Despite a moderately heavy Friday night I managed to get up early Saturday and set off to the Westfield to get started on my gift buying. It was about 10 when I got there so I had a good 2 hours shopping before it got too hideous. Presents found and secured I thought it might be worth grabbing a bite in the food court. "Pho" and "the Comptoir Libanais" had big queues despite it being early so I thought I would give the Dim Sum at the Bamboo Basket a go.
I had recently come back from Singapore where you can eat seriously well in any of their shopping centres. I wasn't expecting that level of cooking but I thought a few dumplings and some jasmine tea would be good. I ordered a portion of Har Gau, Char sui buns and some tea. It came to £8 which I thought expensive.
The 3 har gau were fine but possibly over steamed as the enveloppes were coming off, the char sui bun portion only had 2 buns which was mean (you get 3 at most places), the filling was distinctly average. The tea was in a small glass with one of those ridiculous jasmine ball/flowers which is so Ping Pong of 3 years ago.
All in all not a great lunch, not particularly fresh or authentic. £8 to eat two small portions of dim sum and miserly helping of tea is not great value. Especially as I had to pick up the tray myself. When I compare it to my experience at the Pho counter the Bamboo Basket is not up to that standard.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 3