I’ve always loved Chinese New Year, even if we don’t always celebrate it in grand style. I also love walking through Chinatown in London whenever I’m in the West End. Compared with Chinatown in New York, which has taken over Little Italy and goes on for block and blocks, London’s Chinatown is basically one or maybe two streets. It’s tiny, really. But whenever I am on my way to Leicester Square Tube station, I try to structure my route so I can walk down Gerrard Street.
Last week I was lucky enough to be walking by while they were preparing for Chinese New Year, so it was more colourful and busier than ever.
I like that even on this one street I feel transported into a different world. Food hangs in windows that I can’t identify. Signs are written in a script I don’t understand. All around people bustle, carrying in boxes of exotic vegetables to the grocery stores, reading the menus outside the restaurants.
When I walked through last week, they were hanging lanterns for Chinese New Year. Huge boxes were piled up, as a worker unpacked lanterns — made in China? — that they would string between the buildings.
Of course the big question is where to eat in Chinatown. I’ve tried several places that were all fine, all just about the same. But last week my husband came home raving after a lunch with colleagues at The Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant on Wardour Street. This is, not surprisingly, not related to the hotel chain of the same name. He had some “very good” crispy pork belly but the reason they went was for special roasted duck, which he raved about.
I haven’t been there yet, but I’m looking forward to checking it out, if only to have another excuse to wander through our Chinatown.
For more information about visiting Chinatown, go to www.chinatownlondon.org.
I’m taking the kids to London tomorrow and have made a last minute decision to detour through Chinatown to look at the decorations and maybe grab some lunch. I went once before during the New Year celebrations but my youngest was in a buggy at the time – big mistake!
Christine, I can just imagine the mayhem! They’ll enjoy it when they’re older too.
What gorgeous colourful photos. I had to help teach the Brownie pack about Chinese New Year, we did a Chinese food tasting session. It was great fun!
Emma, I love the food, the decorations, the excitement of Chinese New Year. Tastings are definitely the way to go.
I love Chinese year in London, managed to miss it this year though. Great shots Jen!
Thanks, Mirka!