Serious Chinatown regulars will be delighted to forgo the ubiquitous General Tso’s chicken in favour of Xam Yu’s standout saline treats, plucked fresh from large tanks at the front of the house. Light broth balances silken cubes of tofu with minced, loosely formed prawn meat for a tasty soup (though more shrimp would be welcome). A vegetarian side of king mushrooms with snow pea greens lays delicate slices of buttery fungi across stir-fried greens, each bite releasing a subtle whiff of melting butterscotch and slivered ginger. Hong Kong–style soft-shell crab comes as a loose pile of golden, supple, deliciously greasy lumps. A flowering of scallions juts out of a soy-bathed, steamed Australian bass, its simple preparation a pleasantly salty complement to the creamy, expertly deboned flesh. Service is friendly and honest.