Cha Cha Moon

This is Alan Yau’s take on Hong Kong street food, specifically noodle bars. You enter down a corridor past the open kitchen, which leads to a large dining room. The room has long communal tables and bar stools (this is not a place to linger), the low ceiling being made from bamboo. There is a also a courtyard area outside in good weather. The menu has plenty of soup noodle choices, and also a range of dishes stir-fried in a wok, together with a few “side” dishes which are brought out whenever the kitchen is ready. 

Spring rolls were very good, a crispy outside containing assorted fresh shredded vegetables (e.g. carrot, mushroom, bamboo shoots) and served with a particularly good sweet chilli sauce that was not cloying (13/20). Singapore fried noodles is a classic dish but often disappoints, This version had good texture, mixed in with bamboo shoots, a few properly cooked prawns, smoked chicken and mixed pepper strips as garnish, and just a hint of green chilli (12/20). Choi sum was pleasant, cooked with oyster sauce that was a little over-sweet, the vegetables cooked well enough; not Royal China standard but pretty good (12/20). Beer is £3.30 and there are just three wines by the glass (£4.90 each for 250 ml a glass).

Service, always good at Alan Yau places, was very attentive. At the time of my visit the place was in an extended “soft opening”, and every dish was just £3.50. It is unclear what the final prices will be, nor at this point when the transition will be. However at present it is a real bargain for food better than most of Chinatown.