The white walls create an interesting contrast with the wood panels and crimson velvet boards. Cream-coloured bowls and vases reminiscent of the clean, spare style of Japanese brand Muji are displayed neatly at both ends of the restaurant.

The service was excellent: friendly and cheerful without being intrusive. We settled comfortably in our chairs while a waiter brought tea. The teapot was kept on a stand under which a candle maintained the heat.

We spent a long time looking through the menu, which is extensive and interesting. The dishes are predominantly Cantonese, but there are some from other regions of China. A clear effort has been made to inject a dash of innovation into the choice and mix of ingredients.

The chef's recommendations looked particularly mouthwatering and we decided to try some as appetisers.

The steamed seafood dumpling with crab roe ($48 per person) was delightful. It was beautifully presented with a helping of seasonal greens and garnished with some scrambled egg whites, as well as the crab roe. The dumpling was filled with a generous amount of diced scallop, shrimp and crab meat and was complemented by the light and refreshing sauce.

The braised giant garoupa skin and bamboo piths topped with shrimp roe ($48 per person) had a richer taste but was equally delicious. The garoupa skin was fresh and the bamboo piths had absorbed the delicious sauce.

We were halfway through our appetisers when all the main courses arrived. The roast chicken with savoury beancurd sauce and flavoured with Chinese wine ($100/half and $200/whole) sounded interesting but turned out to be a disappointment. The chicken was tough and there was no taste of the Chinese wine.

The stewed goose in traditional recipe ($65) was served in a ceramic pot and looked enticing. The Chinese name of the dish on the menu suggested that it had been cooked in a manner similar to dog meat hotpot on the mainland. The gravy was rich and pungent with the various herbs and spices and went well with the crunchy water chestnuts that came in the pot. It was a pity, therefore, that the goose was overcooked.

Tofu lovers will enjoy the braised bean curd with fungus ($65). The bean curd had been fried but the inside remained deliciously smooth. The sauce was also delicious, but the fungus tasted bland.

We had hardly any room for desserts, but when our waiter came round with the menu we changed our minds. A variety of traditional sweets are on offer but if you are in the mood for something Western you can opt for the desserts from Xi next door. We were tempted to try the homemade souffle ($50), which came in different flavours, and also the French apple pie with vanilla ice-cream ($50), but decided to stick to the desserts closer to home.

The baked egg tartlets ($20) almost scored a perfect 10. The pastry was light and the filling tasty, but they would have been even better served warm.

We were disappointed, however, with the almond cream with bird's nest and egg white ($68). It had only a faint taste of almond and the combination of bird's nest and egg white was not very satisfying.

The boiled fresh milk with ginger juice ($30), a favourite in local dessert shops, also failed to please as it was too watery for our liking.

Even though a few of the dishes did not meet our expectations, we plan to visit Dong again, as the service was superb and prices reasonable: our dinner for two cost $515.

Dong Restaurant, Arcade 2, Hotel Miramar, 118-130 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2315 5166. Open: lunch: 11.30am-2.30pm (Monday to Saturday), 10.30am-2.30pm (Sunday and public holidays); dinner: 6pm-10.30pm (daily)