Imperial City

An oriental dragon snaking the length of a ceiling duct and waitresses wearing elegant cheongsams add an unmistakably eastern stamp to this upmarket pan-Asian restaurant in the softly lit undercroft of the Royal Exchange. The menu has a broadly Chinese backbone, moving from razor clams with black-bean sauce or soft-shell crab with chilli and salt to crispy aromatic duck with pancakes or, perhaps, a clay pot of guinea fowl with Chinese sausage. Other dishes defy easy classification: osso bucco with pak choy, sirloin steak with lemongrass or ‘nonya'-style sea bass wrapped in a banana leaf, for instance. Set menus and plenty of wines by the glass should help to keep spending under control. Although the food is generally spot on, the slightly corporate mood will suit some more than others.