Manchester, Chinese Restaurant Guide

“Daintier dishes than in more traditional Chinese restaurants, but of superb quality” help draw the smart crowd to Wing Shing Chu’s “elegant” city-centre Cantonese, praised in particular for its “immaculate service”. It’s “certainly not a cheap choice”, but there are no complaints about the prices. “We alternate the banquets and are never disappointed”.

Many of Manchester’s most discerning foodies “still reckon this is the best Chinese in town”, but Harry & Bonnie Yeung’s famous Chinatown destination suffers from bouts of “inconsistency” nowadays. Some reporters have experienced this up-and-down quality first hand (“can be very good, but can also be like a bog-standard takeaway”). Some just sense it (“I personally have had very few even slightly disappointing meals here, but you do hear a few too many reports of unsatisfactory visits to recommend it with absolute confidence”). But actually most feedback is still just unconditionally in favour of its cuisine (“still the best…”, “back on top form…”, “an old favourite that never fails…”) even if there’s an acknowledgement that when it comes to the setting, “it seems nowhere near as busy as it used to be, so, certainly at dim sum times it lacks the buzzy atmosphere it used to have”. A fair final summary from one aficionado runs as follows: “I do know that Yang Sing is much better than its critics make out. It strikes a better balance between serving authentic Chinese food and catering to English tastes than its local competitors; and while it is more expensive than some the food is in my experience still worth it”.

A “nicely authentic” Chinatown establishment – part of a four-strong northern chain – where they don’t damp down the Beijing and Sichuanese food, be it red-hot gong bao chicken or using more adventurous cuts; add in “extremely efficient” staff and it’s reliably “busy”.

“The trolley service dim sum (good, if nothing exceptional) is the draw to this Cantonese barn” which sits “above a cash and carry” and has “oh-so glamorous (ho ho) views of a multi-storey car park”; “be prepared to queue in a slightly disorganised way”, and “don’t miss your number being called or you’ll be at the back of the queue again”.