Diamond Restaurant has stood in Des Voeux Road, Central for a quarter of a century but its history stretches back 53 years, when it found its first home in Wan Chai. Despite fierce competition from numerous new eateries, the restaurant seems to have maintained its reputation for affordable and traditional Cantonese fare.
Dim sum is offered at discounted prices outside peak hours, which explains why the place is full as late as 3pm on a Sunday afternoon. But the selection of dim sum is limited, with only conventional choices available. We ordered fresh shrimp dumplings and barbecued pork buns. The dumplings came with a thin wrapping and the filling was fresh and tasty; but the pork buns were nothing exceptional.
Those not keen on dim sum can opt for the standard menu, which features a good variety of Cantonese favourites, as well as rice and noodle dishes. The braised garoupa came in a generous portion and was served with fried bean curd, shredded pork and Chinese cabbage. But despite the visual attraction, it turned out to be a disappointment. The fact that the fish was not fresh was made even more obvious by the almost tasteless sauce.
Green vegetables stuffed with shrimp and pork was a healthy choice and looked beautiful with a dressing of egg whites. But like the braised fish, it lacked flavour. Chicken and baby ginger in honey sauce was served piping hot in a gigantic ceramic pot. All the ingredients were fresh but did not blend well with each other, perhaps due to insufficient cooking time.
The decor is typical of a traditional Chinese restaurant, with stark lighting and dazzling colours. Low ceilings and closely packed tables mean the noise levels can be very high, but on the plus side, the waiters were helpful and friendly, and the prices reasonable. The meal for four was $360.
271-273 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2544 4921. Open: 6:30am-11:30pm. $