Ping Pong

As a Chinese living in London all my life, I regulary eat at dim sum joints across the city, so I generally know what to expect. However, Ping Pong was totally unexpected and a disappointment after a friend's suggestion to go there. Dishes were of tiny portion compared to the norm and many dim sum choices were experimental and average-tasting at best. For example, the Chef's Special - scallop with asparagus fried dumpling - came on a plate looking like 3 supermini Scotch eggs and each one I would say is 90% filled with a mushroom. How much? £3.99. Oh My God! Also, you would expect a Chinese restaurant with dim sum to serve noodle dishes. Don't expect any here.

To be fair, the decor was okay, it was clean and the staff were generally friendly. I guess you pay mainly for the scenery and service and not for a good meal. Dim sum for 6 = £90 + half full stomach. Nevertheless, experience counts and I'm glad I did try Ping Pong because now I know not to go there any more and because it makes me appreciate proper dim sum places in London such as Joy King Lau and Golden Palace.

We waited ages to be seated, then ages to get a menu. I had to stand up and wave my arms about till someone noticed we were there. All 5 of us opted for the 'eat all you can' option for about 17 quid. We placed our order but the waiter refused to let us keep a menu so we could order more whilst we were eating. Very strange.

The food was very good, and we took full advantage of the offer. The service, however, just got worse. Instead of charging us for the 'eat all you can' option they charged us for each individual dish - a mark-up of over £50! When we pointed this out, the waiter accused us of having 6 people round the table and we had a few very awkward moments until the manager sorted things out. They then included service charge in the total bill. I found that a bit cheeky, so we refused to pay the 'discretionary' service charge. A shame, because I enjoyed the food.

I ate at the Ping Pong on Goodge Street. If the waiters were better then I would recommend it, otherwise I'd say go to Chinatown.

I've been to Ping Pong twice, so I've tried a variety of dishes, but the fact is that the dim sum is unauthentic and unimpressive. I wouldn't dare take my Singaporean mother there!

Had dinner at the South Bank Centre last week with a couple of friends. Food was not so great but the cocktails were nice and staff friendly. Overall a nice experience.

Ping Pong is great little parcels of deliciousness. If you have a very reasonably priced dumpling fix, you will be comfortably full for the rest of the evening. Stop moaning and enjoy!

Yesterday I had dinner at the Westbourne Grove restaurant and I found a spider, complete with web, in my husband's sticky rice. Both the waitress and the manager (who only came after we asked to see him) told us that the spider crawled in to the rice and got cooked and there is nothing they can do about it. They didn't seem to be apologetic or bothered about it. We told them that, even though we used to be regular customers up till now, we won't be coming back. This is basic hygiene and all restaurants who have a licence to serve food should not be allowed to serve food with spiders. Apart from being disgusted, people can get ill!

Ping Pong serves dim sum that they pull out of the freezer, are not fresh and are of poor quality. You get a very limited menu, at almost double Chinatown prices. Have you noticed the lack of Chinese customers or staff when walking by Ping Pong? I can think of three Ping Pongs within a five minute walk of Chinatown and would suggest that you make that short walk to Gerrard Street where Ping Pong would never survive! (Great value and quality would be Joy King Lau off Lisle Street - £15 per head and loads of choice.)

The food is basic and overpriced. The customer service is awful, with inflexible table rules and bad attitude from managers. Don't bother. Go to Chinatown instead, where you get real dim sum served with authentic Oriental hospitality.

Don't know what people are whinging about. Fab food, well priced, and lovely staff.

Ping Pong is a customer service disgrace. Having eaten in Ping Pong in several different locations on several different occasions, the experience has never failed to leave me underwhelmed at best, fuming at worst.

I have been often (mainly to Great Marlborough St and Marylebone). The best thing about it is the jasmine tea (the flower bulb slowly opening in the hot water looks gorgeous). I think the food is quite average and a little overpriced for dim sum of this standard. After a few visits the menu is easily tired out.

As all reviews vary, decided to ignore and make my own mind up. Went to Ping Pong off Regent Street and found the whole experience fantastic. We were seated downstairs, music was funky, food was well-priced (how you can complain over £15 each, I don't know) and cocktails all worked well. Did have to wait for table, but wouldn't go somewhere with no customers. Definitely go. Not been to any other branch, but this one... wow!

I took my sister out for a birthday lunch to the one on Regent St and the service was appalling! We had to approach the staff for menus, to order and then to ask for the bill. Waited about ten minutes before anyone acknowledged us at the door, even though it was dead. I don't know why I didn't leave then! Had to complain to the manager. Please save your money. It is by far the worst restaurant I have ever been to!

Nice 'concept' if you don't care much about your dim sum.

We tried the branch off Marylebone High St. The staff were clueless, the portions very small and lacking in anything resembling authentic or quality dim sum. If you care more about cocktails than food then perhaps this would be a good choice...

I have been to Ping Pong about 3 or4 times and each time I've been pleasantly surprised. The service has generally been quick and the waiters have been very kind and helpful. The food is excellent and well prepared, plus I liked that I could see how and where they were cooking it.

The waitress who seated us greeted us with "You can only stay a maximum of an hour and a half". (With that unwelcoming comment we should have left, considering it was only 5.30 on a Sunday evening and the whole of downstairs was empty!) She directed us to a table crowded on top of a table of other diners, so we asked to sit at another table and she offered us one with a bench. I asked to be seated against a wall so I could lean back (I am pregnant) and pointed to a free table set for four. She maintained that it was a table for five but eventually declared "Fine, I'm not going to fight with you over it, you can sit there". Incredibly rude. Food is good, pity about the horrible staff.

I've been to Ping Pong many times as I live close by. The food is OK, not fantastic but reasonable for a light lunch. The menu is quite simple compared to the food in Chinatown.

Seating policy is ludicrous, there's far too much black lacquer in the decor, and I seriously doubt that the food is made fresh. Overpriced (£3 for 3 pieces) and completely pretentious. I'd advise going somewhere less glossy/fussy and with tastier/more plentiful food.

Truly the most horrendous eating experience of my life. The queue was so badly managed that a fight broke out, at which point two staff fled the restaurant in tears. We were sat in the gloomy downstairs, ate the dismal food asap and got out. Back to Yauatcha next time...

As a Chinese, I have to say people are fooled by all the fancy presentation and cocktails. The food is horrible. It's worse than the frozen food from my country's supermarkets.

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