A family Cantonese kitchen, Edinburgh since 1997
The whole city is ordering in to save it.
China Star on West Maitland Street is the 30 year kitchen Sophie Li built dish by dish. Her daughter Lisa came home to rescue it, TikTok followed, and now the pass is full every night. This is what the menu looks like.
Tonight at China Star
6A West Maitland Street
Edinburgh EH12 5DS
| Tue to Sun, collection | 12 to 2, 5 to 12 |
| Tue to Sun, delivery | 6 to 10:45 PM |
| Monday | Closed |
129
dishes on the live board, from soups at 3.80 to scallops at 16.80
47.80
pounds starts the banquet for two, 23.90 per person after that
14M
views and counting on Lisa rescue diary, @lisaluluhe
From the pass
Six plates that explain the place
No. 1
Aromatic Crispy Duck
Pancakes, shredded leeks, cucumber and special sauce. The order that starts half the tables.
Quarter 13.80, Half 22.80, Whole 42.00
No. 2
Roast Duck, Pickled Ginger and Pineapple
The house recommendation on their own front page. Sharp, sweet, gone too fast.
11.80
No. 3
Mongolian Crispy Lamb
Crackling lamb with the special sauce dip on the side. Order extra napkins.
13.80
No. 4
House Special Platter
Spring rolls, spare ribs, prawn toast, seaweed and satay skewers. The whole tour in one plate.
9.80
No. 5
The Banquet
Soup, ribs or wings, black bean beef, sweet and sour chicken, rice and fritters. Bigger tables unlock prawns, shredded beef, squid and roast duck.
23.90 per person, from 47.80
No. 6
King Prawn, Szechuan Sauce
Double chilli heat, sweet and sour underneath. Eighteen seafood dishes deep, this is the one to beat.
11.80
Sixteen sections, one kitchen
Browse the board by craving
18
Chicken dishes
Black bean to Kung Po, 9.50 to 10.20
18
Seafood dishes
Scallops, squid, king prawns, 11.80 up
12
Rice and noodles
Ho fen to Young Chow, 3.50 to 12.80
8
Duck dishes
Roast, salt and chilli, plum sauce
Why the queue is out the door
A daughter, a dining room, a deadline
Sophie Li opened China Star in 1997 and ran it for nearly 30 years, lately working 16 hour days into her seventies. Daughter Lisa He came home from London for a one month fix up, posted one TikTok, and watched it pass 14 million views. Now the kitchen has three full time staff and Lisa says it best: virality gets attention but it does not fix broken businesses.
Follow the comeback