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Susan Jung

Times Square is receiving a well-deserved reputation as one of the best places to go for good Chinese food at reasonable prices.

 While the quality of food and service is nowhere near that which would be expected at top-notch, expensive places, the competition so many restaurants in such a concentrated area generate assures diners that they could do far worse than head to this shopping complex in Causeway Bay.

 While the food may not be awe-inspiringly wonderful or innovative, even if you pick a restaurant at random (which is what we did for this review) you can be sure of a good meal in clean surroundings.

 Chrysanthemum Seafood is on the 10th floor, among all the other restaurants serving Cantonese food. The space is large, but divided into several smaller rooms so it does not seem cavernous. Tables are set far apart, with crisp white napery and silver, green and white cutlery.

 The walls are almost completely covered with paintings and calligraphy. Lighting is subdued.

 The decor is muted and tasteful, and, thankfully, it does not assault the eye as in so many other places.

 There are two menus. The one in English had all the standard dishes, including expensive abalone, bird's nest and shark's fin soup. Because the English menu stays the same throughout the year, the waiter encouraged us to order from the Chinese menu because it had more seasonal items.

 Our waiter recommended steamed whole winter melon - a cooling summertime favourite. Though tasty, it was nothing extraordinary. It contained the usual supreme broth, dried scallops, crab, ham, vegetables and lotus seeds. The price was very reasonable, though - $280 for a large melon that could have served eight.

 We ordered several dishes to accommodate the vegetarian in our group. Bitter melon stir-fried with garlic was delicious. That it was not too bitter attested to it having been blanched before being cooked with plenty of minced garlic.

 We tried steamed milk and egg white with seafood and vegetables. The flavour was subtle and the texture perfect - smooth and delicate - but the presentation did not work. The yolk had been cooked with the shrimp, shredded conpoy, diced tomato and asparagus before being piled on top of the steamed egg white. It looked repulsive.

 Ostrich with celery in barbecue sauce was delicious. Ostrich tastes like extremely tender beef. The sauce was slightly too sweet: it could have used a lot more black pepper.

 We had an unusual clay pot with clams, fresh mushrooms, gluten and shrimp roe. The clams were large, tender and very flavourful. The chewy gluten really absorbed the delicious sauce.

 Portions are very skimpy, and the five dishes were not enough. We decided to try ox marrow with salt and pepper and seaweed. Our waiter attempted to discourage us from ordering this, but we had to have it because it sounded unique. The presentation was very unusual.

 The marrow was wrapped in thin strips of seaweed and dipped in a light batter, then deep-fried. The texture and taste were reminiscent of deep-fried oysters, and this was enhanced by the slightly-briny taste of the dried seaweed. We had mixed reactions to this one: two of us enjoyed it, while two did not.

 The dessert menu is extensive, with many unusual items. For less adventurous palates they have the usual mango pudding, walnut soup and egg custard tarts. Coconut milk with grapefruit and sago was delicious - refreshing and not too sweet.

 Boiled glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with black sesame seeds in ground peanuts were good because they were not too sticky. Another unusual dessert was fried sesame dumplings stuffed with red bean paste and mashed bananas.

 Service throughout most of the meal was attentive, though by the end of the evening, when we were the last customers in the place, the waiters had congregated in a corner to gossip.

 Chrysanthemum Seafood is slightly more expensive than other Chinese restaurants in Times Square, at about $200 per person including tax.

Chrysanthemum Seafood 10/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2506-3033, Hours: 11.30am-midnight 



Times are changing for Chinese fare