Wongs

From the street Henry Wong’s latest restaurant looks closed up & edgy – but then the facade of this former warehouse is listed – just slip through the red Chinese arch to get the full impact of the striking megabuck conversion beyond. It’s a slick operation with elegant courtyard seating & a spacious, light dining room, & not without personality. While the emphasis is firmly on old-fashioned values such as comfortable surroundings & courteous service, you can expect reliably good Cantonese cooking, too. Our top choice here is always seafood, delivered daily from the Birmingham fish market – try the exemplary steamed sea bass with ginger & spring onions – but other favourites include steamed scallops in garlic sauce, stir-fried mussels in black bean sauce, as well as sliced lamb with cracked pepper, & crispy duck in plum sauce. It can be quiet at lunchtime, but in the evening, with the piano tinkling away, it’s just the spot for a relaxed meal. Not the place to explore the outer limits of Chinese cooking, perhaps, but for excellent renditions of classic recipes, look no further.