China Palace

China Palace really does live up to its grand name: inside it shimmers with gold, & the stately warehouse interior is spacious enough to accommodate six private rooms, karaoke parties, & live music at the weekends. With Excel close by, the lunchtime crowd tends to vary according to the events being staged – but there are always plenty of local Chinese families dotted among the salespeople & middle managers. Cheap lunch deals are eclipsed by the range of dim sum, which can vary from ‘very good’ (chiu chow dumplings with crunchy peanuts) to ‘lacklustre’ (lukewarm pork puffs & oily prawn dumplings). Come the evening, it pays to push the predictable set menus to one side, in favour of the 100-dish carte, which is particularly strong on luxurious shellfish & more modest beancurd specialities.