Make our Mongolian-style rack of lamb at home

Mongolian Lamb Ribs 2

Mongolia is a land-locked, mountainous country bordered by China to the south and Russia to the north. Its cuisine, which takes some influences from China, is dictated by the extreme continental climate, where winters can be as cold as -40 – vegetables are scarce, so dishes tend to be feature solely meat or dairy, with little accompaniment.

This Mongolian-style rack of lamb is one of our most popular dishes, enhancing traditional preparation with a more spice- and vegetable-rich marinade and sauce than Mongolia’s climate would allow. Read more +

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Meet the Team: Head Sommelier Francisco Nevot

Francisco

We took a few moments to catch up with Head Sommelier Francisco Nevot on why he loves working in hospitality and his wine tips for all our guests in Hutong.

What inspired you to work in the industry?

It’s always been in my family. My aunt had a hotel in Spain where I grew up which had a lovely restaurant. I helped out when I was younger and worked there in the summers when I was at university.

How did you become a sommelier? 

I started my career as a commis waiter at Galvin. I met a Spanish sommelier there who introduced me to the world of wine. He spent a lot of time with me, teaching me and letting me taste a lot of new wines I was not familiar with. I decided I wanted to be a sommelier and studied for my WSET courses. When I qualified I moved to Bluebird as a commis sommelier, I got promoted to sommelier quite quickly and really enjoyed my time there. I really developed when I worked at China Tang, there was an amazing sommelier team and my passion for wine just grew. Read more +

Cocktails & Wine, Francisco Nevot, Red Lantern, Roasted Peking duck, Team, Uncategorized Shortlink

Recipe: Wilted spinach with Sichuan ginger sauce

Hutong Wilted spinach with Sichuan ginger sauce

Although of course the best way to enjoy our cuisine is by joining us for lunch or dinner in the restaurant, we know that sometimes guests like to try replicating our recipes at home. Many of the techniques used in our Sichuanese and northern Chinese dishes are very specialised, but some are less complicated and to that end chef Bing Luo has kindly shared this recipe for one of our most popular appetisers, Wilted spinach with Sichuan ginger sauce and toasted sesame.

To make the dish at home you will need:

500g Spinach
10ml light soy sauce
5ml sesame oil
3g salt
10ml Chinese black vinegar (available from Chinese supermarkets and some supermarket speciality aisles)
5g sugar
10g fresh ginger blended with water
20ml water
20g fresh ginger, thinly-shredded then deep-fried until golden
5g sesame seeds

Then follow these simple steps: Read more +

Bing Luo, Sichuan Shortlink

Celebrating Golden Week at Hutong

Hutong Main Image

Golden Week, from 1st to 7th October, is a Chinese national holiday celebrating the country’s National Day on 1st October and extending into a week-long bank holiday. With easier visa applications and new air routes linking more and more Chinese cities to the rest of the world, many Chinese people use Golden Week as an opportunity to travel abroad – including to London.
Read more +

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The Glass Magazine review our Mid-Autumn Festival menu

Beer-braised short rib, Tasya's Reserve

As Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls this Sunday 27th September, approaches, we were honoured to see our special celebration menu and Chinese drinks pairing reviewed in the warmest possible terms by prestigious cultural title The Glass Magazine.
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Chinese Cuisine, Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn-Festival Menu, Red Lantern Shortlink

Visit us this weekend at Bermondsey Street Festival

Bermondsey street Festival

We are delighted to announce that we will, for the third year running, have a ‘pop-up’ Hutong presence at the annual Bermondsey Street Festival. Every year since we opened in the area in 2013, we have enjoyed taking part in this wonderful free-to-attend community event.

Taking place this Saturday 19th September, Bermondsey Street Festival is a joyful celebration of the lively and diverse community of residents, businesses, restaurants and artisans which thrives on and around Bermondsey Street, featuring food stalls, craft demonstrations, live music and more.

Come along and see us in Tanner Street Park (just off Bermondsey Street) to try the two dishes we will be serving; Glass noodle salad with your choice of hot and sour or classic dressing (£5) or Braised beef shank with ginger and onion, chilli bean sauce (£7).

We always enjoy meeting our neighbours and guests at the festival, which starts at 11am and continues until early evening – we hope to see you there!

Click here to find Tanner Street Park on Google Maps.
Bermondsey Street Festival, Bing Luo Shortlink

Enjoy a Chinese drinks pairing this Mid-Autumn Festival

De-boned Turbot fillet, Tasya's Reserve

To complement the complex and varied flavours of the Mid-Autumn Festival menu, our sommeliers and bar team have put together an optional drinks pairing highlighting Chinese wines and spirits.
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Delights of our Mid-Autumn Festival menu revealed…

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Our special menu celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival will be available at dinner from next Monday 7th September and we are excited to bring you details of the delights we have in store!
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Bing Luo, Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn-Festival Menu, Red Lantern, Sichuan, Uncategorized Shortlink

Hou Yi & Chang’e, the original star-cross’d lovers

Chang'e_flees_to_the_moon_by_Tsukioka_Yoshitoshi

Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls this year on 27th September, celebrates the tale of Hou Yi, the archer, and his wife Chang’e. Legend has it that in Hou Yi’s time there were ten suns in the sky, the heat of which scorched the earth and burnt plants causing people great hardship. Hou Yi shot down nine of the ten suns, leaving only one for light, and the people were very grateful.
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Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival

Appetisers from the Mid-Autumn Festival menu at Hutong

Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important Chinese festivals, falling on the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar during a full moon. Celebrating the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess, and Houyi, the archer and falling this year on Sunday 27th September, Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for gathering, thanksgiving and praying.

To mark the festival, throughout the month of September a special celebration menu created by head chef Bing Luo will be available every day at dinner. Designed for sharing in the spirit of the festival, the menu starts with two cold appetisers, Braised cuttlefish salad with Sichuan pepper and Wilted spinach with ginger sauce and toasted sesame, pictured here.
Read more +

Bing Luo, Chinese Cuisine, Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn-Festival Menu, Red Lantern Shortlink