Jing

Modern Chinese cuisine – designed to balance technique and presentation while sampling from other sources – can be a difficult tightrope act. Timidity won’t work; a proper hybrid needs wit and a spirit of invention, plus flawless execution.

Jing wields the first two confidently, but doesn’t always deliver on the third. Take the appetiser combination of wasabi mayonnaise prawns and Peking duck with foie gras. Jing’s lacquered skin and sautéed foie gras were a notable improvement on their antecedents, crisp and plush textures harmonising elegantly in the key of duck. However, the so-so prawns were lacking.

But brighter moments outnumber lacklustre ones. Morsels of lamb are cushioned on soft radish cake cubes stir-fried with egg – an unexpectedly good combination, as is the perfectly cooked, moist fish fillet baked in a peppery honey sauce. For dessert, lusciously fruity mango pudding didn’t need any of its six garnishes to shine, while a smooth avocado cream dotted with sago achieved the perfect note of sweetness.