Traditional Chinese cooking arrives in East London

The Drunken Monkey Head Chef Wai Lan (Cid) started at the East London dim sum eatery and bar when it opened in 2002. He came directly from Hong Kong, where he had been working at some of the notable Tea Houses around Central.

Originally from the Fujian province in mainland China, Wai Lan specialises mostly in Fujian cuisine which is considered to be one of the eight great traditions of Chinese cooking.

Chef Wai Lan returned to China early last year to rediscover the country’s time-honoured cuisine as well as to learn new food trends. Since his recent return, The Drunken Monkey has already added a traditional Chinese roasting oven to the kitchen, so Wai Lan can now produce delicious daily roasted Duck and Pork cooked in the traditional way, something that is difficult to experience outside of Chinatown.

The Drunken Monkey believes that dim sum need not only be available during tea time as is the Chinese tradition but  is simple and small enough in portion size to be available all day, and is the perfect food to go with drinks in the evening or to share with friends. With this in mind, Chef Wai Lan created a basic dim sum menu that is small enough to keep the food served constantly fresh but big enough to make sure that both Western and Asian customers can pick out their favourite dishes.

Visit The Drunken Monkey and sample Wai Lan’s Freshly Roasted Duck, Barbecued Char Siu Pork and Crispy Roasted Pork Belly – new mouth-watering additions to the venue’s established dim sum menu and the perfect accompaniment to their eclectic cocktail list.

With a relaxed New York vibe, it is the perfect eating and drinking den for all occasions, from a last minute bite with friends to Sunday afternoon Bloody Marys and brunch, or cocktails and partying at the Late Night Monkey sessions with a host of amazing DJs.

The Drunken Monkey is located at 222 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6PJ.

See thedrunkenmonkey.co.uk for more details.