Han Chinese Cuisine, Clarendon Avenue, Leamington
Diners tend to know what to expect from Chinese food, at least from the customised variant the British have come to know and love.
In one sense Han is no radical alternative, as the briefest of glances at the menu revealed.
All the familiar favourites, from satay beef to Szechaun-style chicken, were present and correct.
The main difference appeared to lie in the decor. Impeccably styled in modern Oriental fashion, it is a classic but not formulaic example of the modern Leamington dining experience. It set exactly the right tone for a Friday evening feast.
For those who love to share food, a banquet is the obvious choice. Nothing being wrong with the obvious, a Ming banquet for two at £17 per head was picked out.
Proceedings got under way with a basket of the ever-dependable prawn crackers - accompanied by a brace of sauces to taste. A robust French red was uncorked to mark the occasion.
The Ming platter was a course straight from the textbook, with Sesame prawn toast (is there a better use for bread?), spicy pancakes, spring rolls and Mandarin spare ribs. So far, so good.
Crispy aromatic duck came next; hot, crispy and served with some elan at the table by a knife-wielding waitress. Warm pancakes and a generous supply of plum sauce ensured it did not linger on the plate.
Light eaters could have called for the bill after that, but there was much, much more to come. Enter beef with green peppers in black bean sauce, fillet of chicken in lemon sauce, fried seasonal vegetables and egg fried rice.
Everything was as it should be, with juicy peppers, tender, tasty beef and a well-balanced lemon flavour to the chicken.
The excellent wine demanded a repeat performance. It arrived with the efficiency and minimum fuss which had been the hallmark of the service all evening.
The restaurant grew busier as the evening progressed. But with the management having avoided the temptation to cram in too many tables, the increasing bustle passed almost unnoticed.
Dessert was not included in the banquet, which mattered not.
Finding the right balance between prestige and value cannot be easy in such a crowded sector of the market.
On this evidence, Han has done so in style.
Our rating: 4/5 (reviewed February 2002)
