Restaurants

From the red lanterns and faux-antique furniture to the drinks menu featuring such cocktails as brandy alexander, nothing seems to have changed at this comfortable, kitsch restaurant since it opened 30 years ago. The long menu lists more than 200 dishes, including many classics of Cantonese, Beijing and Sichuan cuisine. Almost all our food was superb. Roast duck was juicy and grease-free, with a full yet clean flavour. Pe pa special beancurd consisted of hot pillows of bland bliss, the crispy batter contrasting sublimely with the tofus soft, fluffy interior. Cod in honey was also excellent: two perfectly cooked fillets that melted in the mouth, helped by a light, almost floral sauce. A simple dish of stir-fried morning glory stirred the senses, bathed as it was in intense (yet not overpowering) fermented beancurd. Even the humble shanghainese bun (for mopping up the juices) achieved perfection: deep-fried to a delicate, golden crisp outside, fluffy inside. The only let-down was a hotpot of braised beef brisket; the meat had not been braised for long enough, remaining tough and dry a shame given its complex, well-balanced sauce. Service throughout was efficient and helpful.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008