Starphire Hotel

中餐

With black sesame seeds ground non-stop by the two stone mills at the door, you can tell what this shop is famous for – sweet black sesame soup, ice cream, pudding… and black sesame rolls prized for their intense flavour and chewy texture.

A turquoise colour scheme, rattan furniture and wall coverings impart a retro tropical vibe. The menu is dominated by Isan cuisine from Northeast Thailand, intelligently crafted by a Thai kitchen team. Laab Moo Isan tastes tangy and spicy; diced pig ears add crunchy texture to the ground pork salad. Aroma-laden khao soy features coconut milk curry and chargrilled chicken. The generous portions make it a great spot for friendly get-togethers.

This hole-in-the-wall is always jam-packed and that's down to chef-owner Ng's cooking, not the decor or service. Cantonese stir-fries prevail, alongside a few spicy options. The must-try salt-baked Wenchang chicken is succulent, flavoursome… and tends to run out early. Live seafood is also big on the menu, eg pan-fried prawn in soy sauce or steamed eel in black bean sauce. Reservations are recommended and it's worth pre-ordering the chicken to avoid missing out.

Fung Shing, once a household name in Mong Kok, was reincarnated as Eton, in a space that oozes nostalgic Chinese flair with its red carpet and dragon and phoenix relief art. The kitchen is run by mostly the same team, and the menu remains broadly similar. Expect Shun Tak classics such as sautéed mandarin fish roll with silky flesh, and angled loofah in a lightly seasoned glaze. Scrambled egg white with milk in Daliang style is also an excellent choice.

意大利菜

One of the early branches of the chain, it offers over 20 dim sum on the menu, all skilfully made and attractively priced. Some items rotate every two to three months to keep them fresh. Don’t miss their shrimp dumplings, baked buns with barbecue pork filling or steamed beef balls with tangerine peel. The spruce interior takes up two floors and the unflappable team operates seamlessly and swiftly, keeping waiting times down to a minimum.