#redfarm

A few months ago, cult NYC chinese chain RedFarm opened their latest branch in Covent Garden and so the other day, I decided to go give it a try.

The menu is split into 2, dim sum & small plates on the top and mains on the bottom.  Starting from the top section, we went with a couple of kowloon filet mignon tarts.  These crisp tart shells were topped with a corn jam and a juicy chunk of filet mignon beef and some wasabi mayo.  Small but tasty ways to start the meal.

Next up was the strawberry and foie gras tarts.  These came served dressed up as swans (or considering it’s foie gras, they are probably geese).  There was even a sesame seed eye on them.  The block of foie gras was very generous but even considering that, I felt that the strawberry jam that was in the tart was a little too sweet.  Don’t get me wrong, the things were really good, just a little on the sweet side for me.

Staying on the small plates, this was the Dingly Dell Pork Belly.  It’s called Dingly Dell because that’s the farm the pork comes from and it’s very tasty.  It’s essentially a char siu pork belly.  The slices are almost a bit too thin to be really enjoyed but the flavours were awesome.

Now onto one of RedFarm’s signature and probably most instagrammed dishes; the Pacman dumplings.  An assortment of 4 dumplings packed with a fresh bouncy prawn filling being chased by a fried sweet potato Pacman.  A lot of fun but very much a gimmick.  Luckily, the dumplings themselves are pretty tasty!

Scallion pancakes with crumbed bacon.  Puffed almost pastry like pancakes with a load of spring onion and crumbed bacon.  Not sure the bacon was really necessary but the pancakes themselves were good.

RedFarm’s version of spicy crispy beef.  It’s not quite as bright orange as the stereotypical dish but it also tastes much better.  There’s actually decent sized chunks of beef in there.  It was still a little sweet and not at all spicy.  It was alright but nothing particularly special.

We were recommended the cheeseburger spring rolls by the waitress so we gave them a go.  I never thought I’d be trying cheeseburger spring rolls but they were surprisingly good.  Full of beef and cheese, onions and gherkin, encased in a super crispy casing.  Definitely not authentic but tasty nonetheless.

The xiao long bao come in their own baskets and a straw stuck into each one.  I found it easiest to just pick up the whole thing and drink up the juice before eating the whole thing.  It’s no Din Tai Feng but the straw’s a nice novelty and they were nice enough.

The last part of the meal was the custard baos.  They had the cookie crust on them which I really liked and then biting into them, the gooey custard comes pouring out. Great way to end the meal.

RedFarm is great but it’s all a little gimmicky and it’s definitely not the place to go to if you are looking for dim sum (the cheeseburger spring rolls should be a clue!).  You almost have to go into the meal not expecting dim sum but more of an American version of dim sum.  Do that and the place is great for a quick meal.  It’s not cheap and cheerful though!  For what you are getting, I do think it’s a bit pricey and considering how close you are to Chinatown, it may just be easier to pop over there. 

RedFarm, 9 Russell Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5HZ