Situated on Beach Road, Nahoon, this is the place to go for authentic Cantonese in East London. Here’s our quick-fire review of Zhong Hua.

The food:
If you can get past the unassuming entrance and are not too hung up about décor and pristine conditions, you will be rewarded with un-westernised Cantonese cuisine. The sushi is fresh and there are some gems, such as the fujiyama of roasted eel, rice paper and avo. The scallops in bean sauce are particularly good.  

The wine:
Wines from the lower price range appear, as well as some Asian beers. You can also BYO for R30 corkage.

The service:
There might be a language problem with the staff, even though they are friendly and obliging.

Ambience:
This spot is better experienced at night, as décor is not the reason to visit.  

And…
A well-priced Chinese buffet is offered on week nights.

By Petro Lotz

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