Restoran Phang Kee

Phang Kee used to be a lot bigger, sporting plastic chairs and tables sprawled across the front row. They probably had to cut back, with the city council breathing down their necks. It's now restricted to its own lot, with only four tables outside and enough inside to sustain weekday breakfast fiends. Like most joints that care for freshness, dim sum here is made to order.

First off, the not-so-common Herbal Mai (RM7). This new offering is similar to siew mai, but extra aromatic of the herbal broth it was cooked in. Think Chinese herbal soup flavours in a moist meat parcel. On classics, the Har Gao (RM7) appears oily, but tastes exactly as it should with a thin wrapper and plump, slippery prawns. I did feel that RM7 for a trio of dumplings is a little exorbitant — even Jin Xuan doesn't charge that amount in their somewhat upclass, air-conditioned setting.

Oddly enough, the Char Siew Bao (RM2.20) is reasonably-priced with quite a difference. The bun's got good texture, but the filling had a orangey, artificial feel — not exactly the steamy, satisfying chopped char siew in a dark brown glaze. Cham Peng (RM3) didn't disappoint in potency, and it's got the perfect amount of sugar to please without cloying.

Bonus: they've got wifi and plug points.