Song He Lou Chinatown 松鹤楼伦敦中国城店

I stopped by for a very early Sunday dinner, but surprisingly, at around 16:30, the place was pretty bustling already. There were a few empty tables available for me to snag, thankfully, but there were many customers coming in and out while I ate. They seem to be quite popular! For my “main” I ordered the traditional suzhou noodles with red soup 蘇式紅湯麵, and I got the plate of braised beef flank 紅燒牛腩 as a “side” (these category names felt a bit strange to me haha). I really liked the bowl of noodles. The broth had a lovely aroma — not too heavy or oily, but with a strong, rich taste of the soy sauce and sesame oil flavours — and it paired very nicely with the thin yet chewy noodles. The braised beef was a bit more of a mixed bag. The sauce was delicious, with a very good balance of sweet and salty. The meat itself was hit-or-miss. Some bites were really tender and juicy — practically fell apart when biting down — while others were much more sinewy and hard to chew. I did like the potato pieces — they had been braised to a nice softness and were well-infused with the savoury flavours of the meat. All in all, a pretty decent meal. I would definitely love to come back for their noodles again, but I’d probably opt for a different one of their “side” dishes :)

We had a very pleasant visit, largely thanks to the staff who were exceptionally kind and attentive from the moment we walked in. The food was a bit of a mixed experience, but enjoyable nonetheless. The thick noodles were excellent, though the thin noodles seemed to have been a bit under rinsed, leaving a slight floury aroma. However, the broth was flavorful and well-prepared, so we still finished our bowls and left happy. It’s a lovely spot, and we’re glad we stopped by!

This is a great place with authentic, extremely good, Chinese food. It is a but above everything else in Chinatown and the noodles were incredible together with everything else we had ! The crab and crab roe we sided to the noodles was delicious, so were the greens and the prawns. We booked but this place is more used to people coming from the street. Upstairs is a completely different space, more refined and less busy, quite classy and quiet, as the people coming from the street tend to stay in the ground floor restaurant. The prices are very low and the quality is fantastic. I will definitely go back to sample the rest of the. menu.

The prices were reasonable, and the noodles and soup were enjoyable. While the experience didn’t quite match the nostalgic memories I have of the old restaurant in downtown Suzhou, there were still some highlights. The pork was tasty, even if different from what I remember from childhood. The freshwater eel was a bit saltier than my preference, and the crabmeat was fine, though not especially memorable. Overall, I came in with high expectations, and although it wasn’t exactly what I hoped for, I’m still glad I had the chance to revisit these familiar flavors.

We came for dinner and the dishes were a bit of a hit and miss. Between the three of us, we shared the crab meat and roe noodle set (this was the clear favourite and it was delicious), the sweet and sour seabass noodle set (I felt the seabass overpowered the noodles and the flavour didn't quite work for me) and the white broth noodles with fried pork loin (felt the pork wasn't anything special). For dessert, we shared the mango coconut golden and the soybean curd (not to my taste but my friends liked it). The service was very attentive and friendly.

Crab Noodles There is a handmade noodle restaurants blossom over the recent months. Didn't remember this restaurant last time I visited. Attracted by the crab meat and crab roe with handmade noodles there chose this restaurant. From the photos the dishes look small but I was wrong. Everything was in generous portions. I think the crab meat and crab roe tasted richer and stronger than the crab dumplings of Din Tai Fung. The staff were nice and helpful. The tables and seats were a bit close and tight between customers but at least there are customer storage inside the seats. The environment and toilet was clean. Getting more handmade noodle restaurants in London now. It's very important for them to sell something different than other rivals. I think this restaurant has nailed it!

We had a late dinner here just before closing. It's an efficient modern Chinese restaurant which did allow us to bring the dog inside. The staff was friendly and the service was quick. Prices are affordable for central London. As always we recommend to share the rice. 🍚🐩

I was lucky enough to visit the canal town of Suzhou located close to Shanghai in China. I missed eating at Song He Lou while I was there. Happily, Song Le Hou have just opened their first overseas restaurant in London I love noodles, so this was right up my street. I chose the red soup base and added braised pork belly. The noodles were springy and delicious. The soup base was smooth and clarified. It came with 3 sides - green veg, mini tomatoes and sweet preserved fruit. To my Malaysian palate, they didn’t really complement the noodles and soup. The braised pork was lovely and soft if lacking in definite character The service was attentive and friendly but they slightly dropped the ball with my dessert order. A wrong dish arrived before my soya pudding was served. Again, it didn’t match my Malaysian palate but can’t really blame them I will return to try other things on the menu which sound interesting