Shan Shui Social

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Yang Chow Fried Rice sounds like it should be something very specific, maybe a place, maybe a style you’re meant to reco...
02/04/2026

Yang Chow Fried Rice sounds like it should be something very specific, maybe a place, maybe a style you’re meant to recognise straight away.

But it’s actually less about geography, and more about a way of cooking.

The idea behind it is simple: fried rice, done properly. Light, separate grains, no heavy sauces, and just enough ingredients like prawns, egg and char siu to add texture and depth without overwhelming the rice itself.

It’s often seen as a benchmark in Cantonese cooking. If a kitchen can get a plate of Yang Chow Fried Rice right, you know they understand the basics 🍚

When people think of Sichuan food, “spicy” is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But the heat in Sichuan cuisin...
29/03/2026

When people think of Sichuan food, “spicy” is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But the heat in Sichuan cuisine isn’t just about chilli, it comes from something else entirely: Sichuan Peppercorn.

Despite its name, it’s not actually a pepper. It’s the dried husk of the prickly ash plant, known for creating that distinctive numbing sensation on the tongue, often described as “ma” (麻). Instead of a straightforward heat, it brings a tingling, almost electric feeling in your mouth that lifts and sharpens every flavour.

Mapo Tofu is one of the best-known examples of this. Soft silky tofu, rich minced meat, chilli oil, and Sichuan peppercorn come together to create that signature “ma la” (麻辣) profile, comforting, intense, and deeply satisfying all at once 🌶️

When it comes to a good lunch, sometimes it’s the simplest combinations that stay with you.Take black pepper chicken, wo...
25/03/2026

When it comes to a good lunch, sometimes it’s the simplest combinations that stay with you.

Take black pepper chicken, wok-fried with crushed pepper for that warm, slightly sharp heat, balanced with peppers and a glossy savoury sauce. Or sweet and sour pork, crispy on the outside, coated in that familiar tangy glaze that’s just the right mix of sweet and bright.

Two very different flavours, one bold and savoury, one vibrant and comforting, but both built around the same idea.

For many of us who grew up with Asian food, a proper meal isn’t complete without rice - we’re always on the hunt for sides to go with it, and something to make it satisfying.

At Shan Shui Social, our one-plate lunch specials are built around exactly that feeling, familiar, balanced, and quietly comforting 🍚

If you’ve visited Shan Shui Social, chances are you’ve already tried one of our signature appetisers: Chef ’s Kaofu. But...
19/03/2026

If you’ve visited Shan Shui Social, chances are you’ve already tried one of our signature appetisers: Chef ’s Kaofu. But do you know what kaofu actually is? 🤔

It’s a traditional ingredient made from wheat gluten, commonly used in Shanghainese cooking. The gluten is steamed and dried, creating a sponge-like texture that soaks up sauces beautifully. When braised, it absorbs layers of flavour while staying soft and slightly chewy.

In many Chinese households, kaofu is cooked slowly with ingredients like dried Chinese mushrooms, soy sauce and sugar, creating a savoury-sweet dish that is often served cold as an appetiser.

At Shan Shui Social, Chef Jason Li’s version highlights that classic balance, letting the kaofu fully absorb the rich braising sauce and aromas from the ingredients around it 🥢

VictoriaLondon LondonFood ChineseAppetiser FoodStories

Three Cup Chicken is one of the most recognisable dishes in Taiwanese home cooking. Its name comes from the traditional ...
18/03/2026

Three Cup Chicken is one of the most recognisable dishes in Taiwanese home cooking. Its name comes from the traditional balance of three key ingredients in the sauce: soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil.

As it cooks, the sauce slowly thickens into a glossy glaze, coating each piece of chicken with deep savoury flavour. Garlic and ginger build the base, but the final character of the dish comes from a generous handful of Thai basil. Once it hits the hot claypot, the basil releases a warm, peppery aroma that lifts the whole dish, adding a slightly sweet, herbal note that defines the flavour of Three Cup Chicken 🍗

Rich, fragrant and deeply comforting, it’s a dish where the aroma often arrives at the table before the plate does 😍

13/03/2026

When you think of Chinese tea, what comes to mind?

Is it the delicate fragrance of jasmine tea from Fujian, where green tea leaves are scented with fresh jasmine blossoms? Or the deep, earthy character of Pu-erh from Yunnan, a tea shaped by time and careful fermentation?

Across China, tea has long been part of the dining table, served freshly brewed to accompany a meal and balance different flavours.

At Shan Shui Social, we prepare a selection of Chinese teas freshly brewed in-house, including Jasmine Chun Hao, Osmanthus Oolong, King Pu-Erh, Chrysanthemum Tea with Chia Seed, Fog Green and Mint Rose.

Teas make quiet companions to the flavours on the table.

After Dry January and a lively Chinese New Year in February, March arrives with a quieter question.💐 What are your plans...
11/03/2026

After Dry January and a lively Chinese New Year in February, March arrives with a quieter question.

💐 What are your plans for spring?

If you haven’t quite decided, come by Shan Shui Social and think it over with a drink in hand. Our Happy Hour deals are buy one, get one free, and it might be the perfect excuse to slow down for a moment.

Try our exclusive cocktails. There’s the Moutai Lychee Martini, where the bold aroma of Moutai baijiu meets sweet lychee liqueur and fresh lychee juice. Or the Blush of Dawn, a brighter mix of Moutai Chun with grapefruit and lime, lifted by sparkling water for a crisp citrus finish.

A drink, a conversation, and perhaps the start of a few new plans for the season ahead 🍸

When the steamers in the kitchen start to rise,you know something delicious is about to happen 🥟When the steamer lids li...
06/03/2026

When the steamers in the kitchen start to rise,
you know something delicious is about to happen 🥟

When the steamer lids lift, the steam escapes and our gorgeous nuggets of dim sum go straight from the steamer to the table.

Hot, moist, delicate and best enjoyed the moment it arrives.

Wok-Fried Lotus Root and Vegetables 🥬Lotus root keeps its clean, gentle crunch after a quick toss in the wok. Snap peas ...
01/03/2026

Wok-Fried Lotus Root and Vegetables 🥬

Lotus root keeps its clean, gentle crunch after a quick toss in the wok. Snap peas stay bright, celery adds bite, and shiitake brings a soft earthiness underneath. Gentle seasoning, just enough to keep everything fresh.

On a Chinese New Year table, lotus root symbolises connection and continuity for the year ahead 🧧

And honestly, in most Asian families there’s always a plate of greens in each meal. Because balance matters… and because Mum will definitely ask if you’ve had your greens yet 🤫

27/02/2026

What makes our Chinese New Year’s Seafood Wonton Cup dish fun is that you don’t just eat it, you assemble it 🤌🧑‍🍳

The wonton skin is deep-fried until thin and blistered, holding its shape like a fragile shell. Light, crisp, almost airy. One touch and it crackles. On it, goes the umami seafood medley comprising finely-diced seafood, mushrooms and carrot for brightness and bite.

It’s the kind of dish that gets everyone involved. Adults reach for seconds, kids want to build their own 🥢✨

Our festive menu is available until 3 March 2026 🧧 Don’t miss it.

Have you got a favourite dish on the Chinese New Year table? Would it involve prawns by any chance?Our Chinese New Year’...
24/02/2026

Have you got a favourite dish on the Chinese New Year table? Would it involve prawns by any chance?

Our Chinese New Year’s Kung Pao King Prawns feature prawns flash-fried in a blazing wok, helping to lock in their natural sweetness while the edges take on a faint char. Dried chillies, spring onions, garlic and ginger are added for a deep flavour, and the sauce eventually redues to a glossy sheen, clinging to each prawn with a balance of savoury depth and subtle sweetness. Finally, cashew nuts are added for a buttery crunch.

Now this is what we call a proper festive plate for reunion dinners and long conversations around the table 🧧

Picture this.A neatly cut cube of meat rests in the claypot, its surface glossy and translucent, catching the light in a...
20/02/2026

Picture this.

A neatly cut cube of meat rests in the claypot, its surface glossy and translucent, catching the light in a deep amber-red sheen. The layers are clear, the shape deliberate.

The aroma arrives first.
Soy and Chinese wine, warm and mellow, lingering without overpowering.

Then the first bite.
Soft and yielding, yet holding its form. The fat turns silky and springy, rich but never heavy, while the meat stays tender and structured. Skin, fat and lean move together, coated in a sauce that clings rather than drips.

This is D**g Po Rou.
A classic known for its quiet richness and composure.

And it’s now available on our Chinese New Year menu 😍

**gPoRou

Shan Shui Social | Chinese New Year Menu 🧨🧨Chinese New Year meals are meant to unfold across the table. Dishes arrive on...
12/02/2026

Shan Shui Social | Chinese New Year Menu 🧨🧨

Chinese New Year meals are meant to unfold across the table. Dishes arrive one by one, placed in the centre, shared without rushing.

Our seasonal menu reflects that rhythm. Sesame prawn toast and crab pumpkin sweetcorn soup open the meal with warmth and richness, setting the tone. Seafood wonton cups follow, crisp and light, bringing contrast between bites. At the heart of the table, slow-braised claypot pork belly (D**g Po Rou) sits glossy and tender, alongside wok-fried lotus root and vegetables for freshness and crunch. Kung pao king prawns add depth and gentle heat, finished with dried chillies and cashew nuts.

This is food made for passing, pausing, and returning to. The best option to knock the door of 2026, the year of the horse🐎!

See our highlight for CNY menu.

10/02/2026

Do you know the significance of Yu Sheng? 🐟🥢

Often translated as a prosperity salad, Yu Sheng carries its meaning in the name itself.
鱼生 (yú shēng) literally refers to raw fish, but it also echoes 余生 (yú shēng) and 有余 (yǒu yú), phrases associated with abundance and having more than enough in the year ahead.

It’s also known as 捞生 (lāo shēng), where the focus shifts to the action. Lao means to lift or toss, turning the dish into something you do together, rather than something you simply eat.

That’s where 捞高高 (lāo gāo gāo), often heard as Lo Hei, comes in.
As the ingredients are tossed higher and higher, the gesture becomes a shared wish for progress, growth, and good fortune rising together.

That’s why Yu Sheng is usually enjoyed at the start of the meal.
Before the dishes arrive, before the conversation settles, everyone reaches in and lifts as one to channel as much good energy to the table as possible 🧧🧧

Address

14 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W0QP

Telephone

+442046178888

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