about HK$250 without drinks or the service charge.

loud and crowded. The tables were packed closely together.

the menu, which lists traditional Cantonese favourites and some creative dishes, is tempting.

the service, when we were able to wave down a waitress (which sometimes took a long time), was abrupt, and one server rudely started walking away before my friend had finished ordering. The many televisions along one wall can be distracting. The dishes we tasted were not as well prepared at the Fu Sing in Wan Chai, which we've visited several times. Baked crispy char siu bao (HK$40) were slightly flattened, rather than puffy, and the filling was scant.

The boneless roast pork belly on a mixed platter (HK$240) was too lean, although the char siu was wonderfully succulent. Beef brisket with turnip in soup (HK$108) had too much garlic and the abundance of preserved vegetables made the whole dish too salty.

crab meat and roe xiao long bao (HK$34 each) should have been served hotter because the wrappers had hardened, but the filling was soft, soupy and very rich with roe. Pan-fried prawns with salty egg yolk (HK$42 each) had large, sweet prawns with a crisp bite, and the salted egg yolk was rich, oily and delicious. "So good" fried crystal noodles (HK$108), served in a clay pot, was a nice dish of mung bean vermicelli, dried shrimp, pork, Chinese celery, bean sprouts and egg.

There are branches of Fu Sing in Wan Chai (tel: 2893 0881) and Causeway Bay (tel: 2504 4228).