What would a trip to Chinatown be without sampling the cuisine? One of Britain's best Chinese restaurants, The Yang Sing has won national accolade after accolade since re-establishment in its re-built Princess Street home.

But the original basement venue of the Yang Sing, 17 George Street, is now home to its popular junior cousin, The Little Yang Sing.

The Little Yang Sing has been one of the most innovative ventures down the years in a genre where change is slow and change for change's sake virtually unheard of.

It was early into modern decor, mix'n'match daytime menus, the most comprehensive vegetarian selection in Chinatown, posh takeaways for the surrounding business community and ultimately - though beaten to the punch by Pacific - it spawned its style-conscious offshoot, Pan Asia.

For all that, however, the main menu is resolutely traditional Cantonese with an emphasis on banquets and set dinners - there are nine options ranging from £16 to £32 a head.

For starters we chose a big, plump steamed scallop (£2.85), which came served on the shell with a garlicky broth and a deep-fried crab claw (£4.20), an old-time indulgence which was a treat to be reacquainted with.

Next we shared a platter of salt and pepper spare ribs (£6.95), a bit of an expensive experience nowadays, but these were deliciously meaty and juicy with their strident saltiness somehow magically tempered by the clean bite of sliced fresh red and green chillies. For mains we had a (relatively) pricey seafood dish and a one-plate chow mein noodle platter which meant we didn't need any rice. Chinese New Year and no rice! Ho hum.

Our choices were fillet of monkfish with garlic and spicy sauce (£10.50) and Little Yang Sing Special Chow Mein (£7), which went together very well.

T former comprised plentiful chunks of firm, boneless white fish in a pungent, red-brown sauce with a modicum of chilli heat and pieces of caramelised garlic. Not one for a first date.

The chow mein is a Chinese restaurant cliche of the old school, but it's worth it. This had lots of sculpted squid, cubes of white fish, king prawns, fishy ball things, little water mushrooms, broccoli, bean curd and slices of char sui pork heaped upon a large oval plateful of fine crispy noodles.

Any tendency towards blandness this combo may have had was soon addressed by the sauce on the monkfish. A quite delicious combination. We drank a fresh, lemony 1999 Chardonnay from southern France's Languedoc for a reasonable £10.95. House selections, again from regional France, are £9.95, and there's a decent choice (though Burgundy is historically over-played in Chinese restaurants) from old and new worlds at reasonable prices.

Cooking: Traditional, accomplished Cantonese with an unusually wide vegetarian choice.

Style: Chummy - it has to be in a confined space, but service copes well with the pressure.

Music: Direct from Hong Kong.

Value: We splashed out on the starters, took care with the main courses and the bill, including drinks and the automatic 10 per cent service charge, came to £50.45.

The Little Yang Sing is at 17, George St, Manchester (0161 228 7722). Open: Mon-Thu noon-11.30pm; Fri noon-midnight; Sat noon-12.30am; Sun noon-10.45pm...

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