Pao: Remarkable New Chinese Specialty Restaurant On Pattaya Klang

[Jingthing]

Chinese food lovers: you'll thank me for this one.

It is the real deal.

Young Chefs from Hong Kong.

Small place, clean, modern feel, and appealing. (Though certainly not fancy.)

Its so good I thought about shutting up about this one to keep it to myself, but someone's got to "discover" this place to the forum, and it may as well be me!

Many of the foods on offer:

Xiaolongbao, Shanghai dumpings with soup inside, steamed (!!!!)

Beef pan fried dumplings, also with hot soup inside

Pan fried pork dumplings

"Pot stickers"

Handmade wontons

Hot and sour soup with handmade noodles (Japanese udon style)

Handmade noodles with savory beef topping

Pickled cucumber

Shanghai "drunken" chicken wings

Crispy squid

Egg dish w/ oyster

Steamed dim sum rice rolls w/ chicken, scallop, or shrimp

Four kinds of curry with rice, two curries described as Japanese style, one includes lamb

Pork ribs done in assorted Chinese treatments

Cost: low to moderate (drink costs a bit high in relation to their food prices)

Menu: In English and Chinese, very clear, very smart and coherent; some people might think it has too few offerings, but personally I favor concise menus

Picture menu on offer showing many but not all menu items

Portions: a bit small

Quality: excellent

Flavor: excellent

Special addition to Pattaya Chinese food "scene": fabulous

Atmosphere: casual

Service: there might be issues if they get crowded

Hours: 5 PM to 1 AM, closed Mondays (note well, that means they are NOT open for lunch)

Location: Pattaya Klang between 2nd and 3rd, north side, very close to FASCINOS pharmacy

Mystery: the deal with the Japanese influence with the udon style noodles and the Japanese style curries I can't really explain in a Chinese restaurant, but, hey, why not?

Caveats: its a small place that is not pretending to be "everything" Chinese, and they're clearly featuring their strengths, such as the Shanghai dumplings/fresh noodles. For example they don't offer any stir fried green vegetable dishes. Given the low prices and portion sizes, I suggest ordering a number of items, dim sum style.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jimmyd]

Wow, thanks, Jingthing. Too bad they open so late.

Edited February 24, 2012 by Jimmyd

[Gone]

So would you consider it authentic chinese or western style chinese food?

[Jingthing]

So would you consider it authentic chinese or western style chinese food?

Authentic Chinese except for the few dishes that are Japanese or fusion Chinese-Japanese. That said, their food is easily accessible to western tastes except for maybe their chicken feet dish. I recall there is even a sweet and sour fish dish.

Pictured here Xiaolongbao (Shanghai style steamed dumplings with hot soup INSIDE) from another restaurant:

Forget to mention another caveat. This is a small restaurant with a very small staff. They are getting business from people walking by because it is a good location and good welcoming media on the outside. However, I would be very surprised if they are prepared to be instantly filled up with people or even worse, lines to get in. While I don't think mentions on this forum are that powerful, if some people start liking it and telling lots of other people, I reckon there is always the chance they may get too much business too soon which can be as bad as too little business if you aren't ready for it.

Edited February 24, 2012 by Jingthing

[Gone]

Great post thank you.

[Jingthing]

Great post thank you.

You're welcome.

To clarify some more about the more westernized Chinese dishes they don't have that many westerners may want:

Chow mein

Lo mein

Sweet and sour chicken balls or pork

Egg foo yung

Black bean sauce dishes

Chop suey

Egg rolls (Spring rolls)

General Tso's chicken

Orange chicken / Lemon chicken

Beef with brocoli

Sechuan food for example kung pao chicken, ma po tofu (authentic or westernized); (OK well actually they do have hot and sour soup which is Sechuan origin and their spicy version pickled cucumbers might be Sechuan-ish)

Edited February 24, 2012 by Jingthing

[vtjforyou]

How much for dumpLings as it seems to be your restaurant ?

:-)

[Jingthing]

How much for dumpLings as it seems to be your restaurant ?

:-)

Funny, I don't look Chinese. You clearly aren't familiar with my food obsession if you think I have any commercial interests here.

For example, 60 baht for two smallish sized pan fried dumplings with beef and hot soup inside. Curry and rice plates I think under 150. I estimate a hungry person wanting to really experience their menu would spend about 200 - 300 baht person excluding drink. In any case, while this isn't a cheap Charlie Thai style dim sum joint, I can't imagine many people thinking the place doesn't offer good value for the quality of the food.

Edited February 24, 2012 by Jingthing

[vtjforyou]

Whatever is your interest i have no problem and thank you for info.

I am not one of these board jealous and angry who complain about people advertising their business.

[Jingthing]

Whatever is your interest i have no problem and thank you for info.

I am not one of these board jealous and angry who complain about people advertising their business.

That's fine. It's not my business. I have no business in Thailand. I do have a self interest in seeing places that I like keep their doors open so I continue to buy their food. In the case of Pao, they don't need much help because they are already doing so many things right. Like I said in the OP, I wasn't sure I really wanted to share this one but I knew someone else would before long, so might as well be me. Maybe my ego was chipped a little bit when it wasn't me who "discovered" the Northern Chinese/Sechuan place on Soi Welcome Jomtien. BTW, that place could take lessons from Pao on doing things right, sorry to say. Edited February 24, 2012 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

How much for dumpLings as it seems to be your restaurant ?

:-)

Just how many restaurants do the Jingthing bashers think he owns?

[ChangFai]

Have been trying to make a visit to the place for several months now, yet each and every time I try ...... they are closed.

Sign on the door says closed on Mondays, yet have seen many times when it has been closed a whole weekend.

Maybe one day.

Thanks for the review Jingthing.

[hotandhumid]

Great post thank you.

You're welcome.

To clarify some more about the more westernized Chinese dishes they don't have that many westerners may want:

Chow mein

Lo mein

Sweet and sour chicken balls or pork

Egg foo yung

Black bean sauce dishes

Chop suey

Egg rolls (Spring rolls)

General Tso's chicken

Orange chicken / Lemon chicken

Beef with brocoli

Sechuan food for example kung pao chicken, ma po tofu (authentic or westernized); (OK well actually they do have hot and sour soup which is Sechuan origin and their spicy version pickled cucumbers might be Sechuan-ish)

I definitely won't be going to this place then. Dumplings are disgusting.

[Jingthing]

Have been trying to make a visit to the place for several months now, yet each and every time I try ...... they are closed.

Sign on the door says closed on Mondays, yet have seen many times when it has been closed a whole weekend.

Maybe one day.

Thanks for the review Jingthing.

Yes you're right. They have been shut up for some time. The owner/chefs were out of town or something like that. Anyway, they are open now (from 5 p.m.) , come and get it!

[Jingthing]

I definitely won't be going to this place then. Dumplings are disgusting.

One can dine there without ordering any dumplings. There are some stir fry dishes, curry rice plates, appetizers, noodles, at least one soup as well, plus two dessert options which are ... a kind of dumpling (oops).

[Michaelaway]

Two things. First, I think that dumplings run a range; meaning that while bad dumplings can be really bad, good dumplings are delicious, sometimes even make-a-meal-ably addictive. I think if you are moved by the desciption and appearence of any dumpling to try it in the first place- even if you've been disappointed by some bad ones, you really oughta try the good ones... and then let's see. Anyway, good luck, up to you of course.

Second, in the trips I made to Hong Kong in the past, my favorite lunch was Hong Kong pan-fried noodles, wok-ed with different meats or seafood and sauces. Outrageously good, with crisp, golden-browned bottoms and sauce melting down into the nest of egg noodles. So, if they are Hong Kong chefs, do they do these? All the ingredients are available here, with the rarity of fermented black bean sauce continuing. I'd go over right away!

"Jingthing: Wonderful ongoing foodie coverage of the area's places of interest with a slant on savings... very well done indeed, Efendi!"

Bātmān‎-Turksarmenches Gastronomist, February-2012

[Jingthing]

Weirdly, they DO NOT have any stir fried noodle dishes on the menu. They do have a freshly made noodles bowl, served dry, topped with a savory minced beef preparation.

[jehricaholic]

Pao: Restaurant Review

When: Feb 24 @ 8pm

Where: Central (Klang) Pattaya Road - North side, midway between 2'nd and 3'rd Roads

What I Ordered:

- Coke can @ 50 Baht

- Drunken Chicken Wings (Free Sample - 2pc)

- Pan Fried Beef Pie (2pc @ 60 Baht)

- Shrimp Wonton Soup @ 100 Baht

- Ramen with Savoury Beef topping @ 70 Baht

- Fried Squid @ 160 Baht

Total Cost: 440 Baht (1 person)

Overview:

This place has a lot of potential (open for 3 months) but if they don't make a few changes they will be gone by the next high season. The food is really good and it would not take much change for it to be a profit making venture. The restaurant is double size (2 retail units) and the decor is very modern and has a HiSo feel. I was the only diner with the exception of a Farang/Thai couple who walked in/walked out when they looked at the menu and saw there was no Thai food for the Thai partner. They have 2 menus: a written dumpling menu, and a well photographed Photo book menu. The menu is varied (see Jingthing's previous post) but needs some additions to bring in the crowds). This is the first Asian restaurant I've even been to in the world that does not provide any table condiments (seasonings etc).

The co-owner (young Chinese guy) has excellent English and is really interested in knowing what people think about his food and why they want to come to his restaurant. When my meal was finished he came over asking about my experience which turned into a 15 min conversation about his food and the Pattaya food scene.

Review:

Coke: Can for 50 Baht! Enough said.

Drunken Chicken Wings: These looked totally unappealing in the photo (think boiled chicken winglets). I asked if this is how they looked and the guy said he'd let me sample them. although the flavor was good they were served cold! I think this item should be reserved for the minority who enjoy boiled chicken feet salad. A very Falang-unfriendly dish.

Pan Fried Beef Pie: (2pc @ 60 Baht) Although a little bit pricey by Thai standards, they were very fresh & tasty and contained 'soup' inside (you have to be careful when making that first bite - I was warned) They are about 3" in diameter.

Shrimp Wonton Soup: (100 Baht) 5 giant Wontons with traditional broth (you can also chose a different soup accompaniment). Delicious and fresh and good value.

Ramen with Savoury Beef topping: (70 Baht) The ramen is a handmade thick udon style. Although a delicious dish, the problem was that it became tastier the more you got towards the bottom of the bowl (where the toppings congregated after mixing with the noodle). This is where having condiments would have been useful, the first few bites tasted of unseasoned pasta, thus having some table seasoning to add to the top of the dish would have been beneficial. Very good value.

Fried Squid: (160 Baht) The best fried Squid/Calamari in Pattaya. It came with pickle garnish and lime wedges. Very fresh and lighly battered and well seasoned BUT the portion size was miniscule (think Tapas for 1), perhaps 1/3 the portion size you'd get in the West. Very poor value!

Conclusion:

Great food and great potential to be successful.

I think the owners were a little over-ambitious with this restaurant considering it's location: They spent too much on decor and they could have made do with a single retail unit restaurant without the oversized tables & chairs, and oversized kitchen with a fancy double-doored fridge, but what's done is done, they now need to look towards the future and get the customers inside.

I told the guy that he needed condiments. He acknowledged the customer walk-out mentioned above. I hinted that he needed to expand his menu (I told him I can only get my Fried rice noodle with beef fix from Foodland). I told him about his far away Jontiem competition (soon to up & leave from what's being said on the other thread). He recommended a good Thai restaurant: 'The Boat' on 2'nd Road, which I've never been but is currenly being praised on another thread by JT. I told him that Falang Expats are craving decent, authentic alternatives to both Thai food and the Touristy items readily available by the beach (F&C, burgers, steaks, pasta, pizza etc).

He was interested when I told him about ThaiVisa and how this is the means we Expats find new places to go eat and that he had just been discoverd by the resident food expert JT. Jingthing I think you would enjoy having a talk with this guy, I think he's receptive to change for the better ($profit). I've told him you'll probably be back, so don't be shy, introduce yourself and get some free samples!

[Jingthing]

Hello there.

Reasonable impressions indeed.

I wasn't really bothered by the lack of condiments as the meal I had was well seasoned already, but always good to have the option.

The drunken chicken wings is a variation on a classic, always served cold, dish of chicken marinated in Chinese wine. I love the dish but it is not always done with wings. I'm not big on wings. I would agree that dish wouldn't be super popular with non-Chinese.

For the dry noodle dish topped with the beef stuff, although I haven't tried the dish as yet, the typical way of eating that style of dish is to thoroughly MIX the topping with the noodles to coat all the noodles with the flavoring.

Drinking water is sold there for 20 baht.

I rather disagree with you about the business potential of this place. I reckon it is likely to get press in Bangkok and could attract lots of Thai Chinese. I also think they've already got plenty on their menu and that trying to be an "everything Chinese" place would have diminishing returns for them and likely less consistency for the customers. No, I'm not saying they shouldn't/couldn't add some items, just not go overboard. They could also do daily specials to mix it up.

My current impression (obviously not proven!) of the place is that everything on their smallish menu is being done well. Isn't that better than an overblown menu where you don't have that confidence?

Also of interest, they are also getting Russians walking by and some stopping to eat. They should probably do a Russian menu.

Previously I said it was a 200 to 300 baht range, but perhaps it's more of a 300 to 400 baht range to have an abundant meal, especially if you order one of those 150 baht range dishes like the squid.

Boat Bakery is a famous, very old place on 2nd road for cheap European food and Thai food basics. I like the pad krapow there. It's not exactly a culinary landmark but it is comforting and predictable. The Thais there often order from the European menu!

Edited February 25, 2012 by Jingthing

[AbeSurd]

Another welcome review of a good new eaterie by Jingthing.

Yes, this place is good.

I went in for the first time tonight (Sunday) about 8:30pm. There were no customers other than me, and then a Russian couple came in after about 15 minutes. So, despite this thread, the place isn't packed out yet.

Things that so far haven't been mentioned. The cover of the menu says 'No MSG'. They have aircon. And when I was there, there was no music or TV - in other words the place was quiet, which is something I appreciate.

I had Chinese ravioli potstickers (60 baht) - very good; crispy beef pies (60 baht) - very good; and noodles in hot and sour soup (60 baht) - okay, but not great. That was a meal for me for 180 baht.

I will certainly be going back very soon to try other things on the menu.

Very well worth a visit if you like Chinese food.

Cheers.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for those comments. I want to clarify that in no way did I mean to give the impression that the place was overflowing with business CURRENTLY. What I meant is that they a have a small staff and they are probably used to a slower business so far. So in the event that they might quickly get very busy, I do doubt they would be ready for that. I just don't see the staff to handle a full restaurant. That's all I meant. In any case, I reckon they can handle the business coming from a thaivisa thread though ...

Edited February 26, 2012 by Jingthing

[jehricaholic]

Thanks for those comments. I want to clarify that in no way did I mean to give the impression that the place was overflowing with business CURRENTLY. What I meant is that they a have a small staff and they are probably used to a slower business so far. So in the event that they might quickly get very busy, I do doubt they would be ready for that. I just don't see the staff to handle a full restaurant. That's all I meant. In any case, I reckon they can handle the business coming from a thaivisa thread though ...

...and don't expect fast service. Good food takes time, and everything (at least what I sampled) is cooked fresh. I'll be back again very soon.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for those comments. I want to clarify that in no way did I mean to give the impression that the place was overflowing with business CURRENTLY. What I meant is that they a have a small staff and they are probably used to a slower business so far. So in the event that they might quickly get very busy, I do doubt they would be ready for that. I just don't see the staff to handle a full restaurant. That's all I meant. In any case, I reckon they can handle the business coming from a thaivisa thread though ...

...and don't expect fast service. Good food takes time, and everything (at least what I sampled) is cooked fresh. I'll be back again very soon.

Yes, very true. Indeed, they cook fresh food there. Very admirable operation. They deserve our love and our baht.

[Ohyesuare]

Sounds good I will check it out when I get the chance, thanks for the recommendation. I suck with directions, especially in Thailand, is it near any big hotel so I will be sure that I don't miss it?

[AbeSurd]

Sounds good I will check it out when I get the chance, thanks for the recommendation. I suck with directions, especially in Thailand, is it near any big hotel so I will be sure that I don't miss it?

The nearest big hotel is the Royal Century Hotel on Pattayaklang (Central Road) - which is an older hotel I doubt many are aware of.

DIRECTIONS

Imagine yourself walking north on Soi Buakhao to the T junction with Pattayaklang.

At the T junction, turn right (east) and cross over Pattayaklang on to the northside pavement/sidewalk.

Continue walking east for about 50-100 yards. Pao is about 3 doors past the Fascino pharmacy. If you get to the entrance to the Royal Century Hotel you've gone too far. Turn back.

[Ohyesuare]

Sounds good I will check it out when I get the chance, thanks for the recommendation. I suck with directions, especially in Thailand, is it near any big hotel so I will be sure that I don't miss it?

The nearest big hotel is the Royal Century Hotel on Pattayaklang (Central Road) - which is an older hotel I doubt many are aware of.

DIRECTIONS

Imagine yourself walking north on Soi Buakhao to the T junction with Pattayaklang.

At the T junction, turn right (east) and cross over Pattayaklang on to the northside pavement/sidewalk.

Continue walking east for about 50-100 yards. Pao is about 3 doors past the Fascino pharmacy. If you get to the entrance to the Royal Century Hotel you've gone too far. Turn back.

Much appreciated.

[Jimmyd]

I went there yesterday at 5 pm as I was in the neighborhood and wanted to try it.

They were closed.

I last passed by at 5:20 pm and they still had a sign on the window saying they were closed, though there were signs of life inside.

I crossed the street and got half a roast duck to go from Leng Kee instead, which turned out to be pretty good--good news as I had gone off their quackers recently due to a couple of bad birds. Used to be a mainstay of mine, and now I guess it will be again barring any other foul fowl.

[jehricaholic]

Pao: Restaurant Review

When: Feb 24 @ 8pm

Where: Central (Klang) Pattaya Road - North side, midway between 2'nd and 3'rd Roads

What I Ordered:

- Coke can @ 50 Baht

- Drunken Chicken Wings (Free Sample - 2pc)

- Pan Fried Beef Pie (2pc @ 60 Baht)

- Shrimp Wonton Soup @ 100 Baht

- Ramen with Savoury Beef topping @ 70 Baht

- Fried Squid @ 160 Baht

Total Cost: 440 Baht (1 person)

Overview:

This place has a lot of potential (open for 3 months) but if they don't make a few changes they will be gone by the next high season. The food is really good and it would not take much change for it to be a profit making venture. The restaurant is double size (2 retail units) and the decor is very modern and has a HiSo feel. I was the only diner with the exception of a Farang/Thai couple who walked in/walked out when they looked at the menu and saw there was no Thai food for the Thai partner. They have 2 menus: a written dumpling menu, and a well photographed Photo book menu. The menu is varied (see Jingthing's previous post) but needs some additions to bring in the crowds). This is the first Asian restaurant I've even been to in the world that does not provide any table condiments (seasonings etc).

The co-owner (young Chinese guy) has excellent English and is really interested in knowing what people think about his food and why they want to come to his restaurant. When my meal was finished he came over asking about my experience which turned into a 15 min conversation about his food and the Pattaya food scene.

Review:

Coke: Can for 50 Baht! Enough said.

Drunken Chicken Wings: These looked totally unappealing in the photo (think boiled chicken winglets). I asked if this is how they looked and the guy said he'd let me sample them. although the flavor was good they were served cold! I think this item should be reserved for the minority who enjoy boiled chicken feet salad. A very Falang-unfriendly dish.

Pan Fried Beef Pie: (2pc @ 60 Baht) Although a little bit pricey by Thai standards, they were very fresh & tasty and contained 'soup' inside (you have to be careful when making that first bite - I was warned) They are about 3" in diameter.

Shrimp Wonton Soup: (100 Baht) 5 giant Wontons with traditional broth (you can also chose a different soup accompaniment). Delicious and fresh and good value.

Ramen with Savoury Beef topping: (70 Baht) The ramen is a handmade thick udon style. Although a delicious dish, the problem was that it became tastier the more you got towards the bottom of the bowl (where the toppings congregated after mixing with the noodle). This is where having condiments would have been useful, the first few bites tasted of unseasoned pasta, thus having some table seasoning to add to the top of the dish would have been beneficial. Very good value.

Fried Squid: (160 Baht) The best fried Squid/Calamari in Pattaya. It came with pickle garnish and lime wedges. Very fresh and lighly battered and well seasoned BUT the portion size was miniscule (think Tapas for 1), perhaps 1/3 the portion size you'd get in the West. Very poor value!

Conclusion:

Great food and great potential to be successful.

I think the owners were a little over-ambitious with this restaurant considering it's location: They spent too much on decor and they could have made do with a single retail unit restaurant without the oversized tables & chairs, and oversized kitchen with a fancy double-doored fridge, but what's done is done, they now need to look towards the future and get the customers inside.

I told the guy that he needed condiments. He acknowledged the customer walk-out mentioned above. I hinted that he needed to expand his menu (I told him I can only get my Fried rice noodle with beef fix from Foodland). I told him about his far away Jontiem competition (soon to up & leave from what's being said on the other thread). He recommended a good Thai restaurant: 'The Boat' on 2'nd Road, which I've never been but is currenly being praised on another thread by JT. I told him that Falang Expats are craving decent, authentic alternatives to both Thai food and the Touristy items readily available by the beach (F&C, burgers, steaks, pasta, pizza etc).

He was interested when I told him about ThaiVisa and how this is the means we Expats find new places to go eat and that he had just been discoverd by the resident food expert JT. Jingthing I think you would enjoy having a talk with this guy, I think he's receptive to change for the better ($profit). I've told him you'll probably be back, so don't be shy, introduce yourself and get some free samples!

Pao: Restaurant Review (Followup)

When: Feb 28 @ 1030pm

What I Ordered:

- Coke Can

- Hot & Sour Soup with Shrimp Wontons

- Pan Fried Pork Buns (6pc)

- Shrimp & Egg @ 160 Baht

- Deep Fried Pork Ribs @ 120 Baht (5pc)

- Rice Noodle Roll with Beef

Total Cost: 640 Baht (1 person)

Overview:

The co-owner (guy) welcomed me back when I entered the restaurant. Still no table condiments but they now provide re-fillable cold Chinese Tea. I sat in a different type of seating area today: I can now say that the seating in this restaurant is quite uncomfortable. If you sit at the sofas with the coffe tables then eating from the table is ackward. If you sit at the regular tables then your knees are pushed up against the table support. There is a third seating area: diner style facing the kitchen, perhaps I'll try this on my next visit. There were 2 Thai ladies eating when I entered, from what I gathered from their conversation with the Pao guy: 1) they are restaurant owners 2) Pao has a 2 year lease 3) Pao does not want to have Thai food on the menu because that is not what they do. Afterwards the Pao guy mentioned that table and said how Thais waste so much food in his restaurant. I concurred, telling him that Thais need to have a more open palate. I ordered a lot of food and he tried to tell me to stop ordering, but I told him I have a large appetite and in the end I finished everything but was completely stuffed. He asked me for the name of this website and I wrote it down for him and told him to search for 'Pao', so he shall be reading these posts (and hopefully commenting on his own... I want to stop calling him Pao guy).

Review:

Hot & Sour Soup with Shrimp Wontons: These are the same delicious wontons mentioned in my previous review except that the soup different. I like this version better, I always liked Hot & Sour soup but with the addition of wontons it is so much better (think spaghetti with sauce vs spaghetti & meatballs with sauce). This soup was very tasty and there was a little kick with the 'Hot', Good value & great flavor

Pan Fried Pork Buns: (6pc, no soup inside) I found these rather underwhelming & monononous. I much prefer the beef pie (with soup inside) version as mentioned in my previous review.

Shrimp & Egg @ 160 Baht: This looked quite appetizing from the photo in the menu but in reality looked a little boring. It was simply @ 6 jumbo shrimp cooked with egg and came with steamed rice. Simple but very tasty. The eggs and shrimp were cooked perfectly and the flavor was subtle but well balanced with none of the oil you get with the Thai egg dishes. Although better value than the fried Squid previously reviewed (at lease this dish portion wise can be shared), it is still quite expensive by Thai standards.

Deep Fried Pork Ribs @ 120 Baht (5pc): There were maybe 5 rib versions on the menu, some braised and some fried but all using the same rib (as per Pao guy). I chose the basic deep fried version. They had a nice subtle vinegary flavor but were unfortunately very fatty (think biting into the Parson's nose of a Chicken). I think this dish is more suited for the Asian clientel who appreciate fattiness in their meats. The Pao guy asked me if I wanted more steamed rice but i declined since I was already quite full.

Rice Noodle Roll with Beef: This was the weakest item. I never really liked the Rice Noodle rolls when I've had Dim Sum, but I wanted to see if their version was any better. They had the usual filling choices but I chose beef since it's not the usual filling choice. This was the last dish served (he told me it takes 20 min to prepare) so I was full already but I'm very sure I would still not have enjoyed this dish had it been served first. Just a whole lot of boring rice noodle roll (70%) with beef filling (30%). It was perhaps slightly poorer then what I've tried for Dim Sum, only because the ratio of rice noodle to filling was too high.

[Pdaz]

I stopped by there yesterday around 7pm. No other punters just myself and the missus.

I ordered.

Dumplings in hot and sour soup - great ! lots of meaty dumplings and the soup was very good.

Zangjiang pork ribs - very tender, great flavour - but could have done with a larger portion.

'Chee Chong Fun' with beef ( stuffed sheets of rice noodle dough ) very good again

Liangjong bao ( Chinese soup dumplings ) Great flovour but the dumplings had deflated a bit

All in all I was very happy. My missus who loves to try foreign food was less impressed as she prefers stronger flavours.. This I believe could be a problem for them.. I have lived and worked in both HK and China and love real Chinese food ( as opposed to the sweet and sticky UK/US kung po chicken style stuff ) For people that like mainland style Chinese food this place is a treat and I hope it lasts.

For people wanting sweet and sour pork balls and egg foo yung ( or whatever ) I can see they will be disapointed ( unless they are willing to experiment ) I for one will be a regular customer.

I want to go back and try their rice noodles with spicy pork and their 'potstickers'

Thanks for the heads up on a great place to eat

[jehricaholic]

I stopped by there yesterday around 7pm. No other punters just myself and the missus.

I ordered.

Dumplings in hot and sour soup - great ! lots of meaty dumplings and the soup was very good.

Zangjiang pork ribs - very tender, great flavour - but could have done with a larger portion.

'Chee Chong Fun' with beef ( stuffed sheets of rice noodle dough ) very good again

Liangjong bao ( Chinese soup dumplings ) Great flovour but the dumplings had deflated a bit

All in all I was very happy. My missus who loves to try foreign food was less impressed as she prefers stronger flavours.. This I believe could be a problem for them.. I have lived and worked in both HK and China and love real Chinese food ( as opposed to the sweet and sticky UK/US kung po chicken style stuff ) For people that like mainland style Chinese food this place is a treat and I hope it lasts.

For people wanting sweet and sour pork balls and egg foo yung ( or whatever ) I can see they will be disapointed ( unless they are willing to experiment ) I for one will be a regular customer.

I want to go back and try their rice noodles with spicy pork and their 'potstickers'

Thanks for the heads up on a great place to eat

From the reviews thus far:

- 2 YES votes for the dumplings in Hot & Sour Soup

- 1 YES/1 NO for the Rice Noodle Rolls with Beef

- 1 YES/1 NO for the Pork Ribs (although different style)