Neil Littman visits HK Noodles in Enfield Town to sample its eclectic and reasonably priced menu

HK Noodles in Enfield Town is a hidden gem offering excellent food quality, variety, and value for money.

Although, during several recent visits, the restaurant seemed quiet and to rely heavily on take-out and home delivery, I see no reason why they shouldn’t be more successful given their central location.

HK previously described themselves as a Chinese restaurant, but they have since evolved into a pan-Asian destination offering a comprehensive range of Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese dishes – and doing them well. They remind me of the eclectic spots in Chinatown, Soho and invite comparison with the very successful Banana Leaf chain which has expanded across London and been rolled out across the UK.

HK is the only spot I’ve found locally serving proper dim sum – think bao, char siu, and dumplings. The unfussy café style interior is furnished with wood-topped tables, seating about 70 diners, and decorated with some hanging decorations and a few posters showing Hong Kong at night. The menu is extensive and divided clearly into their four cuisines, providing a good opportunity to mix and match.

The Japanese menu includes teriyaki, donburi and katsu curries, while the Chinese options include all the familiar dishes such as prawn toast, soups, stir fries and shredded duck with pancakes and some Malaysian style satay dishes. There is a shorter Vietnamese menu with pho noodle soups and salads with some Thai ingredients appearing in some of the dishes.

On our first visit, we arrived hungry and ordered generously; a starter of prawn dim-sum followed by salt and pepper squid (a perfect ten for flavour and just the right kick of red and green chillies), and king prawn fried noodles which were cooked chow-mein style and had that complex umami flavour.

Other starters included vegetarian spring rolls – eight small ones with dipping sauce, roast duck with ‘Chinese vegetables’ which turned out to be pak choi, and fried rice. Portions are large.

The bill for all that, plus chilli oil and soft drinks, came to £50 for two people. Surprisingly, the restaurant is unlicensed, so no beers included.

On a solo lunchtime visit, I explored the Vietnamese menu. I started with chicken gyoza, then moved on to pho ga – a fragrant soup with chicken, rice noodles, and a DIY garnish kit of Thai basil, parsley, bean sprouts, and fiery red chillies (eye-wateringly hot but packed with depth of flavour). It’s probably the healthiest dish I’ve eaten for a year and more than enough for a full meal. I stuck to tap water (essential after those chillies!) and the bill came to £17.75.

HK also offers great value deals; a lunchtime special from £7 and an all-you-can-eat buffet for £19.95 are advertised outside. My advice? Arrive hungry. Service is friendly and quick, and the service charge is optional.

HK Noodles in London Road, Enfield Town, is open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm-10pm. For more information:
Visit hknoodles.co.uk

Do you have any suggestions for restaurants in Enfield to review or feedback on the places Neil has already reviewed? He would love to hear from Dispatch readers:
Email [email protected]

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