Haozhan

I have a reputation for being the food obssessive and all round girl about town in my peer group, and, as a result am frequently asked for recommendations for events or dinners. This comes with many traps and pitfalls, but generally works out ok. Recently, I took a risk and recommended somewhere I had never been for a friends birthday - Haozhan.

Now, this wasn't just any birthday. This was his first birthday since he'd had his first child, and probably one of the few nights out he's had in many months! He was only going for dinner, there would be no pubbing or clubbing, so on the day I started to get anxious, I had read good things, but what if Haozhan failed to deliver? I was hopeful it would, Hoazhan comes with solid credentials - Jimmy Kong of New Fook Lam Moon opened it with Chee Loong Cheong, formerly of Hakkasa, in the kitchen

On arrival, we were ushered upstairs to a round table, and within a short while, we were ordering. Service is very chinatown - abrupt and swift but not intentionally rude.

We ordered a selection of starters - standout were the chilli tofu which was crisp, light and beautifully spiced and so full of flavour and the deep fried pork ribs in coffee sauce.

Mains went from fabulous to bizarre. I had a gorgeous homemade tofu dish - Haozhan tofu - 4 fried tofu cubes, like a savoury custard with spinach skimming the surface, all topped with a scallop and some roe. A friend had curry prawns which were very spicy and came served in a huge round of bread. Bizarre and super spicy.

Impressed as I was, I wanted to bring another foodie friend there. I, the creature of habit and desperate for more squid and tofu, ordered the same meal. He ordered the chilli deep fried soft shell crab and the crispy shredded beef. My meal was spectacular as before but his was disappointing, the crabs were slightly burned and the beef was borderline sickly sweet.

It was a shame, as the previous night was a very positive experience. Maybe we caught them on a bad Sunday evening, still reeling from a busy Saturday service.

I'll definitely go again, if only for the tofu.

2 courses with one glass of wine, 2 beers and tea was £60.