We've finally revisited this pretty popular place on Nick's Corner, just opposite the Banyan Bay Cafe, even picked up a name card:
<img src="http://www.compunicate.com/Lamma/Blog/Restaurants/Jade-namecard.jpg" width=550 border=1>
"Traditional Cantonese home-style cooking" was how it was described to me by other guests. Seeing it full on the weekend with young island visitors also demonstrates their low prices, almost every dish advertised on the walls is below $50, with a lot even below $30. On weekdays, it's visited by a lot of local regulars. We spotted fishermen, middle-aged Chinese ladies and a table full of HK Electric blue-collar staff in there when we finally revisited. Lamma-Por had resisted going back there ever after a not-so-positive experience over two years ago.
This time she loved it! A really delicious fried pigeon; tastier, juicier and cheaper at $48 than in ANY other Lamma restaurant we've tried this dish (and yes, this includes the Pigeon Rest. above Hung Shing Yeh). Half a succulent pigeon for me, together with my customary single spoonful of boiled rice and I was satiated and happy.
The second dish, Lamma-Por's choice, were amazingly fat (50+%), thick bacon squares with quickly stir-fried cabbage, still dripping with oil. Absolutely unsuitable for my low-fat diet, I only nibbled on that dish, but Lamma-Por loved it and even took the left-overs home! Other tables were tucking into various Cantonese staples and a big plate piled high with large, yabbie-like seafood.
It's a really small place, only about 5 tables, with basically one cook and one waitress. But it has a family-style feel with soft benches all round, mostly real chairs, not just stools; plus some really gaudy decorations, like so many of these local places. The huge, embroidered stickers of English football clubs above the former bar counter (now the kitchen access) might be a heritage from when this place really was a bar for many years under changing owners/managers, but now it's a bar in name only (Jade Chief's Bar).
They also have a lot of unusual Cantonese dishes at really reasonable prices, many of them not available in other local restaurants at all or only on weekends. Lamma-Por & I will certainly be back soon, without me having to try convincing her for years first.
Now on to some of the few other places we haven't visited in a little while. We'll try every local restaurant at least once...