Mango Tree (Harrods): where Thai goes pan-Asian

Mango Tree in Belgravia used to be one of my favourite Southeast Asian restaurants in London. Service was as warm as the City of Smiles and food was pretty delicious at a reasonable price. I’ve not been back in years, because I’ve discovered new places to try and new favourites.

Over the years, I’ve seen the Mango Tree brand flourish with outlets all over the city and the globe, including the Philippines. They must be doing something right, so when I got an invite to try their concession at Harrods I got a bit nostalgic and brought along fellow ASEAN B.

Located by a corner in Harrods’ famous Food Hall, the space seats 24 and is perfect for a quick refuel in between shopping.

Still feeling Summery, we ordered a glass of Chateau de Campuget each. I find that Thai food, or anything spicy, is always delicious with rose. This wine didn’t disappoint as it was full-bodied with a hint of berries and on the light, easy-drinking side.

The Mango Tree Harrods menu is entirely different from the Belgravia menu. Sure, there are some Thai favourites, but about half the menu is a nod to Asian delights, particularly dim sum.

With a full appetite to roll on, we ordered.

First to arrive from the menu was a bowl of lobster popcorn (£26.50) drizzled with “spicy” mayo. The serving was sufficient and so was the lobster filling. Each bite-sized portion had a good amount of lobster and I was quite happy to savour the rich flavour.

Talk about a luxurious, glamorised take on this type of fish ball. The mayo lacked a bit of spice, though.

On our server’s recommendation – and because we both miss a good Xiao Long Bao after talking about Din Tai Fung – we ordered the Shanghai pork XLB. I was a bit excited to try this, because at £12.80 for three pieces, I thought it would be really good. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough soup in the dumpling and the filling itself lacked seasoning.

We originally ordered the prawn with white truffle oil (£10.80) but we were mistakenly served the prawn and chive dumplings instead (£10).

We decided to stick to this pot of dim sum anyway. I was pleasantly surprised by how there was a lot of prawn inside.

And then our mains arrived.

The black cod ob see-ew (£33.20) looked nice enough and it was actually baked perfectly. The sweet soy glaze was fine although I thought it may have caramelised for too long. I thought this was okay but was definitely no match against my favourite gindara in town from Roka.

B’s massaman nuer (£42) was a generous portion. The beef short ribs were quite tender and the flavour of the meat itself was on point. The sauce was decentI enjoyed the texture of the peanuts and hints of the microleaves scattered. A good dish, I thought.

Verdict

Overall, I thought Mango Tree in Harrods was… okay. If you’re accustomed to the Belgravia branch, prepare for the difference in menu. It’s mostly pan-Asian food with a Thai feature and Brexit price points. Food is okay. I wouldn’t say it’s got the best dim sum in town, but there’s enough to keep you interested and satiated in between picking up handbags and glad rags. Go for the lobster popcorn and a quick glass of wine.

Mango Tree Harrods
Brompton Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW1X
I was invited as a guest of Mango Tree but ave spend pp is £40

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Have you been to Mango Tree? What did you think?

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