Uncle Wong

A rash of Asian lounges have opened in Amsterdam in the last few years, including Geisha, Genki and Orbit. Uncle Wong is 'just' a restaurant, although the subdued lighting, black tables and red leather sofas might make you think otherwise.

Uncle Wong's website states that it serves Szechuan and Cantonese specialities. However, a number of other Asian cuisines have crept onto the menu, such as the Japanese chicken gyoza dumplings we ordered to start. The thin-skinned ‘potstickers’ were well-seasoned, but I would have preferred the more common soya and sesame oil dipping sauce rather than the sweet chilli sauce which accompanied them.

The other starter, also not Chinese, was succulent lamb satay in a rich, sticky soya sauce reduction you could have tarred a road with.

Image of Uncle Wong Japanese gyoza dumplings The main courses marked a definitive return to China: Peking duck with perfectly crisped skin and hoisin sauce (with rice instead of pancakes and spring onions); and fiery kung pao chicken. Providing enough vitamins for a week was a mound of stir-fried mixed veg and tofu in pungent black bean sauce.

We could have skipped two dishes and still had too much food, but at around €5 for the starters and €10 for the mains Uncle Wong was still excellent value. Incidentally, the restaurant offers a doggy bag for leftovers, something that is still rare in The Netherlands despite the country's Calvinist leanings.

Image of Uncle Wong main courses I'm not a big fan of Asian desserts, as I have said in other restaurant reviews, and in any case Uncle Wong had defeated us with the first two courses. For those who make it to the third course, however, Uncle Wong serves a selection of ice creams, including green tea, sesame and red bean.

There are several more authentic Chinese restaurants in Amsterdam, such as Taste of Culture near Leidseplein and Nam Kee on Zeedijk, although they lack ambiance and don't encourage diners to stick around. For a more lingering meal – and pretty decent food at decent prices – you can’t go wrong at Uncle Wong.