I had not been to Chynna for a long time and clearly, making the decision to celebrate my friends' return to Malaysia in this restaurant was a good one. The atmosphere and setting in this restaurant is as lovely as I remembered, and what a delight it was to see the Master of Tea Ceremony still here, artistically wielding his teapot of the eight-treasures tea. Watching him in action always made me smile (and the impulse to clap!) and it did again on Friday - my friends were just as delighted to watch Shi-fu's display of agility and precision. He has been with Chynna for 11 years!
Before my English friends arrived at the restaurant, I spoke with Emiley about how much food to order for a group of 6 and she did an excellent job in her recommendation of dishes - it was just right and my friends enjoyed the dim sum very much. I thought the chee-cheong-fun with crispy Beijing duck skin an interesting idea and it was delicious. If there was one dish I would not order again, it would be the xiao-long pao.
Chynna is a good place to catch up because there is ample space between the tables and there is sufficient cushioning of sounds so one can talk comfortably and be heard easily. Some restaurants are too noisy for my liking.
Thank you, Emiley and Shi-fu, for helping to make our gathering a fun and memorable occasion. My friends from England thoroughly enjoyed this gastronomic experience.