Face – Needs A Little Lift
Following the flurry of fabulous reviews, I popped into the peculiarly named Face restaurant with high expectations. I was ardently greeted by an older Chinese gentleman, who I suspected of harbouring great esoteric wisdom, but modestly kept the exchange to a warm welcome.
I cunningly sneaked in just before the Early Bird Menu deadline, which provided excellent value for money. With such reasonable prices, Face would need to serve Sweet N’ Sour E-Coli for me not to return.
First impressions were that Face was bright and clean – a shiny face if you will. Ultimately it was all very predictable. There was nothing wrong with the decor, but Preston City Centre cried out for something less ubiquitous. Unfortunately, the atmosphere was drowned by the surrounding sea of empty tables. However, a flurry of ladies proceeded to glide around, providing the most efficient and polite service imaginable.
Like Hong Kong itself, the menu was exciting and diverse. Mercifully, unlike every other Lancashire Chinese restaurant, the menu didn’t overwhelm. It contained ingredients not found anywhere except Nigella Lawson’s pantry, so Face provided a good excuse to eat out. Lesser known Hong Kong dishes such as Frog’s Legs created a talking point if nothing else. Dishes like Lotus Seed Buns, Blackbean Chicken Feet and Beancurd Rolls gave the impression of authenticity. That said, the Deep Fried Mussels felt like a Scotsman’s idea of pescetarianism.
The piping hot food materialised quickly but consisted primarily of salt and sugar. I was giddily happy. I’m no health freak, sodium chloride and I are best buddies; however, drinking three litres of Coca-Cola to remedy it got tiresome. This kind of dining was good-time food, the MSG filled my veins and my little brain lit up. Despite my opiate like stupor, I didn’t forget other local restaurants outclass it.
Face Chinese Restaurant
Review Summary
Atmosphere 4 Cost 10 Quality 6 Service 9
Fantastic Feasts & Where To Find Them 