Service does not seem to be the main selling point at Yuet Heung. When we called to inquire about the restaurant's full address, a waiter answered gruffly that it was in Wan Chai and just around the corner from a 7-Eleven outlet. It therefore came as no surprise that we were not greeted at the entrance. Seeing that the dining area on the ground floor was full, we found our way up to the upper level of the eatery. We did not have a reservation but found a table immediately, which we shared with another party. A waiter passed us the menu and when we asked for the English version, he told us there was none and snubbed us for not being able to read Chinese.
The waiter's arrogance probably stems from the fact that Yuet Heung has been serving good and affordable Cantonese fare for 40 years and does not need to offer flawless service to attract more customers. We started the meal with tofu soup. A rich, eggy soup made with prawns, chicken liver and tofu, it was value for money at $45 a pot. But it lacked flavour and we had to season it with salt and pepper.
The princess chicken ($85 for half) is a signature dish and certainly lived up to its reputation. The meat was tender and tasted heavenly with the crushed garlic and oyster sauce. The stir-fried choi sum with beef ($40) was unexceptional. The beef was bland and chewy, but the sauce - which had a subtle hint of garlic - revived the taste of the dish. Fish lovers will enjoy the deep-fried garoupa slices in sweetcorn sauce ($90). The fish came in large pieces and was fried to perfection.
Yuet Heung is a good place to go to for hearty meals but do not expect waiters to serve you attentively. The meal for two was $308.
Yuet Heung Restaurant, 105-111 Thomson Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 2575 5367. Open: 11am-11:30pm. $$