The trolley service here isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a high-stakes game of culinary chicken where you need to flag down a server like you’re hailing a black cab in a thunderstorm. I once saw a woman literally levitate out of her seat to grab a basket of shrimp dumplings before they rolled past. No shame. It’s survival of the fittest, really, but the prize is a dumpling so delicate it practically dissolves on your tongue.
You’ve got your classics: the har gow (shrimp dumplings that look like little jeweled purses) and the siu mai (pork and mushroom parcels that make you forget every other dumpling you’ve ever had). But then there’s the turnip cake, which sounds like something you’d eat on a survival show, but is actually a crispy, golden square of pure comfort. It’s the friend that shows up looking a bit rough but is secretly the life of the party.
Rolling Eyes and Steaming Baskets
The turnip cake, I should clarify, is pan-fried to a perfect crunch on the outside, with a soft, savory custard inside. It’s the opposite of that soggy, sad version you sometimes get at buffets. Each bite is like a little warm hug for your soul, or at least for your stomach after a long day of pretending to browse the Sherlock Holmes Museum shop. And don’t even get me started on the chicken feet—they’re not for everyone, but if you’re brave, they’re basically chicken-flavored gelatin in a shockingly addictive sauce. It’s the wild card of the trolley experience.
Royal China Group - Royal China Baker Street | London restaurants
You’ll also see the pork buns (light, fluffy clouds surrounding a sweet-savory pork filling) and the steamed bbq pork pastry, which is basically a croissant that went to Hong Kong and got a glow-up. The pastry is so buttery, it flakes off like an apology from someone who’s genuinely sorry. Remember to use a napkin—or, let’s be real, just lick your fingers. No judgment here.
