Earlier this week, we went to the beautifully styled Ping Pong restaurant at Bow Bells House in the City to attend the launch of their Christmas menu. I only discovered dim sum at Ping Pong two years ago but I absolutely fell in love with these ‘little parcels of deliciousness’ as Ping Pong describe their fare. Since then, Ping Pong has become one of my favourite restaurants and I often meet up with friends and out-of-town visitors at the Southbank establishment. Imagine how pleased I was to be invited to this event then!
We started the evening off with some delicious non-alcoholic Red Glow cocktails with raspberries and cranberry juice, topped with soda and cranberries. Unfortunately, I was coming down with a cold so thought it unwise to sample the real cocktails! Let’s just say that those and the jelly shots were going down really well with our fellow attendees!
We got to watch some expert dim sum chefs in action which was a treat. Apparently it takes several years to train to be a dim sum chef as it requires great skill. When you observe the speed at which their hands move as they form the tiny pastry shells, add the fillings and shape the dumplings into exotic little parcels, you can appreciate that this is a skill they have taken years to master!
It was a lot of fun too as later in the evening, we were encouraged to make our own dim sum. Unfortunately, I needed both hands to make a barely adequate dumpling and so have no photos of that! They did give me a Ping Pong apron for my efforts though!
I was lucky enough to speak to Khin Vong, the head chef of Ping Pong. He was able to tell me all about the menu and how the food is made. Ping Pong used only natural ingredients and colourants in their products. So, for example, the Christmas menu features a lobster dumpling which is lobster, shitake and coriander in a beetroot pastry. The dumpling had a beautiful, red translucent shell and that comes from the beetroot. The dumplings can have yellow, green or orange shells too which are coloured by using chive paste, spinach, pumpkin or turmeric.
Other treats on the Christmas menu included the luxury spring roll which was seasonal vegetables and enoki mushrooms served with truffle oil, and a honey-glazed puff pastry which housed mixed game and yellow bean sauce. I was quite sad to miss out on the braised duck rice pot which was a slow-cooked duck in a rich sauce, served with coconut rice. It seems that I was certainly not fast or tall enough to grab a sample of that!
Ping Pong have recently expanded into Washington (USA), São Paulo (Brazil) and Dubai (UAE). It is so exciting when restaurateurs take a winning formula and expand their horizons. Perhaps it would be fun to arrange our next blogger’s meetup at Ping Pong?
The Christmas menu launches in just over two weeks time and Ping Pong are taking bookings for Christmas parties.
Sounds yummy! I really miss London restaurants!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! My boyfriend loves Ping Pong. I think they have a 17 GBP all you can eat lunch special?
ReplyDeleteoh wow - I used to go here sometimes - makes me miss decent sim sum
ReplyDeletei absolutely love dimsum.. here in malaysia we have weekend dimsum buffet where you pay about usd20/= for about 30-50 type spread. and apparently hong kong have the best dimsum :)
ReplyDeletehave a nice weekend.
I want them to open a restaurant in Barcelona!
ReplyDeleteYay..sounds like such fun with friends! A fantastic place...looks super-yummy too!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy enjoy!
Happy wkd friend!
V~
I would like to taste...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day !
Pierre
Love Chinese food, but I think if I owned the restaurant I'd choose a different name.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to see your creation! Did you get to eat your own creation? Sounds like a fun place to be interactive with your food.
ReplyDeletegood choice!
ReplyDeleteI also always admire the precizeness and mastership of the chiefs!
I love those lamps - very interesting. I must admit I've never tried dim-sum!
ReplyDeleteThat place looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteOooh that reminds me a place around here. It's called Benny Hanna's. They make the food right in front of you and have all kinds of good drinks. Have a great day, Em!
ReplyDeleteOh I love dim sum!! We are actually going tomorrow for breakfast! :)
ReplyDeleteJust got to love the name Ping Pong. It's been a while since I enjoyed great dim sum, which is truly delcious when made by a trained dim sum chef!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a nice place...
I have been to PING PONG a few times and never quite get full. Someone told me about an all-you-can-eat buffet, though, and that is intriguing to me. I need a dim sum tutor!
ReplyDeleteyou can never go wrong with dimsums. the restaurant looks cosy and inviting.
ReplyDelete@ Kathy: Really? I am sure you have awesome restaurants in San Antonio with doubly awesome Tex Mex food and huge portions!
ReplyDelete@ Oneika: Yeah, they are an awesome place!
@ David: Don't you get decent dim sum over there? You need to make friends with someone who can make them!
@ Lily: Really? I knew there was a reason I always wanted to visit Hong Kong.
@ Josep: Ha ha! Maybe they will.
@ Kiki: It is a great place!
@ Pierre: thank you!
@ John: Really? I love the name of the restaurant and their branding.
@ AVCr8teur: no, it was the only way I would participate actually, knowing no one was going to eat what I made. I had flu and did not think it a great idea.
@ Ola: me too!
@ Ash: yes, they are a good mix between old paper lantern and modern fixtures, aren't they? You have to try dim sum - especially steamed parcels!
@ Spear the Mighty: it is!
@ Ivanhoe: I love watching chefs at work like that!
@ Carol: for breakfast?? That is unusual.
@ William: It is loads of fun!
@ Within Ireland: Really? I usually just keep ordering more until I do get full. :)
@ Life Ramblings: Definitely agreed.