Neil Littman enjoys a visit to a Chinese restaurant in Palmers Green

*Dishes at Khin Lee include fried tofu with pak choi*

Appearances can be deceptive. I must have passed Khin Lee in Green Lanes hundreds of times but what compelled me to visit recently was the apparent lack of Far East restaurants in Enfield where you could eat in.

One of my local spots, Red Bamboo in Winchmore Hill, also specialises in Malaysian and Thai cuisine and is very good, but a few others have closed down in recent few years leaving a gap in the borough.

Many Palmers Green restaurants are in Aldermans Hill, which is always busy, but Khin Lee is along a stretch of Green Lanes occupied by coffee shops or charity shops (very good ones too as my fellow diner reminded me) and to be honest has a façade that needs a complete makeover. Inside it looks a bit Nineties disco, but the welcome and cooking made up for the lack of visual appeal!

We arrived at 6.45pm and were the first customers to dine in. We were offered a choice of a buffet menu (£24) which is very extensive – and overlaps with the a la carte menu – but both cover favourite or traditional dishes in the Cantonese or Schezuan style. I think there is a comfort factor in Chinese food which lends itself to sharing so makes for a more sociable experience.

We split the order into two. My friend ordered a set meal for one which included a starter of crispy seaweed (fried greens) with mini vegetable spring rolls, followed by sweet and sour chicken with vegetables and egg fried rice. All for £12.50.

I ordered items off the main menu including crispy fried squid with chilli and salt followed by chicken Szechuan style with egg fried rice and a side order of fried tofu, which came with a generous helping of pak choi.

Including a soft drink and Chinese tea the bill came to £47 for two people, which these days is becoming a bit of a bargain. I ended up with enough leftovers for another meal at home. The crispy fried squid was comparable to the best I had eaten in Chinatown and contained a generous serving of green and red chillies.

Our one complaint was that all the food arrived at the same time. Next time I visit I will order starters and then leave a gap before ordering more, or simply ask them to hold back.

I was also slightly surprised by the comment from our server that “you can take your photographs now” – my friend said maybe I had a sticker on my forehead saying “the Dispatch is here”. Who knows?

By the time we left the place was busy with family groups and regular customers being warmly greeted by the staff. This was something that really endeared me to Khin Lee and is proof of a good reputation.

Khin Lee is at 387 Green Lanes, Palmers Green N13 4JG and is open Tuesday to Saturday 6pm-11.30pm and Sundays 1pm-11pm. For more information and to book a table
Call 0208 882 8678
Visit khinleeonline.com

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