Tender shredded chicken dressed in a peanutty sauce has been one of our classic dishes since it appeared on the menu of the original Le Caprice in the 80s. (It quickly became a favourite of Princess Diana.) We are often asked about its origins. A staple of Sichuan cuisine, its name derives from the Chinese word bàng (棒), meaning a stick or club, which was traditionally used to pound the meat after it was boiled.
At Arlington, we serve it over a bed of julienned vegetables, garnished with sesame seeds and coriander. Our sauce remains a secret… but we can share that it has elements of peanut, soy, and sesame.
“Bang Bang Chicken made its debut after Chris Corbin and I were obliged to eat at a rather dodgy Chinese restaurant in Earl’s Court, as nowhere else was open”
‘It’s interesting how often we get inspiration from a dish not being executed ‘well,’ but more often badly,’ says Jeremy King. ‘Bang Bang Chicken made its debut after Chris Corbin and I were obliged to eat at a rather dodgy Chinese restaurant in Earl’s Court, as nowhere else was open. We were keen to try the Bang Bang Chicken on offer, as we had never tried it. But what was presented was a sticky mess. But we were excited by the potential, but still felt bold in bringing it into Le Caprice. There would be a serious upbraiding by the customers if I were ever tempted to usurp it!”
