Lately, I've really struggled with Sundays. I can start the day early and full of good intentions to make the best of the last day of the weekend. The pressure to do something both fulfilling and exciting inevitably leads to timewasting and nothing of any worth gets done until about 11.30pm where I try and assuage my feelings of guilt with some late night hoovering (quite antisocial in a flat with mostly wooden floors).
My neighbours will have been pleased that last night, some uncharacteristic decisiveness led us to a Cantonese / Szechuan restaurant, which (along with some very good company) was a perfect antidote to the cold-damp-January-Sunday-night blues.
Almost every other restaurant between Queensway and Bayswater tube is a Chinese place. Luckily, Ying had been recommended Kam Tong by a friend (not by name - but by the description that it was 'the one with the big red sign'), so we avoided facing a conundrum of having too much choice.
The very old and naff looking paper menus were quite endearing (but incidentally, the take out menu I grabbed on my way out is exceedingly classy), with pages of dishes to choose from (some delicious sounding, and some a little too adventurous for a Sunday night ('Spicy Intestine Chilli' anyone?)
I was more than happy to let Ying order for me (definite bonus when someone in the know can order for you). Instead, I mostly drank the complimentary green tea (much appreciated in the freezing conditions) and giggled in an immature manner at the 'Morning Glory' vegetable dish (which we ended up ordering).
Slightly bizarrely there was no alcohol on offer tonight (due to a 'problem' of some description) but this didn't bother me. I was enjoying the tea and the way that the staff were determined to spill as much of it as possible whilst topping up our cups. Not to say the service was bad. They smiled at Will's attempts to remember the Chinese that he had allegedly been fluent in the week before.
Ying ordered us some Roast Pork and Roast Duck (it seemed rude not to, given the huge slabs of meat on view in the window). We also ordered spicy chili chicken, salt and pepper tofu for vegetarian Will, the aforementioned morning glory vegetables, and a couple of rice dishes. Out of habit I added some spring rolls to the order, which sadly wasn't a good move-they were the only non-enjoyable dish of the evening)! The Roast Duck and Pork was amazingly juicy and delicious, dripping in flavour.
The salt and pepper tofu was deep fried so it had a crispy coating but was soft inside and had a great kick to it.
The chili chicken was great: covered in chunks of chilli and Schechuan peppercorns.
Once I'd finished giggling, the 'morning glory' veg was nicely green and crunchy.
Overall
Nicely busy for Sunday night, and pretty authentic for Ying to enjoy it (and the majority of the other diners were Chinese). About £15 a head so pretty good value for money, (although this varies - the Roast Duck and Pork was only a fiver and was the best dish). A good place to be cheered and warmed by a tasty and spicy meal with friends on a miserable and damp January Sunday night.
