On the way from Richmond to Sheen (or should that be the other way round?) sits the ever-popular Dragon Inn – a stalwart for what seems in the main the retired and/or wealthy bit of the community. They love the attention from Eddie the owner: ‘Where have you been? Holiday?’ or ‘No kids tonight?’ He’s good, too, telling us: ‘You’ve never been before, what brings you?’ Everyone feels special but there’s no ‘over-fawning’ to the point of intrusion and there’s a nice buzz about the place.
The menu is that of a typical high street Chinese (meaning predominantly Cantonese), with everything you’d expect, plus the odd surprise. If it’s variety and value for money you’re after, the set menus are a good shout. Our Peking Feast (£30 a head) gave us a decent range of freshly cooked starters, a crispy duck second course and three mains with rice and vegetables – a skillet of sizzling lamb, ginger and onion being a stand-out, with a plate of plump sweet-and-sour prawns not far behind. For a town with a burgeoning list of good restaurants, you’d be advised to book for any night you want to visit The Dragon Inn, and that speaks volumes.