Yi-Ban, a hidden gem in London's Docklands, is a Chinese restaurant that offers more than just dim sum. It's a plane spotter's paradise, a place that feels transitory and otherworldly, tucked away inside a rowing centre. The author, Josh Barrie, discovers Yi-Ban by chance, cycling through the city and arriving at a desolate yet fascinating part of town. The restaurant, which opened in 2003, has a cult following of diehard food fans but remains largely unknown to the mainstream diner.
The restaurant's location is a seven-mile hop from the Standard offices, and the journey itself is an adventure. The author describes the route as an exploration, with a sense of discovery and a touch of Marco Polo-like adventure. The surrounding area, once post-industrial and now undergoing renovation, adds to the sense of place.
Yi-Ban is a disquieting and unusual force in the area, with a long and grand space that feels airy and light. The restaurant serves perfectly ordinary food, with a focus on dim sum. The author raves about the crisp prawn toast, sesame-crusted chicken, minced pork heavy with garlic and ginger, and the Singapore noodles, a generous bowl full of shrimp and strands of old char sui and joyfully golden.
The restaurant is two-thirds empty, which the author finds surprising, given its quality and the surrounding area's potential for energy and development. The Yi-Ban experience is wistful and meandering, a place to ponder and discuss, and a conversation starter for those who are at least faintly interested in being regaled by the story of a mad and faraway Chinese restaurant in a long first-floor dining room next to an airport.
The author concludes that Yi-Ban is a hidden gem, a place worth the journey, and a must-visit for those seeking a unique dining experience in London's Docklands.
