New World

In July 2010 New World was closed by food hygiene inspectors following a mice infestation, according to the Caterer website. The review below refers to the restaurant prior to this.

The patina on New World's aged red carpet speaks of decades spent under the wheels of parading trolleys. This immense three-storied restaurant (basement, ground and first floor) keeps to the Hong Kong tradition of doling out dim sum direct from stainless-steel vehicles, pushed by hard-working waitresses (not always fluent in English). Stop one and point to your choice.

More recently, around a dozen dim sum have also been served in the evening, from a menu. We sampled a selection, along with two chef's specials. The snacks passed muster, though lacked delicacy: barbecued pork puffs veered towards stodginess, chiu chow dumplings contained abundant diced carrot, shark's fin and minced pork dumplings seemed a bit dry.

The chef's specials were more appealing, though slippery sautéed aubergine with minced pork and salt-fish arrived in enough oil to grease a politician's palm. Sautéed beancurd with seafood in XO sauce was the best dish: the lightly fried tofu properly wobbly within, the sauce adding piquancy to the squid, scallops and prawns.

The atmosphere is more relaxed by night, leaving time to appreciate the venerable surroundings: the capacious ground-floor decorated with red paper lanterns and huge bas-relief wall pictures.