China Town - Winchester

We were excited for a Saturday night meal at China Town, basing our expectations on its reputation. However, it seems that the quality and reputation have declined since it changed ownership (as mentioned in another review below). We ordered mixed egg fried rice and beef with noodles, but unfortunately, the food was incredibly bland, boring, and flavorless. We were very disappointed and regretted not sticking with one of our usual restaurants. With plenty of dining options out there, it's best to avoid China Town.

I visited a nice, simple, and authentic restaurant located inside one half of an Asian supermarket. I went there on an early Saturday evening for a quick meal. The homemade pork dumplings were delicious. My friend ordered Pho Bo, which tasted just like it does in Hanoi. I tried the hot and spicy beef soup with egg noodles, which was very flavorful. I also enjoyed a caphe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk), which was really good. The staff were friendly and even willing to humor my limited Vietnamese language skills. The atmosphere was functional, with the authentic smell of the Asian food market adding to the experience. I will definitely return, both to eat and to shop. It's one of the few places locally where you can buy packs of Vietnamese coffee.

I used to love this place under the previous management eat there a lot. This is my second visit since it changed hands. This visit was even more disappointing than the last (the Soya chicken, a family recipe of the previous owner, was to die for). This visit I have been left feeling deceived and ripped off. I ordered Tom Yum soup. The options (see photo of menu) were Chicken or Beef for £8.50, Prawn or mixed for £9.50. I ordered mixed. I, not unreasonably I’m sure, expected to be served chicken beef prawn but was served, chicken, beef PORK! I went to speak to the person who took my order (who gave me the impression of being the owner). He appeared very confused by my objection to having been served pork instead of prawns, even when I pointed out that pork was clearly not mentioned on the menu and that the meat dishes were cheaper than those containing seafood. He started trying to write things down on a note pad, I think to try explain what ‘mixed’ meant. I got no apology, no offer to replace the dish but was just left to get on with it. I was then charged the higher price £9.50, adding insult to injury hence leaving me feeling ripped off. My son ordered chicken noodles. The dish arrived looking very brown totally absent of the lovely green veg shown in the menu photo (I wish now I had taken a photo) The portion was much smaller than the portions provided by the previous owner. Prices are now significantly higher too. When the last owner started he charged £5.50 for most dishes. That rose to £6.50 a little later on. And final he was charging around £7. Anyone reading the reviews here on Tripadvisor should understand that the value for money that people have described, were not until quite recently, based on today’s prices and it should also be noted that the very high ratings enjoyed here are mostly reviews of the cafe under previous management. Sadly, I will not be eating there again.

I had high hopes for the cafe, but unfortunately it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I would recommend skipping the main dishes and instead trying the delicious starters. The vegetarian spring rolls were particularly outstanding, with a crispy, fresh, and handmade goodness that I would rate 5/5. On the other hand, the Vietnamese ribs for main were disappointing. They were hard, chewy, and lacking meat on the bones. They should have been tender and flavorful with a tasty marinade, but unfortunately they fell short. The only saving grace was the good steamed rice. Overall, I would rate this dish 1/5.

The food is nicely priced and high quality Drinks from the supermarket shelves Basic cafe setting But the food is gr8