Hunan Garden The Forum, Exchange Sq., tel. 2868-2880

Live Chinese music accompanies your meal, which ought to include the fried-fish butterflies appetizer -- thinly sliced carp pieces with a sweet coating. The spicy fried chicken with chili may well set your lips and throat on fire; if you like things milder, stick with the codfish fillet with fried minced beans -- the chewy and nutty bean paste goes perfectly with the fillet's soft texture. Do try the Shaoxing wine, served in tiny cups after the waiter pours it into a silver container and rests it in a bucket of hot water. Ask for lemon slices with the wine if you want a zestier aroma. AE, DC, MC, V. $38 - $64

Lancombe 47 Main St., Lamma, tel. 2982-0881

This Cantonese seafood restaurant is Lamma's best source for no-nonsense food at no-nonsense prices. The huge English/Cantonese menu features seafood, seafood, and more seafood. Try deep-fried squid, grouper in sweet corn sauce, broccoli in garlic, and beef with black beans. Dishes come in three sizes; the small one is generally sufficient. Go through the front of the restaurant via the kitchen (don't loiter -- they're busy in there!) to the terrace out back, where you'll have a view of the sea and distant Peng Chau Island. AE, MC, V. $13

Lao Ching Hing Century Hong Kong Hotel, 238 Jaffe Rd., tel. 2598-6080

One of the oldest Shanghainese restaurants in Hong Kong (open since 1955), Lao Ching Hing has earned its good name over the years. From simple stuff such as the Shanghainese buns and dumplings to deluxe braised shark's fin, you're bound to find something intriguing. Chicken in wine sauce and sauteed river shrimp are popular. For a real adventure, investigate the braised sea cucumber in brown sauce for its distinct texture and strong sauce. Try the freshwater crab if you're here in September or October. AE, MC, V. $38 - $64

Luk Yu Tea House 24-26 Stanley St., tel. 2523-5464

This is a living museum with extraordinary character -- it's been in business for more than 60 years, and as such lets you catch a rare glimpse of old colonial Hong Kong from the Chinese perspective. The decor includes handsome, carved wooden doors, hardwood paneling, marble facings, and spittoons (which customers use with gusto); waiters dress in traditional Chinese uniform. Morning dim sum is popular with Chinese businesspeople, though the Cantonese fare is no better than standard. Reservations can be hard to get at peak hours (1 to 2) unless you're a regular. MC, V. $13 - $38

Mak's Noodles Limited 77 Wellington St., tel. 2854-3810

Mak's looks just like another Hong Kong noodle shop, but it's one of the best-known noodle joints in town. The restaurant takes pride in its reputation, displaying copies of its reviews -- including a write-up in Time magazine -- at every table. The premises are clean, the attentive staff wears smart-looking uniforms, and the menu even includes some inventive dishes, such as tasty pork-chutney noodles. The real test of a good noodle shop, however, is its wontons, and here they're fresh, delicate, and filled with whole shrimp. No credit cards. $13

Man Wah Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 5 Connaught Rd., tel. 2522-0111 Ext. 4025

This Zen-like and elegant haven features hand-carved gold-and-ebony chopsticks at every place setting and rosewood everywhere you turn. Exquisite Cantonese feasts come in many courses, and it's easy to order a half dozen dishes or more between friends. Steamed crab claws with ginger and rice wine are huge yet light. The signature dish of sauteed fillet of sole with chilis in black-bean sauce is close to a work of art. A dragon's head and tail garnish the dish, which is delicately cooked to bring out the flavor of the fish. For dessert savor the poached pear in tangerine tea while you watch the ships in Victoria Harbour sail by. AE, DC, MC, V. $64