Chinese restaurant Treasure Palace is strategically placed on the main level of the Boulevard in the City of Dreams. Consequently many casual diners drop in and lunchtimes are always packed. Once inside, Treasure Palace is a long, cheerful restaurant with bold red decor, crystal lights and lotus-themed carpets. Book a window table to enjoy the peaceful, relaxing view of the artificial lake outside. There is a tea tasting area at the entrance for those who fancy trying some of the fine teas from China.

Chef Tam Kwok-Fung seeks the highest quality ingredients worldwide for his traditional Cantonese cuisine. Almost every conceivable Cantonese dish is available – some from long-forgotten recipes. The lunchtime menu offers over 100 dim sum items, many under MOP30. Simply tick the item required to order. The full menu is filled with appetising colour photographs of signature dishes and is lengthy. At lunch, it is hard to go wrong ordering any of Chef Tam’s many signature dim sum dishes. The giant abalone chicken bun is enormous and practically a meal in itself. Truffle and root vegetable dumpling is also good. Standards such as steamed shrimp and crabmeat dumpling or deep-fried crab meat are top class. Chilled sago cream with strawberry and pomelo is a delightful, refreshing dessert. Evening dining is more leisurely. Wood-oven barbecued pork belly is a signature dish and is tender with a crispy skin. Stewed Treasure duckling, not often seen nowadays, is another superb dish.

Regrettably there are no wines available by the glass. Full bottles of wine, cognac or strong Chinese liquor are evidently the preferred libations at Treasure Palace. The short wine list does have some decent wines at fair prices. Naturally several vintages of Chateau Lafite are provided for high rollers.

Staff is pleasant, helpful and keen to oblige even during a hectic lunchtime. They are on the ball with no communication problems. Dishes come all at once unless specified thus encouraging gamblers to return to the tables quickly.

Excellent value, less than MOP200 per person if avoiding birds’ nest and dried abalone. Set meals are offered including lobster with cheese and butter sauce and seven other courses all at MOP588 for two.