Zhuhai
Je Li So Ba
Gaoshacun Market, Gaoshacun tel: (86 756) 828 1432
This is an atmospheric restaurant in the Gaoshacun market area - between Yuehai Donglu and Qiaoguanglu, towards the seaside end - and one of many that spread their coloured cloths on tables in the street. The tell-tale sign is Je Li So Ba's wide canopy, under which you can sample your first beer of the day, a chilled Haizhu. Black chicken broth (38 yuan), a huge plate of water spinach (15 yuan), bean curd, Cantonese fried rice and a main dish of yellow-tail tuna (32 yuan) are delicious.
Long-shun-yuan
2/F Overseas Chinese Hotel, 2106 Yingbin South Road, Gongbei tel: (86 756) 888 5777
This dim sum restaurant is ideal for yum cha breakfast, with most dishes hitting the six-yuan mark. The tea of choice is bo lei, which darkens in the pot but doesn't become bitter like jasmine tea. The ha gau prawns (40 yuan) are fresh, huge and crunchy, the cha siu bau pork dumplings are sweet, and the pai kwat fatty pork bone chunks are irresistible.
Moon Ting Sung
2094 Yingbin Road, Gongbei
tel: (86 756) 818 8346
As signified by its blazing red decor, Moon Ting Sung specialises in red hot Sichuan fare. A smart establishment (with high-end cars parked at its doors telling of flush clientele), its tables are always busy. The decor is complemented by brilliant lighting, and wide windows encourage people-watching. Fancy something different? Try the spicy pig's brain (28 yuan for a wokful), which is brought sizzling to the table.
Seafood Palace Restaurant
Seafood Gourmet Plaza, 2083 Yingbin Road, Gongbei
tel: (86 756) 888 2388
This huge seafood establishment is on the same side of Yingbon Road as seven or eight others that together offer the widest range of seafood in Zhuhai. Seafood Palace is open until the wee hours, and offers everything from sea slugs to eel, gaudy coral fish and tiger prawns.
Stall number one
Yuehai Donglu, Gaoshacun Market, Gongbei
This hardly qualifies as a restaurant, but stall number one deserves an honourable mention for its market-place snacks. It's at the north end of Yuehai Donglu, and its husband-and-wife crew cook up savoury jian bing pancakes - eggs optional - brush-coated with a spicy chilli sauce and folded using a pair of chopsticks, with a wrap of chopped vegetables packed inside. At 1.50 yuan a throw you'd be hard pushed to find a bigger bargain.
