The comments about Ping Pong Dim Sum serving reasonably priced dim sum (or yum cha as I know it) has me scratching my head. For £2.80 a serve it seems at first glance competitive in terms of price with the multitude of other dim sum restaurants housed in or near the Chinatown area of Leicester Square. However, what we received per serve seemed less … generous? perhaps that I am accustomed to. Oh well I guess we were here for the experience.

The new locale for Ping Pong in Soho seems very well matched to the feel of the restaurant – it is hip, (trying to be) urban and trendy. There is none of that bustling noisy messy atmosphere you would usually associate with traditional dim sum. Instead, dishes are requested through the very orderly process of marking a slip of paper given to your waiter who then forwards it to all the relevant people. I think people also go to Ping Pong for the cocktails as the cocktail/bar area rivaled that of the dim sum preparation area.

The selection of dim sum was rather disappointing – Ping Pong are clearly going for quality rather than quanity and quality – but what we did receive tasted as expected (not special nor awful.) The Jasmine tea (though a bit steep) was an experience with the flower arriving in your glass as an unopened bud then flowering to beauty as the hot water is infused.

If you are looking for variety and a challenge to your palette Ping Pong is not for you, but if you are after standard though reasonable quality dim sum, ambience, cocktails and are willing to stomach quite an expensive bill, Ping Pong would be right up your alley. It will be interesting to see if the Ping Pong that seems to be a work in progress on Westbourne Grove in Bayswater will deliver the same experience.