Nippy climes call for steaming hot oriental pots, fulsome dim-sums, hand rolled noodles, delicate meats and the subtle flavours of the East. All of which find a stately residence at Peony the oriental restaurant, which takes after the eponymous flower. The Peony in Chinese philosophy is the flower of prosperity and honour, with no less than Confucius himself, quoted as saying, “I eat nothing without its sauce.” With celebration menus, classics from Beijing and the Sichuan province and an enviable range of wines and spirits, Peony with its dramatic ceramic wall cladding, dark oak flooring, amber glass lamps and delicately embroidered sheer curtains, is great for a cosy two-some or a warm family huddle.