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| - We purchased a $25 for $50 dinner Groupon and thus it was our first occasion at this restaurant. Dinner was scheduled for 5 pm. and upon arrival, we found no one! Turns out there was a wedding sectioned off and when we went to the smaller general dining section, not a single staff member was there! After locating a staff member, we were seated. The decor was very fancy...very much like English high tea. It was a very interesting fusion of Chinese cuisine in a classy European restaurant.
We ordered the lobster with ginger and green onion, sweet and sour pork, Cantonese chow mein, shrimp balls and steamed rice. Unfortunately, the order in which the items came out was terrible! Our lobster was first...so with no steamed rice, it just sat there for 10 mins., getting colder and more unappetizing. Then our shrimp balls arrived and boy did we devour it down as we were so unimpressed with the delayed service! Then came the sweet and sour pork...again, no steamed rice in sight...so it just sat there. Finally, after asking a staff member about our rice, it came!...alongside the Cantonese chow mein. We couldn't figure out why steamed rice would take so long but meh, we were just famished by then! Overall, the food was true Chinese cuisine. The portions were a bit modest, especially given the pricing!
The service was interesting. Every dish required two staff members in French-maid uniform to serve. The presentation of our Cantonese chow mein was most impressive, with the fried noodles completely on its side; a staff member mixed the dish, portioned and served it.
Overall, the food was quite acceptable but not overwhelming either. The prices are at least double what it would be in a typical Chinese restaurant...I suppose you are paying for the decor, ambiance and location as well. We had complimentary dessert (sweet papaya soup and two cookies) which was nice. The service was mindful although a bit slow. If we did not have a Groupon, it would have been ridiculously expensive but still with the discount, it was not really worth it. We would recommend it for a one-time experience but not as a usual dining experience.
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