We Review Chop Chop At The Hippodrome: The Award-Winning Chinese Restaurant By Four Seasons

Set in the heart of Leicester Square, The Hippodrome Casino is one of London's best-known venues. And while most people may make the trip there to try and win big at the games, I recently found myself venturing to this enormous mecca of entertainment for an entirely different reason. Down in the basement you'll find Chop Chop by Four Seasons, a Chinese restaurant that has earned titles like winner of the Golden Chopsticks Awards 2024 and the Travellers' Choice Best of the Best category in 2024. They're also led by titan of the Soho restaurant industry William Sin, who was general manager at Y Ming on Greek Street for 26 years.

Take a trip under the sea at The Hippodrome.

DesignMyNight Review Of Chop Chop London

The casino was packed when we entered, but immediately upon descending to the lower ground floor, there was a calmer, more sophisticated vibe going on. We were welcomed into an intimate but well spaced-out restaurant, split into three sections - all of which featured low lighting and speckled white tables. There was an open kitchen at the back (where they also offer takeaways) but we were sat in a booth on the other side, next to the glowing neon lights that depicted colourful sea creatures.

Casinos and cocktails go hand in hand, so it would have been rude not to try one of them. I ordered the lychee martini (£14), a zesty, fragrant blend of vodka, lychee juice and lime. My dinner date opted for a popping pornstar martini (£14), a fruity twist on the classic passionfruit drink that came with a shot glass full of prosecco and strawberry popping boba. This is a great choice for anyone who wants to feel nostalgic, as when these bubbles exploded they tasted almost exactly like Calpol.

The Chop Chop Hippodrome menu includes some cracking cocktails.

The traditional Cantonese menu is smaller than that of many Chinese restaurants, a sign that what they do cook is done well - and this was evident in our starters. The vegetable spring rolls (£8.80) had a beautifully flaky pastry crust, filled with flavourful shreds of carrot and cabbage, and they were complemented nicely by a generous helping of sweet chilli sauce. This came alongside the vegetarian dumplings (£7.80), featuring soft Chinese cabbage and a hot chilli oil dressing. And of course, the meal wouldn't have been complete without some prawn crackers (£3.50).

We then chose a range of main dishes to share, the first being stir-fried chicken in black bean sauce (£14.80). This was made up of juicy chunks of meat mixed in with fried peppers and onions, all coated in a rich, tangy sauce - served alongside steamed rice. Next was the heavily garlic-coated kai lan (£13.80), a type of Chinese broccoli that was steamed to tender perfection.

Expect authentic Cantonese fare on the Chop Chop restaurant menu.

The last of our mains was the melt-in-the-mouth braised aubergine (£13.80), served as a hotpot with mixed vegetables and a thick, savoury sauce. We devoured all of this alongside some egg-fried rice (£6.50), which had a perfectly fluffy texture and was sprinkled with onions.

Chop Chop At The Hippodrome: Overall

Since its opening in 2022, the Chop Chop London reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and I can see why. The stylish basement restaurant was secluded from the main casino, while still retaining the buzz of such an imposing location. The whole menu was very authentic, and everything was seasoned to perfection - and don't miss out on the exciting twists on classic cocktails either.

Got your tastebuds tingling? Then check out these other great Central London restaurants.