Tanya Gold Tanya Gold

The rudest restaurants in London

…and Wong Kei, which isn’t one of them

[Getty Images/Hemera] 
issue 17 May 2014

Wong Kei is a mad Chinese restaurant on Wardour Street, Chinatown. Until recently it was considered the rudest restaurant in London and, because human stupidity is without end, it became a tourist attraction in its own right, a destination for masochists too frightened to visit an actual dominatrix who would hit them with a stick.

The owner decided this notoriety upset him so he instructed the staff — no more deliberate or casual or accidental rudeness. This was considered so notable that it was reported in national newspapers.

I never thought Wong Kei was particularly rude, but then I am Jewish. I had an interesting reaction to a meal there once, and spent eleven hours carefully composing one fart — a fart by degrees, the world’s most timid fart, a maiden fart etcetera — but that had nothing to do with the service.

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