As the Year of the Dragon commences on 23 January, we’ve picked our top venues, in cities around the UK, at which to indulge in a Chinese meal. For more suggestions near you, or to make a booking, just call our team of lifestyle managers.
Sweet Mandarin
19 Copperas Street, Manchester M4 1HS (pictured)
The brainchild of the Tse sisters, this modern, brightly lit restaurant – with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on the hip Northern Quarter – serves up flavoursome family recipes. Mancunians flock to enjoy Mabel’s Claypot chicken, Lion Head pork meatballs and the fiery yet fragrant Volcano beef. Dinner is best enjoyed with one of the 12 signature cocktails, named after the signs of the Chinese zodiac. For those who want to discover the secrets behind the dishes, the siblings run monthly cookery classes, with students learning how to make everything from dim sum to the perfect egg fried rice. There is also an accompanying book. Speak to your lifestyle manager to arrange a private lesson for you and a group of friends.
Yu & You
500 Longsight Road, Copster Green, Blackburn BB1 9EU
Long before this small, family-run venue took the title of top Chinese on Gordon Ramsay’s Best Restaurant programme, it had a loyal following of Lancashire locals. On the outskirts of Blackburn, the unassuming restaurant resembles a semi-detached house. It now has people flocking from all over the northwest to try the wok-seared Wagyu beef and Cantonese roast duck, served by attentive waiting staff who help diners decipher the lengthy menu. Arrive an hour before your booking to enjoy a cocktail in the bar.
Chop Chop 
76 Commercial Street, Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LX
While the original Haymarket location is continuously packed with locals, the newer Leith incarnation has a calmer atmosphere but the same great cooking. Owner Jian Wang arrived in Edinburgh from Changchun in northeast China – a region renowned for its jiao zi (boiled dumplings) – in 1997 and opened her first restaurant almost a decade later. Lauded by the press and chefs, Chop Chop’s tapas-sized dishes are characterised by their freshness and simplicity. The menu features more than 100 options with a good vegetarian selection, including pan-fried aubergine, with fresh garlic and Chinese spices, which is dried overnight to enrich the caramelisation. For those who lack decisiveness, the Unlimited Banquet, at a reasonable £18.50 per person, is a good way to sample a wide variety. Call your lifestyle manager to make a reservation.
Dynasty
16a St Thomas Street, Bristol BS1 6JJ
Dynasty’s owners have recently opened Zen, a new restaurant in the harbourside development – while it is definitely worth trying, nothing can better the original establishment close to Temple Meads rail station. Now in its 10th year, Dynasty’s chefs were trained in Hong Kong and make dim sum that rivals any of London’s Michelin-starred counterparts. However, order the Szechuan hot pot for a chance to get hands-on – you’ll get to cook marinated meat and Chinese vegetables at the table in a fiery broth of meat stock and chillies.
Gars
19 Prince Albert Street, The Lanes, Brighton BN1 1HF
A pebble’s throw from the beach, hidden in the historic lanes of the old fishing town, it’s no surprise that the speciality here is the fresh seafood. The à la carte menu offers everything from scallops to sea bass – but ask the waiting staff about the off-menu hot pot made with the fresh daily catch that is enough for two to share. Dishes also include a few favourites from Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. A romantic venue, the candlelit tables – some of which are tucked into private corners – are each decorated with a red rose that complements the crimson and black decor.
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