Previously there had been a different Chinese restaurant; on of those all you can eat Chinese buffets for a set price. We had been there a few times long ago and to be honest it was awful.
So I really didn’t have high expectations from its replacement, in fact I (wrongly) assumed that it was the same restaurant with a new name.
The number one reason we decided to go and check it out was the fact that the menu said it did both sushi and sashimi (raw fish). Unheard of in Maidstone and Craig’s favourite so off we went.
When the three of us (James came along) arrived on a weeknight, there were just two other tables dining. The restaurant itself is not much to look at. Unlaid refectory type tables, wooden floor and bare walls with just a few giant Chinese fans for decoration. Still it was the food we came for not the decor.
The welcome we got was great. I assume it was the owner who greeted us and showed us to a table next to the window. Giant laminated menus were handed over and we were left for a few minutes to decide what we wanted.
There was a huge choice of dishes available including starters, grilled food, noodles, sushi, sashimi, set meals and noodle soups. Even those who don’t really “do” Chinese should be able to find something they like. There were lots of familiar dishes on the menu such a spring rolls, chicken chow mien, seaweed and chicken satay.
Since we were there to check out the food we ordered a good variety of dishes between us. Craig specifically wanted the Sashimi Moriawase (£9.50). Now to be honest outside of London
James and I shared a plate of Kappa Maki (cucumber rolls). They were quite large pieces and the cucumber again was really fresh. For only £3 for 6 rolls this was a bargain. I forgot to take a photo at first and by the time I remembered there were only two pieces left.
We also shared a plate of spicy calamari (£5) which was cooked to perfection. More often than not they end up like chewy rubber bands but these were soft on the inside and the coating on the outside was crispy. It was a huge plateful that would have done as the main part of a meal.
The vegetable tempura was the only dish I was a little disappointed in. It was just a little bit to oily. The vegetable pieces were a good size and tasted nice though and the dipping sauce added a "freshness" to each mouthful.
Crispy aromatic duck arrived (£7.50). The same guy who had shown us to our table brought the duck over and shredded the meat at the table. He then started to make up a pancake for each of us, which I thought was a nice touch but we preferred to do our own so we could suit our own tastes. The duck meat and accompaniments were fine.
Tori Katsu Curry ((£6.50) turned out to be a huge plateful and included a portion of plain steamed rice. The sauce was really thick and tasty.
James tucked into a huge plate of Chicken Chow Mein (£6.00) which was made with the thin egg noodles. He really enjoyed the dish. I tried some and I am going to order this next time as it was so good.
The very last dish was a plate of Panko honey king prawns (£4). Craig ate these and liked them.
By this point we were all full to bursting but every dish was good quality both in cooking and ingredients. We won’t hesitate to return and would defiantly recommend The Lucky Cat to anyone.
They do add a 10% service charge to the bill but would have left a tip if they hadn’t of already added it.
Its great to have The Lucky Cat in Maidstone and it just adds to the other new restaurants we have seen in the last few years. Maidstone seems to be improving its restaurant offerings so I hope this continues.
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