Tony Blair seems to like it here

Phoenix Palace is a large and  well known Chinese restaurant situated in the environs of Baker street. If you're going by car and you happen to find a parking space then your fortune cookie really will have  paid off otherwise the place is a stone's throw from the tube station. One thing sure to catch your eye as you make your way in is the slightly naff but at the same time fascinating collage of celebrity photos but a word of warning: if Tony Blair is not your cup of jasmine tea then look away as he seems to feature very frequently as do many other names and faces in this stir fry of  mayors and politicians and to keep things interesting, a splash of Jackie Chan.

The place itself is a hive of activity. I have been here many times and it seems impervious to  the  credit crunch. On a previous visit it was so packed that we found ourselves seated in the overflow  area towards the front of house. I much prefer to sit in the main restaurant ,which is much more pleasant.

This is no  place to  expect the personal touch from the army of waiters as you would in your local Chinese nor the Hakassan's of London with their  overly smooth servicing. The waiters are far too busy for that here and it can be sometimes hard to grab their attention. But go for the food, with a little people watching thrown in and you will leave contented. It's popular with oriental and western families, young and old couples and those of the suit and tie persuasion this is a place that suits everyone.

The menu is intriguing. Chinese cuisine as I undertand it can be classifed into 4 distinct  styles. The warming stews from the colder North, the hot & spicy Szechwan (West), the delicate and fish loving Shanghai cuisine of the East and the more well known  Cantonese from the South. Phoenix Palace seems to have a bit of everything on the menu.

You can find a soup that costs you a fiver or sadly the shark's fins soup at just under 20 pounds a pop. Some of the dishes are eye watering expensive, many  coming in at over £30. But don't let that put you off. Firstly, the portions are generous. Secondly the quality of the cooking here is excellent. And if a dish does cost £30, then there is a good reason why; either the ingredients are rare or the dish needs expert preparation.

There are many many dishes more reasonably priced and every bit as good. I have often had take out from here promptly delivered to my door  and always leaving me well satisfied and reasonably priced.

The vegetarian section is strong. Vegetarian dumplings and vegetarian  spring rolls in the starter sections are  excellent. The rainbow soup is a winter warmer as is the asparagus and sweetcorn soup.


The selection tofu on offer is great. I have many times asked for a dish to be prepared that is not on the menu.  Black pepper beancurd, spicy beancurd, beancurd blackbean sauce ..the list goes on.....are all amazingly good.








Rice is typically good though I never get the same feeling of wowness eating egg fried  rice as I do say eating Indian or Persian rice dishes. Well worth ordering a portion of vegetarian Singapore noodles here. For those who want to sample a bit of everything then there is a generous vegetarian set menu. Drinks are definitely on the pricey side. Personally speaking the food is so good I'd rather go with chinese tea and have extra dishes for the price of a few drinks.

All in all Phoenix Palace is a busy place and bordering on the noisy but it's good. Very good. It's about the only thing Tony and I would agree on I think.

Phoenix Palace
5-9 Glentworth Street
London NW1 5PG
tel: 0207 486 3515

Vibe *** Food ****  Service *** Price £££