Serving up authentic Chinese fare for the last 9 years, Royal China has stood the test of time, the ups and downs of the economy, the high and low tides of expats, and if you’ve ever eaten there, you’ll see why.
I first reviewed Royal China a few years ago, which you can read here. Spoiler alert: I absolutely loved it, and I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t go back as much as I’d like to, but my poor excuse(s) are that (a) I get distracted by the 50 million (mostly rubbish) new restaurants opening up every other day and (b) the fact that Royal China (via Deliveroo) don’t deliver to where I live.
Fast forward to our last wedding anniversary when I knew our meal had to be Asian, a little higher-end than Din Tai Fung, and could not possibly be disappointing.
Royal China consistently stays top of mind every time anyone asks me where they can have the best dim sum in Dubai (including that time I was on Dubai Eye 103.8 with The Mothership), and I knew we couldn’t pick a more foolproof and consistent place to eat at. The only thing that was new this time around, was that we got the meet the owner of the restaurant, Benjamin, and in a single meeting he became one of our most favorite people ever, for he is hilarious! I mean, we were out for our anniversary meal and practically begged him to sit down and not leave, and we laughed non-stop!
Over the years, the fit-outs at Royal China have visibly gotten more dated, but Benjamin says it’s all part of the charm, and I kind of see it. Eating at Royal China mildly reminds me of eating at a high-end Chinese restaurant in Pakistan, where there are two national cuisines: Pakistani and Chinese. The air smells of charred meat, the service is extremely hospitable, and the upholstery shows visible signs of the things it has seen and…tasted.
We ordered some steady favorites, and suffice to say, everything was just spectacular. Whenever anyone asks me what they should order at Royal China, I tell them to just order whatever jumps out at them, because you do you, Royal China won’t disappoint. Even the simples things like the boy chow taste better here.
With pictures clearly illustrating the items on the menu, the last bit of hope of Royal China being a fine-dining establishment goes out the window, but that’s ok, the prices are so reasonable and the food is so delicious that it can easily become the place to visit multiple times a week (especially if you’re an Asian food fiend like I am).
And when you order tea, it will be a proper ceremony. Is my love for Royal China palpable enough yet, or should I keep going?
