Scottish and British Chinese food is a collaboration in itself; taking traditional often Cantonese recipes and adapting them both to the local palate and to readily available ingredients.
Having grown up outside of the UK, I never know what to order from our local takeaways. While people who have grown up here run on nostalgia, knowing their order before they even see a menu, it feels more like an exploration to me.
A sometimes overwhelming experience when a menu feels more like a textbook with many different Chinese cuisines (and sometimes beyond!) crammed into one rather dense plastic laminated book. How can chefs possibly specialise in them all?
And that was one of the issues that actress Lisa He emphasized when she shared that her mother’s 30-year-old Edinburgh restaurant China Star’s impending closure.
One that she was determined to do her best to to prevent. So, with no real plan but her heart in the right place, Lisa came up from London with a three month deadline to save China Star Restaurant.
China Star Restaurant: A Community Hub?
Located on West Maitland Street, tucked in a row of businesses between Edinburgh’s West End and Haymarket, China Star Restaurant sits in a slightly awkward place out of the way of Edinburgh’s intense tourism, relying heavily on locals who have been going there for years and takeaway apps.
Decorated in reds and golds, Chinese knots and brush & ink Shan Shui artwork on the walls and a well-stocked bar at the entrance, the interior feels timeless and comfortable. Somewhere you would take your family or friends to. A place to nourish community.
And that is exactly what I saw when I walked in: women who have been friends as long as the restaurant has been open catching up over chow mein; families celebrating birthdays with Colin the Caterpillar after finishing their meals; groups of young people discovering good food over a few drinks and lots of laughter.
From my seat in the middle of the restaurant, I watched as Lisa and her mother Sophie interacted with Chin & Choo, the PR team and team from Lucky Boat Noodles and felt their unbridled excitement at how the event was coming together. It didn’t feel like the usual smooth-run operation as many PR events do, but different communities even in business coming together.
It was a joy to watch and for me that made the joy of eating and this collaboration all the more meaningful. Afterall, food is often the bridge that connects people, both those close to us and those new.
China Star x Chin & Choo x Lucky Boat Collab
After Lisa put out her first video on social media, the response was great. Far greater I believe than she had anticipated. For me, it was her complete transparency that was the most appealing and her willingness to listen to audiences, both professional and those who just like a good bite to eat, in how to revamp and streamline the restaurant without losing its identity.
And that’s how this collaboration began with another intergenerational duo, influencer chefs Chin and his mother Choo, and sponsored by Lucky Boat who supply oodles of noodles to many Chinese restaurants and takeaways in Britain.
The event menu highlighted the classics: Beef in black bean sauce, salt and chilli chicken and tofu, sweet and sour chicken and of course Chin & Choo’s special chow mein. With the PR-rep-turned-server for the evening’s suggestion I ordered everything excluding the two salt & chilli dishes (though I know they are a favourite of many Scots!).
Sweet & Sour Chicken
Immediately I was impressed with visuals. There is a good balance between chicken and vegetable, and all the ingredients look fresh. The first few bites proved me right with perfectly cooked battered chicken that is firm on the outside and juicy on the inside, crisp vegetables that provide a balance in texture and flavour all covered in a tangy and bright sweet and sour sauce that marries everything together.
Beef in Black Bean Sauce
Black bean sauce to me is a flavour that is tied with British Chinese food. Previously to living in the UK, I had been very familiar its spicy cousin doubanjiang but not that many restaurants in Canada (at least in my memory) use the milder and slightly sweet black bean sauce. And for someone who often prefers spicier flavours, I don’t often chose it on a menu.
However, tonight, I listened to the advice of others and was glad I went out of my comfort zone. The beef was perfectly velveted, so tender and juicy in black bean sauce with the sharp sweetness of the capsicum balancing out the rich unami of the sauce.
Chin & Choo’s Special Chow Mein
The mother and son duo’s special chow mein was of course the star of the show with Lucky Boat suppling all the noodles for the night. This was delicious. Not too oily and seasoned beautifully with plenty of ginger, garlic and soy and a hint of something smoky that may have been Maggi’s liquid seasoning. Both the proteins, chicken and prawn, were cooked perfectly too.
Thanks to Chin & Choo for providing the recipe to guests, we can all make it at home too.
After eating my fill and rolling myself out of the seat, I caught up briefly with Lisa before leaving. She is still not positive if she can save China Star and fulfil her Mother’s part-time dream, but she is hopeful. While this collaboration with Chin & Choo and Lucky Boat was a resounding success, there is still a lot of work to do to ensure that the restaurant’s future is sustainable.
Like many family-owned businesses, running a restaurant was not always a source of joy for her. Especially for a young girl who felt the walls of the restaurant a cage keeping her trapped in the less-than-glamourous position of helping to run a family restaurant. Having returned to Edinburgh this time, the difficulties are still there but perhaps felt as an adult who can better understand her parents’ hard work, the trauma of her youth has become determination to ensure the best life for her mother.
While the restaurant’s future may be opaque, one thing is transparent: both those near and those across the world are watching and wishing for nothing but the best for this mother and daughter team.
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