Shek O Chinese and Thailand Seafood Restaurant

SHEK O CHINESE AND THAILAND SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, 303 Shek O JUST past the bus station on the left is one of Shek O's most popular attractions. It is not much to look at - first impressions are of an open-fronted, souped-up tin shack - but do not let that put you off: it is the food that makes the Shek O Chinese and Thailand Seafood Restaurant special.

The same applies to the rough and ready interior, with its yellow rusty-legged canteen tables and plastic plates and bowls. At first they seem cheap and nasty, but by the end of the meal you are convinced they add to the restaurant's unembellished charms. Even the well-past-their-sell-by-date New Year decorations and tacky Santa Clauses hanging from the ceiling do not look out of place.

Always busy, on summer weekends the place is packed with day-trippers, enthusiastic regulars and loyal locals. It all makes for a lively, fun atmosphere - the hum of conversation competing only against the constant clatter of pans from the kitchen and heavy traffic on the main thoroughfare to the beach.

The menu offers a range of Chinese and Thai dishes (some of which sound peculiar in translation) as well as photographic evidence of Governor Chris Patten's visit here. The food is infinitely more interesting and also reasonably priced.

On this occasion, we started with fried spring rolls ($40) and fried chicken in banana leaves. The prawn and vegetable rolls were delicious dipped in the accompanying sweet chilli sauce and the chicken was moist and tender. We then enjoyed a mild but very fragrant green curry with beef and coconut milk ($60), a reliable favourite of sauteed cashew nut chicken ($50), and a plate of obviously fresh fried mixed vegetables ($45).

Having enjoyed the succulent steamed fish before, it comes well recommended, too. You can watch your order sizzle in a fish kettle over a flame burner at your table. We skipped dessert, although the options included Thai coconut ($22) and mango and sticky rice ($18).