Old Tree Daiwan Bee

London Chinatown is always a bit of a tease - it promises so much yet delivers so little. See, before coming to London all those years ago, I paid my other city crush New York a visit, and the Chinatown there feels almost like a China-city. So when I came to London and was greeted by nothing more than a China-block, you can understand I was more than a little disappointed. But even when you're there, it's all a bit of a mirage. It certainly has the look and the feel of a Chinatown with all the hustle and bustle; hell it even smells like a Chinatown; but the taste is far from what a Chinatown should be at prices which are just poor for the quantity you get. However, in amongst all the pretenders, there are a few gems which redeem the area and today, I want to write about one of them; Daiwan Bee.

Located just off the main Gerrard Street strip on Rupert Street, Daiwan Bee is technically Taiwanese but in truth, serves the chinese classics that we've all come to expect and you certainly won't come disappointed.

On this visit, and dining in a table of three, we were able to try a few items on the menu settling on the salt and pepper squid and deep fried chicken to start followed by mains of pork dumplings, Taiwanese style pork mince dry noodles and the most affordable bowl of Dan Dan mein I've seen in the UK with an authentic taste.

Starters were incredible and actually made me wish I'd just ordered another portion for mains with both fried just right with a batter which was light and crunchy. The seasoning though was the real kicker as, in addition to salt and spice, there appeared to be a hint of sugar which might seem strangely but only strangely good! Really recommend these.

But the highlight of the night though came in a bowl of Dan Dan mein. Turning to Wikipedia, Dan Dan mein is a noodle dish originating from Chinese Sichuan cuisine consisting of a spicy sauce containing preserved vegetables, mustard stems, chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, minced pork, and scallions served over noodles. Sounds straightforward enough but believe me when I say it's not that easy to find a good one and when you do, it's not cheap. Here at Daiwan Bee, that all changes because for £5, you'll leave a satisfied diner. It was a beautiful bowl of comfort which I'm now hooked on.

If you're in Chinatown and in need of a casual and quick cheap eat, look no further than Daiwan Bee. You're welcome.

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My Taiwanese friend and I randomly passed here while we waited for a seat next door at The Palomar: the spicy beef noodle soup and homemade sausage (made in house) both very authentic. We enjoyed it so much we ditched our plans to eat next door and kept ordering. Seats are not so comfortable but it's quick and easy and the food is worth it. A nice hidden spot. Recommend it.

Eventho the place is quite small, but the food was amazing. Will definitely be back again. The dry noodle was so great not too heavy and not too salty, the turnip cake was crispy outside and soft inside.

Amazing!!!! I live in Soho and even thought there are many asian restaurants around my house this is the best one!! Their fried calamari, dry minced noodles and spicy noodle are delicious🤤

Great hearty food which hits the spot! Ordered several dishes and each was great and seasoned perfectly. The fried pork was a little dry but everything was on point. It's a little tight in spacing and lack of modern interior but the food makes up for it. Cash only and the prices are slightly higher then on the menu photo on Google review.

We stumbled upon this cosy little restaurant while trying to find a quick meal. They didn’t disappoint! The service was super quick and efficient and the food (especially the noodles) was just what I needed - hearty and satisfying. I can’t wait to return and try the dumplings 🥟

Found this place unintentionally. We were going to another restaurant but it was full, so we were strolling around trying to find a new place. It was a great discovery! We didnt expect much, but the food was veeeeery nice. I've been to Taiwan, and the food there was a bit bland to my personal taste, but I loved the food here! It was very flavorful. The fried chicken was banging! Highly recommend 👍 The noodle dish had rich soup, and the beef was tender. The bun was great. The bubble tea was not sweet, which is nice (it's very sweet where I come from). I was surprised to see that the rating for this restaurant is only 3-ish. The staff was nice. They were not all smiley but were polite. The downside is that the venue is quite small and they dont take card payments. But can pay in cash (pounds or euro) or bank transfer *Edit: Forgot to mention. We paid 35 pounds for 2 people. The noodle dish we shared was big. I believe I couldnt finish one bowl by myself.