Southwestern style

Founder Simone Tong was born in Chengdu and has worked in a series of Michelin-starred restaurants, but it was her time in Yunnan that inspired her to open the Little Tong Noodle Shop, which aims to shine a spotlight on a cuisine she feels is under-represented in the western world.

‘The variety of Chinese restaurants in China is huge,’ says Tong. ‘Why can’t we see some of that variety outside China?’

The menu is designed to highlight the breadth of flavours and ingredients used in Yunnan cuisine, and the dishes are inspired by Tong’s experiences in the region, including Grandma Chicken Mixian, which is inspired by a restaurant she visited in Dali, a city in northwestern Yunnan.