The Warrington Guardian Food and Drink Awards are back and each week we are announcing the winners in a total of eight categories. The results follow a public vote on our website and on social media, meaning readers were directly involved in determining which businesses came out on top.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT

Winner: Mr Lau’s, Cultural Quarter

THE team at Mr Lau’s find a lot of their customers are new to dim sum.

But they have converted countless diners from Warrington and further afield if their constant busy evenings and weekends are anything to go by. Dim sum is a style of Chinese cuisine prepared as small bite-sized portions – a bit like tapas.

And Mr Lau’s, run by Pamela Lau and Adamo Devoti, in Springfield Street, is believed to be the only dedicated dim sum bar outside of London.

Adamo, who met Pamela at Priestley College, said: “We have a lot of customers who have never tried dim sum before.

“Our waiters are very good in explaining exactly what our menu is all about. We like to do things a little different and a lot of our customers from Liverpool and Manchester say our dim sum is the best they have had.

“We also do a traditional yam cha menu on a Sunday (Chinese Sunday lunch) with all the dishes you would usually find in the big cities such as cheung fan (rice noodle roll), gorn tao au hor (wok seared steak) and what we think are the best har gau dumplings in the country.

“Sometimes customers are a little shy and don’t like to ask us but we love to be asked questions about our menu.”

 

It is the second time Mr Lau’s has been named Warrington Guardian readers’ favourite restaurant after winning the award in 2016.

The restaurant opened in November 2012 using family recipes that were handed down to Pamela, a former student of Manchester Metropolitan University with a masters in hospitality management, by her father Danny Lau and grandfather Lin Lau.

“It is a really great achievement for all of the team,” Adamo said.

“We have come a really long way together.”

Adamo reckons ‘consistency and honesty’ has been the key to Mr Lau’s success.

He added: “We are not trying to cheat anyone. We are here to offer a service which my team does well. We have a really great bar along with our freshly hand prepared dim sum which if you sit at the chef’s table you can see being made just like on television. We have more than 100 years’ combined experience in our kitchen and we change our menu seasonally.”

Adamo also paid tribute to the Cultural Quarter where three of the top five for Warrington’s favourite restaurant can be found.

He said: “The Cultural Quarter is the best thing to happen to Warrington town centre. It is and will continue to be relevant for the foreseeable future. We are so pleased to be part of it.”

 

YOUR FAVOURITE FIVE

1 Mr Lau’s, Cultural Quarter

2 Goodwins, Centre Park

3 Las Ramblas, Cultural Quarter

4 Grill on the Square, Cultural Quarter

5 Donatellos, Orford Lane

WHAT YOU SAID

Mr Lau's

Jeremy Knox said: “Mr Lau’s is a unique restaurant with very friendly and helpful staff, it has always been consistently good with an amazing choice of authentic oriental food.

“Without question the best restaurant in Warrington.”

Goodwins

Faye Crilly said: “Friendly and helpful staff, great food and prices and a lovely atmosphere.”

Las Ramblas

Steve Naylor said: “Something really different in Warrington.

“The menu is great, you can have something different every time and it’s perfect for large groups or date nights.”

Grill on the Square

Anna Marr said: “When we have visitors, we always love to take them here.

“You know exactly what you’re going to get – great food and brilliant service.”

Donatellos

Adam Mason said: “Great value and the staff are really efficient.

“I would definitely recommend their pizza.

“The restaurant also looks great now since the refurb.”