The Duck and Rice - Soho, London
A very short walk from Oxford Circus station, in the heart of Soho, sits The Duck and Rice. An eclectic bar/pub with a world-class Chinese kitchen.
We visited during the daytime on a quiet Monday, and rated the experience highly from start to finish.
The venue itself is moody, sexy and slick. Low lighting, small intimate tables, booths for larger groups and stools at the bar, they really have thought of it all. Its good for a group of pals to meet up, or for a saucy date night!
We were greeted and seated by the most friendly of ladies. She reserved the table under Pops’ name, which made us all chuckle, and she made sure the dogs had lots of fuss, a fresh water bowl and a very generous bowl of dog biscuits.
She explained the menu to us in detail and encouraged us to look around the place and take photos. We were also informed that dogs are allowed on the entire ground floor of the venue, but not the upstairs area. So if you're planning on popping in with your pooch, be sure to book in advance so they can seat you in the best spot. They are all such gorgeous people here, just give them a call and they will help to make your visit as amazing as ours.
The menu was insane, there was so much choice that we couldn’t decide, so we let the lovely waitress decide for us. She asked how hungry we were and if we had any allergies/dislikes and promised us she would select the best.
First out, was the dim sum and nibbles. Wowza. We were spoiled rotten with a selection of goodies from the dim sum, bar bun and small chow menus. It was all exceptional, but the scallop shumai, venison puffs and and the pork and Chinese leaf gyozas were unbelievable.
We were spoilt for choice with the most indulgent amount of food for our mains, we obviously had to try the signature dish, the duck and rice (which would have been enough for a main by itself) but because we are absolute gluttons with severe cases of FOMO, we also munched our way through the vegan meat and French bean stir fry, crispy aubergine, kale and the Singapore fried noodles. We actually had to sit in silence for a good 30 minutes after this, there was a ridiculous amount of food but it was all so delicious we simply couldn’t stop!
Needless to say… we were way too full to order any desert, but we will definitely be coming back to give it a try.
We had a wonderful time in The Duck and Rice and felt very well looked after by everyone there. Its casual, yet classy with just the right mix of modernism and tradition.
Could this be the best Chinese food we’ve had in London? DUCK YEAH IT IS!!!
Top tips - Duck and Rice is in one of Soho’s most iconic streets, so of course they have lots of events to keep the crowds entertained. We will definitely be signing up a dog-lovers team for their famous drag queen quiz night, as well as their pilsner masterclasses and live music.
Snackies out of ten? 10000/10 would DUCK YEAH again.