Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao/jiangnan

For Jiangnan and Shanghainese cuisine that’s delicious and comforting, this establishment ticks all the boxes for a diner seeking those familiar flavours. Although recommended, the pan-fried pancake with scallion would shine more if it were moister. Better suited to local tastes, the sautéed egg white with conpoy and fish meat is clean-tasting and well-balanced, with hearty flavours. The restaurant’s la mian with chilled poached chicken is a memorably fiery Sichuanstyle classic featuring handmade noodles and tender chicken topped with a dark Sichuan pepper sauce, sesame seeds and spring onion. The fried mixed grain rice in a hot stone pot uses humble ingredients such as shredded egg, crispy whitebait, crunchy peanuts, spring onion, corn and salted radish to create a dish that’s impossible to resist.