Happy Gathering, Canton

Happy Gathering, Canton, 029 2039 7531, www.happygatheringcardiff.co.uk

Usually I can take or leave Chinese food. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t make for those OMGI’mInHeaven moments. The Happy Gathering in Canton isn’t any different, but if you’re looking for a change from the limp sandwich and Snickers in your lunch box one day you could do much worse.

Upstairs it’s pretty massive, which always makes it feel empty, but look around and you’ll see plenty of Chinese folks dining here dotted around. The lunch time special lets you pick from a selection of starters and mains with plain or egg fried rice for less than £7. I had the prawn toast and shredded chilli beef.

The toast was great and the beef was quite spicy and wasn’t too sweet and cloying either. Everyone in our group throuroughly enjoyed their food.

Washed down with a couple of Tsing Tao I eased myself back downstairs and onto the street glad I didn’t have any meetings booked in that afternoon. The Happy Gathering never used to be the first place I thought of as a lunch time treat but I’ve made a mental note to try and come back here more often.

Barnabus