few establishment can manage. My wife
and daughter both declared they where even more hungry and I must agree with
them.

HKD really excels in noodles, sea food and bubble tea and shakes. The Iced
Red Bean reminds Mrs. NB of the her childhood. There is mock-meat on the
menu, but I didn't see many veggies amongst the groups of Chinese here. A
lot of more traditional dishes are on the Chinese-only menu, so if can't
read Chinese or don't know what you want - don't be afraid to ask or just
don't go!

The noodle soups are very tasty, but don't expect a lot of soup just
bucket-loads of noodles! Roast meets are better standard most other shops
and taste fresh cooked. All in all a good experience if a little pricey.

Service is a little too relaxed, not rude but they are not in hurry to serve
you .All in all a good experience if a little pricey. Most seafood dishes
are on the good side of 8, other dishes come in around 5.


Nathan Brazil.

P. S. One other point, why call it HK Diner, when the Chinese name is
Hollywood?

HK Diner found at 22 Wardour Street, London.

"Nathan Brazil"  wrote in message
news:fsMCe.6763$Q_4.2710@fe02.ams...

> I said I write a few thoughts about the HK Diner to the group, so here

goes.
<snip>
Thanks, it's very useful.


> There is mock-meat on the
> menu, but I didn't see many veggies amongst the groups of Chinese here.


How much mock meat? the only Chinese rest. i know that has/had (not been in
a while) a large vegetarian menu is ChinaCity, upstairs in OrientalCity,
don't know if they still do. Maybe you have to ask for it like... what
YaoChoi/JaiChoi have you got today? i hardly ever read the menus if i can
help it when i go to Chinese rests. i know, if i make the effort to speak
Cantonese to them & they know i'm one of them & yet they can't be bothered
to tell me or cook for me what i want, then i won't bother going back. I
mean come on... what i want is simple home cooked food, not something
fancy... : )


> A
> lot of more traditional dishes are on the Chinese-only menu, so if can't
> read Chinese or don't know what you want - don't be afraid to ask or just
> don't go!


Just ask them nicely... i know Cantonese/Chinese waiters can be miserbale
gits at times but that's the only way you'll find out what's on the
specials/house menu.


> Service is a little too relaxed, not rude but they are not in hurry to
serve
> you .


What time did you go? maybe they've just woken up... i hear it's very
popular with the supper crowd & is open till 4am or something like that?


> P. S. One other point, why call it HK Diner, when the Chinese name is
> Hollywood?


You'll have to ask them ; ) but i much prefer HKD (as it does serve some
good HK food) then Hollywood... i mean Holywood Rd in HK is where you find
all the antique furniture shops isn't it? so what's the connection unless
it's another Cantonese rhyme & slang thing like 8 = Fatt/good fortune etc.
so Holywood = Ho Lei...

DC.

On 18-Jul-2005, "DC."  wrote:


> > I said I write a few thoughts about the HK Diner to the group, so here
> goes.
> <snip>
> Thanks, it's very useful.


Wel I'm hoping some other folks will write up some reviews of other uk rests
- but at the moment it seems to be you, me and Chef.


> How much mock meat?


Just the one, from what Mrs. NB said to me, Mock Pork with vegtables. Like
you say, perhaps you have to be bold and ask for more!



> i hardly ever read the menus if i can
> help it when i go to Chinese rests. i know, if i make the effort to speak
> Cantonese to them & they know i'm one of them & yet they can't be bothered
> to tell me or cook for me what i want, then i won't bother going back.


We just read the menu becasue we waited for around 20 minutes for someone to
take our order - what else can you do? Besides, as it was our first time in
HKD we though we might find something interesting. Although, talking of
speaking Cantonese, the waitress got a bit grumpy when Mrs.NB started to
order, had take it all down again because Mrs. NB spoke to quickly and the
poor waitresses native tounge is Mandarin.


> I mean come on... what i want is simple home cooked food, not something
> fancy... : )


Don't we all! Thankfully, Mrs. NB is a pretty good cook (and no, I am not
saying this because someone is standing over my shoulder as I write this
:+).



> What time did you go? maybe they've just woken up... i hear it's very
> popular with the supper crowd & is open till 4am or something like that?


We got their around 6.30pm, so upstairs was pretty busy, the basement was
empty.  It was just silly things like no spoon for the soup, no soy-sauce
and then they got the order wrong, Roast Pork and Duck rice came as roast
port only. That said, having been subjected to Wong Kei in the glory days,
its just water of a roast ducks back to us. New faces might get  a but
disgruntled. As you say...


> . i know Cantonese/Chinese waiters can be miserbale


I wouldn't have it any other way, if I want waiting on hand and foot then
I'll go to eat British in hotel restaurant and pay 100/head on a good day.
And some of it still won't taste as nice.

NB.

"Nathan Brazil"  wrote in message
news:ma3De.4655$2I4.902@fe05.ams...
<snip>

> Wel I'm hoping some other folks will write up some reviews of other uk
rests
> - but at the moment it seems to be you, me and Chef.


I think there's only a few Londoners here... was a few more before but
haven't heard from them recently. The Adrian? Pat? where are you?


> > How much mock meat?
>
> Just the one, from what Mrs. NB said to me, Mock Pork with vegtables. Like
> you say, perhaps you have to be bold and ask for more!


It'll be good to know what other Chinese rests. in Chinatown serves JaiChoi.
The last time i was at
ChinaCity above OrientalCity, they had one & half page of veg. +
JaiChoi/mock meat on the menu & for a tuesday night, it was 1/2 full of HK
Chinese, a table of elderly Chinese AhPoh(grannies) & friends were all
ordering & eating JaiChoi. Looks good to me except when we go to Chinese
rests. we always go for the tasty meat options & non of our friends would
want to eat mock meat unless of course there's something wrong with the meat
or maybe after the 1st day of CNY when it's sometimes traditional to eat
these things!


> We just read the menu becasue we waited for around 20 minutes for someone
to
> take our order - what else can you do? Besides, as it was our first time
in
> HKD we though we might find something interesting. Although, talking of
> speaking Cantonese, the waitress got a bit grumpy when Mrs.NB started to
> order, had take it all down again because Mrs. NB spoke to quickly and the
> poor waitresses native tounge is Mandarin.


For a 20min. wait, you could probably recite the menu after : ) as for the
Mandarin speaking waitress, they'll have to learn, when in rome, do what the
romans do as the saying goes.


> Don't we all! Thankfully, Mrs. NB is a pretty good cook (and no, I am not
> saying this because someone is standing over my shoulder as I write this
> :+).


No Mrs NB is probably in the kitchen adding extra salt into your dinner if
you say something bad about her! heheee...

DC.