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It’s time to celebrate new beginnings and good fortune as the Chinese New Year is upon us.
It’s the Year of the Wood Snake, which favours intelligence, prosperity and resourcefulness. If you want to start things off with a bang, here are five of Kent’s top-rated Chinese restaurants to visit in honour of the Lunar New Year…
COCONUT TREE NOODLE BAR, Herne Bay
While it’s not strictly a Chinese restaurant and instead opts for the ever-trendy ‘fusion’ label, this Asian-inspired eatery combines flavours from all over the continent. Diners can sample dishes from China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia in a contemporary setting with striking artwork adorning the walls. The menu is a good balance of classics like wonton noodles and sweet and sour chicken alongside mee goreng (Malaysian fried noodles with prawns, pork and chicken) and duck udon (thick Japanese noodles with shredded duck).
TripAdvisor review: The food is very good and the prices are very reasonable. The staff are efficient, professional and welcoming. I will certainly revisit this restaurant.
Details: 18 William Street in Herne Bay. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm to 2pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm.
CONFUCIOUS, Chatham
This family-run restaurant has been a staple of Intra, the space between Chatham and Rochester, for years. The menu is a set price for an all-you-can-eat meal but, rather than being buffet-style, diners can choose their dishes from the menu and are treated to table service. The food is all cooked fresh to order and brought to you as it’s ready, and you can order as much as you like – as long as you eat it all.
TripAdvisor review: My favourite Chinese in the area. The staff are so friendly and love to joke with you. The food is hot, fresh, delicious. Satay chicken is out of this world. We love coming to this restaurant.
Details: 342 High Street in Chatham. Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 5.30pm to 10pm, Friday and Saturday, 5pm to 10.30pm, and Sundays from 12pm to 10pm.
IMPERIAL DYNASTY, West Malling
Since opening way back in 1994, this long-standing oriental restaurant has changed with the times. While you can still find all your favourites, such as egg fried rice and shredded chilli beef, on the menu, it’s expanded to also include cuisine from Indonesia and Malaysia. There’s also an extensive vegetarian and vegan selection, with freshly cooked vegetable side dishes, sizzling tofu mains and mock-meat options.
TripAdvisor review: Never have I been to a Chinese restaurant where they had such an extensive vegan/vegetarian menu. The food was amazing, reasonably priced and the staff were incredibly helpful and friendly.
Details: 18-20 High Street in West Malling. Open Monday to Saturday, 5.30pm to 11pm, and Sundays from 12pm to 9pm.
JASMINE HOUSE CHINESE CUISINE, Charing
An independent business, Jasmine House is run by locals and caters to a range of dietary needs, from meat-free meals to gluten-free options. There are a few set menus if you can’t decide for yourself, however, if you do fancy sampling a handful of dishes, you can choose from a huge selection of Chinese classics. There’s crispy duck, lemon chicken, chow mein noodles, sweet and sour pork, spring rolls, sesame prawn toast and more.
TripAdvisor review: Excellent food. The best Chinese food we have had in England on all our visits, including top-end in London.
Details: Maidstone Road in Charing, near Ashford. Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 3pm to 10.15pm, Friday and Saturday, 3pm to 10.45pm, and Sunday from 1.30pm to 9.45pm.
ZEN KAFE, Folkestone
With a variety of Asian staples on the menu including katsu curry and pad Thai, this hidden gem is a great place to mix and match some of your favourite Chinese, Japanese and Thai foods. There are a few vegetarian dishes, but this cosy restaurant is mainly for the meat-eaters and the menu has a good choice of chicken, pork, duck, beef and seafood mains.
TripAdvisor review: Undoubtedly the best Asian food in Folkestone! I went with my family this evening and the menu is really reasonable and extremely delicious, a great choice. Katsu Curry and Udon are brilliant.
Details: 4 Guildhall Street in Folkestone. Open Tuesday to Thursday, 5pm to 9pm, Friday from 5pm to 10pm, and Saturday from 12pm to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm.