please empty your brain below
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I never knew this was in London - my wife is Korean, and had we known about Oriental City I think we would've been regular visitors. It's a crying shame that it's closing - what can Brent council be thinking? (Rhetorical question...)
Tim | 28.05.08 - 8:29 a.m. | #
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That is such a shame, I will make a huge effort to visit before it goes.
Debster | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 8:54 a.m. | #
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Any idea what the huge Chinese looking building going up at Staples corner is - I think there was a supermarket but ther is now a large office/hotel block as well under construction.
Matthew | 28.05.08 - 9:54 a.m. | #
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I will miss the place. The food court was far better than all of Chinatown put together.
Chz | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 9:59 a.m. | #
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A couple of years ago I badly pulled a muscle in my back playing squash and a mate of mine recommended I get a massage at Oriental City. I was told by the young bloke at the massage place that his uncle was a "real doctor" and would sort me out. His "uncle" turned out to be about 60, spoke no English and gave me a right old pummeling, including walking on my spine (I kid you not). Three visits later and £50 lighter he'd sorted me out and I was able to play again a week later.
Surely there's other places along Edgware Road thay can build a few flats? It's a shame because despite being a bit ugly it was a really interesting and friendly place.
Johnny Topaz | 28.05.08 - 10:23 a.m. | #
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Whilst the porcelain shops and supermarket are replaceable the food court and this wonderful focal point for the local community – of all races – sadly is not. This is a great shame.
Frogma | 28.05.08 - 10:46 a.m. | #
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I loved this place. I used to go a lot when it was the Yaohan Plaza; first stuff myself with sushi and then head to Segaworld next door. Will be missed.
Also horrified that Walthamstow dogs is closing - everywhere I've ever cared about in this city is being destroyed.
Matt | 28.05.08 - 11:07 a.m. | #
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Oh Christ. I've been going to Oriental City for years (it used to be called Yaohan Plaza, way back when) and would buy heaps of raw fish for sashimi from the supermarket (the freshest fish in town, I swear). I've not been back for ages - hence didn't realise it was closing down. Bugger! What a shame. It was a real find, albeit in the arse-end of London somewhat...
The Girl | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 11:26 a.m. | #
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There has been a facebook group lamenting the closure for about a year now. It's filled with the teenage memories of hanging round the Seaga Dome and smoking in the car park.
I will miss the all you can eat buffet upsatirs. They had 100 different dishes . . .
Earth Girl | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 2:53 p.m. | #
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That food court will be sorely missed. I'm trying to find out where all my favourite vendors are going but they seem to be keeping mum... or perhaps they really don't know?
Su-Lin | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 5:28 p.m. | #
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Matt - 'Walthamstow dogs is closing' - what??!! This city needs individual places like Oriental City and Walthamstow Dogs - our heritage slowly disappears day by day, to be replaced with Fairview homes, no doubt. Gutted.
Jayne | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 6:27 p.m. | #
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Being an East Londoner I didn't venture to Oriental City too often but it was enormous fun when I did. The cash & carrys of Greenwich & Charlton do the job but are light on the experience.
By the way there is a branch of Wonderful Patisserie in Chinatown, on Gerrard Street, and brilliant it is too.
Chris Applegate | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 7:06 p.m. | #
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Wow, thanks so much for featuring OC here DG; it really is such a shame that closing deadline is finally fast approaching in the next couple of weeks. Next weekend the food court stops (although at least one food stall has closed already) and then the shops follow the following week. The Japanese crockery shop has already pretty much cleared it stock, as has the Japanese "homewares" shop, which for many years was a delightful little place to discover the curious little things that you really didn't think you needed.
But, the really sad loss, which many other commenters have pointed out here, is the food court. Oh, the food court; the food, the communal-style eating; the ability to sample so much taste and variety in a mix-and-match fashion at formica tables and worn-out chairs. And especially the chaotic atmosphere; more characteristic of mixed-up markets from thousands of miles East of Colindale; that will be missed most of all. It surely was unique for these parts and I can't help but wonder if such uniqueness could ever be reproduced; ever. :-(
Jag | Homepage | 28.05.08 - 8:46 p.m. | #
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I've never been to Oriental City, but it's a shame to see such unique places disappear. Personally I blame the domineering supermarkets (why go to O.C. when you can get Chinese ready meals from Tesco?) and overeager and manipulative developers, who always seem to want to grab every last bit of real estate they can get.
Andrewh | 29.05.08 - 4:38 p.m. | #
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It was an oasis. More flats, more places to be miserable. Build on the green belt, that's what I say. Roll on urban sprawl, to hell with cramped up cities. I want a nice new council house in the green belt. Actually, no I have a nice enough house already, but you get the idea.
Feargal | Homepage | 30.05.08 - 7:49 p.m. | #
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The "all-you-can-eat" Chinese, with its vast array of dishes, was a regular family haunt for many years. In fact in recent years it's been the one place we end up getting together - fine for my nieces and nephews to run around, somewhere for my Dad and I to stuff our faces...
Real shame the whole place is going. Although it did look like an eyesore... but, artists impressions notwithstanding, I can't imagine what replaces it is going to live up to any architectural promise either.
Carlbob | Homepage | 31.05.08 - 11:53 a.m. | #
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Despite living in Hampstead and West Hampstead for years, I'd never heard of Oriental City until this DG blog entry. I went with my wife today, and we can't believe what we were missing (and will now miss). That food court was exactly the sort we visited when we were in Singapore (my wife lived there and in Malaysia for two years).
We stuffed outselves with all we could eat, and bought takeaway for dinner tonight.
Tim | Homepage | 31.05.08 - 5:16 p.m. | #
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I went along (from Walthamstow!) on Saturday lunchtime to see what I was going to miss from now on - thanks for the prompting DG.
It was like being transported to Singapore or Hong Kong. I've been in many shopping centres & food courts in those places but hadn't realised we had one in London. I had a plate of noodles and just watched everyone enjoying their lunch - the place was packed out. Listening for the bell and your order number to appear was all part of the fun. What a great shame the food court with its real sense of community is going together with the businesses that make it what it is. If you haven't been and can make it on Sunday 1 June then grab your last chance!
Paul Corfield | 01.06.08 - 1:37 a.m. | #
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