Restaurants

This long-established, traditionally decorated restaurant is unashamedly old-fashioned, and a great place for dishes that might be considered tired and pedestrian elsewhere. Its loyal following includes retired Chinese chefs keen to return to the good old days. Sweet and sour pork arrived surrounded by crisp batter and a bright red sauce that had a perfect (and rarely found) blend of sugar and vinegar; beef brisket noodle soup featured tender meat, rich stock and firm, thin noodles. Less common choices from the extensive, fully translated menu worked well too. Grilled minced pork and squid with salted fish, for example, was exemplary: tender patties with a smoky, crisp exterior. We also loved the braised winter melon bathed in a delicious sauce of crabmeat and egg white. The chefs are clearly capable of conjuring up the kind of superior Cantonese food that was once found on Lisle Street (when Chinatown was at its peak many years ago). Service is organised, efficient and rarely brusque, but expect the bill to appear without prompting when prospective diners are queuing outside.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008