Yin’s new location is a bastion of quiet calm on an otherwise obnoxious strip of neon signs and noise pollution. Big, thick doors open to a quaint and classy decor awash in green bamboo, exposed brick and antique Chinese screens. Chandeliers illuminate all manner of art styles – everything from bright and lively modernist abstractions to studies in Song era aesthetics. Infuse the atmosphere with some modern jazz and the whole place seems strangely timeless. And while the location has changed, the menu is still as impressive as we remember. A mix of Shanghai, Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine, their dishes are MSG-free. All the meats have been de-boned to cut down on the grapple factor and, for the less adventurous diner, the more strange and exotic dishes are marked accordingly.

We particularly love the soft tofu with preserved eggs (RMB25) accented with crunchy Sichuan-style preserved vegetables – a stand out performer. Another highlight is the salt-preserved spring chicken with Chinese spices (RMB33). Too often this dish is so salty it sucks the taste out of your mouth. Yin’s version, however, is perfectly subtle, delicate and understated. But if we had to pick a favorite (hard to do here) it would be the fresh shrimp in Sichuan bean sauce (RMB105). It’s intensely flavorful and if the shrimp were any fresher they’d be trying to crawl off your plate. If you haven’t dined here yet, it’s definitely worth a visit. And don’t let the prices deter you; you’ll get what you pay for not only in food, but in atmosphere and service too.

Yin Par Le Garçon Chinois

Daily 12-2.30pm; 6pm-1am. All cards. 2/F, 4 Hengshan Lu, by Wulumuqi Nan Lu (5466 5070) 衡山路4号2楼,近乌鲁木齐南路

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