Royal China, Queensway

Royal China was amongst the first places in London to introduce Cantonese to the English palate, and even though a host of new eateries have followed suit, this one remains a favourite with not only the Chinese, but also the global community in London. There are now six outlets scattered across the city, but the flagship in Queensway remains the kingpin. Having undergone refurbishment about three years ago (they did away with the screens between tables to accommodate one long dining room seating up to 130 people), the interior is now dominated by a gold-black colour scheme, with mirror elements and black lacquered walls. Although the mention of Royal China evokes the thought of dim sum—their dim sum brunch on Sunday is nothing short of an institution in the city, as is apparent by the serpentine queues it generates—their main course and sides are equally delectable. Must-eats include the beef cheung fun, prawn and chive dumplings, baby bak choi, belly pork and sea bass covered in a sweet-sour soya broth. For a meal this delicious, the cheque presented at the end is more than reasonable.