Lido Chinese Restaurant

A trip into London England would not be complete without a quick visit into Chinatown.  Once there, one can go up and down two streets filled with Chinese markets and restaurants.  That evening we chose to eat at Lido Chinese Restaurant where choosing this restaurant was actually not by random choice.  We had actually seen this restaurant being featured in a Hong Kong show a few months back and thought it would be really neat to order some of the dishes that those guys had ordered and compare it to some of the restaurants here in Toronto. 

We got there roughly around 6pm on a weeknight and were escorted downstairs where the area was a little bit more private.  We scanned their menu and it looked like a typical Chinese menu with lots of great authentic Chinese dishes.  That night we went with the Aromatic Crispy Duck, Tong Choi, Freshly Baked Crab and Stir Fried Garlic Frog’s Legs.  

Our food arrived within ten minutes of ordering.  The first to arrive was the Aromatic Crispy Duck.  Now appearance wise I even have to admit that it certainly didn’t look like the greatest of dishes.  It look liked this duck had just gotten out of bed and had its skin removed.  The photo is that actual photo of when the plate hit our table.  It was not taken after everyone had gone through it already.  Looking at it, the duck was skinned completely.  What was left was shredded duck meat.  Just like a Peking Duck order, the meal came with wraps, green onions and Hoisin sauce.  Once all the ingredients were put together, we munched into this wrap.  It was actually quite tasty and one thing I found enlightening was that it was hardly fattening at all.  Since all the skin was removed, there were really no excessive oils or fats in this wrap.  It actually tasted quite healthy and the duck meat tasted just like the duck meat from home.  If anything I thought it was a brilliant idea.  Never thought Peking Duck without the skin would taste this good. 

Freshly Baked Crab

The Tong Choi arrived soon afterwards and it was good.  There wasn’t anything spectacular to it.  It was a little salty and mildly spicy but that was just because of the sauce that they had used.  Otherwise, it was nothing but a refreshing vegetable to go with your rice and meal. 

Aromatic Crispy Duck

We were looking forward to the Freshly Baked Crab as it was one of the featured dishes on the television show.  The crab was baked in garlic and onion sauce and smelled really good upon arrival.  The crab was definitely fresh as the meat was juicy and very tasty.  One thing I really want to commend is the amount of brain matter and membrane in this crab.  There was so much so that it was overflowing and for someone like me who absolutely loves this delicacy, it was definitely a dish worth having.  I certainly had no complaints and will definitely give two thumbs on this dish. The crab also came with some noodles that were laid beneath the crab.  The noodles were able to soak up all the sweet tasting crab sauce which made the noodles extra tasty.

Tong Choi

Last to arrive was the Stir Fried Garlic Frog’s Legs.  The meat was nice and tender and slipped pretty easy off the bone.  The garlic sauce was made to perfection and complimented the frog’s legs meat very well.  Many people online and abroad have said the meat feels like chicken meat and rightfully so it certainly did.  I had absolutely no complaints at all as this dish certainly made you salivate for more. 

Overall it was a pretty decent play to eat at.  It was quite inexpensive as it was roughly $15.00 per person.  Staff was very nice and made sure we were well hydrated throughout the evening.  The meals were all simple and healthy dishes and one did not get the feeling that we were getting caked on with MSG.  I would recommend it to anyone who would venture into Chinatown to eat.  It’s easy to locate and it’s about a ten minute walk from the nearest subway station.  Overall I give it a 4.25 out of 5.

Lido Chinese Restaurant

41 Gerrard Street

London, England

+44 20 7437 4431