Restaurants

Surrounded by famous-name chain restaurants exploiting the wharf-side location, Cammasan is refreshingly low key and commendably independent. In fact, you get two restaurants for your money here. The first-floor dining room serves high-quality traditional Chinese food in a banquet-hall setting, while the informal noodle bar downstairs offers huge portions of dishes from all over Asia – Thailand, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, you name it. When we visited for a late Sunday lunch, there were just a few diners at the communal, bench-style tables in the noodle bar, but the scattering of Asian faces suggested that the food was going to be authentic. It was. Chilli beef noodle soup had a fiery heat that complemented rather than drowned the spices, and the beef was sliced across the grain and flash-cooked to keep it tender in the classic mainland Chinese style. Honey-basted ribs had less of a wow factor but were still competently prepared. The menu is divided into ‘big’ and ‘little’ plates and bowls – and here a big bowl of soup is a meal in itself. You can order grass jelly and other uniquely Asian drinks as well as wine and beer.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009