Ruby Chinese

LOCATION
In the centre of Chinatown in Dickson.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
You have to admit that half of the fun of eating out or taking away in Dickson's Chinatown district is experiencing the fusion of a wide variety of aromas from the great selection of Asian restaurants. It really is overwhelming and often leaves you wondering if you just might have picked the wrong thing. Well you can forget it, it's Chinatown and Ruby Chinese has got to be your number one stop for authentic Chinese and Cantonese dining. This restaurant has been family owned and run for almost 30 years – a huge milestone in the Canberra restaurant scene – and its longevity can be put down to the dining experience which is every bit as warm and welcoming as the cuisine. To attest to this fact, Ruby Chinese has just been recognised by the 2010 SMH Good Food Guide as the best Chinese restaurant Dickson (and Canberra) has to offer.

Ruby Chinese dispenses with hanging or swimming delicacies in the shopfront windows, opting for a more polished marble facade so you know you are in for something special. And while the food is as authentic as a roasted duck under a red hot warmer, it's still a place that you could bring your girlfriend and her parents. Rest assured, however, live seafood is actually on offer with king crab, abalone, pipis and prawns featuring alongside other Chinese favourites such as Mongolian lamb, sweet and sour pork and, as you probably smelled upon arrival, barbecued cha sui pork. Functions and large groups are more than welcome as Ruby Chinese can cater for more than 350 people, so be sure to bring your friends... and their friends.

Nick Hadland, January 2010