To get there, you walk around the central courtyard, complete with electric Rolls-Royce cars and a London taxi decked out in The Peninsula’s signature green, not to mention two 120-year-old Japanese maple trees.
It is apparent immediately that this is one of the most beautiful Chinese restaurants in London, thanks to its design by Henry Leung from CAP Atelier – the design agency behind The Peninsula hotels in Beijing and Paris, the Mandarin Oriental Taipei, and modern Chinese restaurants Mott 32 in Seoul and Bangkok.
The private dining rooms pay homage to Chinese opera and are decked out in silks, dragon motifs and red glass, while the lazy Susan atop each table features a celestial constellation. Even the carpet is designed to call to mind waves flowing under the junk.
Water clocks feature throughout, and in the compact and low-lit dining room, along with beautiful collections of porcelain there is a celestial navigation map on the ceiling.
Instead, there are unexpected but delicious and decadent-sounding creations such as Cornish blue lobster braised with aged Cheddar, Stilton, girolles and rice cakes; alternatively, you can order your lobster served sautéed with ginger and spring onion.
Plump har gao (shrimp dumplings) were filled to the edges with succulent shrimp. Staff warned about the hot beef soup in the pan-fried beef cakes with preserved Tianjin vegetables. I would expect such a warning when served xiao long bao soup dumplings, which are also on the menu, but it was not needed here, even though the shredded meat was succulent.
The Peninsula’s version of XO sauce accompanied flaky, buttery BBQ pork buns so good they did not need any help. My portions were halved, as I was eating on my own, but dim sum orders typically comprise four pieces, and most cost around £12 (US$15).
A dish of giant Scottish scallop with mung bean noodles, crispy garlic and shallot greens (£20 for one) tempted me, but lacked the wow factor.
Wok-fried Herdwick lamb chops with eight treasure sauce, however, was stellar. The lamb had a light crust and was topped with ginger, while the sauce was a flavour bomb thanks to ingredients including soybeans, black soybeans, shallots, dried scallops, dried prawns, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns.
Service throughout – from a team including French and British waiting staff – was warm and knowledgeable, with that trademark Peninsula ability to make you feel special whether you are a millionaire or have saved up for a special treat.
To accompany the food, Canton Blue offers a selection of baijiu, a Chinese liquor, and more than 200 wines, as well as fresh leaf teas.
Dinner guests have the option of a drink in a bar called Little Blue, which features cobalt lacquered doors, a stunning white porcelain bamboo tree and a bar filled with reproduction apothecary drawers. Original travel trunks represent what would have once been stored in the hold of the Keying Junk.
On the menu, contemporary cocktails incorporate Asian spices, fruit and herbal tinctures, and there is a wide choice of teas.
As I left Canton Blue, one couple were welcomed with the words, “It’s good to see you back here again”, as they took their seats for a late lunch.
This was impressive, given that the restaurant had only been open for three days.
Then again, with such impressive decor and food, a desire to return to Canton Blue so soon after a first visit is understandable.
Canton Blue, The Peninsula London, 1 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 7HJ, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 20 8138 6888