A generous Chinese mealin the city centre.

On Leipziger Straße, China City offers a spacious dining room, round tables dressed in cloths and carefully laid crockery. Its substantial menu and generous portions suit both dinner for two and a family gathering. It has the familiar feel of a Chinese restaurant where a whole meal unfolds across the table.

Black pepper beef is one place to begin. For Sichuan flavours, there are also water-boiled beef, twice-cooked pork and mapo tofu. From peppery fragrance to chilli heat and the tingle of Sichuan pepper, the seasoning changes from dish to dish. Stir-fried meat and gently simmered tofu each have their place beside a bowl of rice.

Casseroles offer another direction: beef brisket with radish or seafood with tofu, alongside steamed ribs with fermented black beans. There is also a duck option for two, which can serve as the centre of the meal.

Cold dishes make an unhurried start. Spicy shredded pig’s ear with coriander has a firm bite, while century egg with tofu is softer. A couple of small plates give everyone something to eat while the hot dishes arrive.

Di san xian brings aubergine, potato and green pepper together. Aubergine also comes in fish-fragrant and red-braised preparations; wood ear mushrooms and tofu with spring onions add more choices. These are vegetable dishes with enough flavour and substance to hold their own.

Chicken and sweetcorn soup, West Lake beef soup and winter melon soup with meatballs bring a different texture to the table. A bowl between the stir-fries gives the meal the comfortable rhythm of a family dinner.

Leave time to sit and talk after the dishes arrive. Generous portions and a broad choice make it easy to accommodate different appetites. Stir-fries, casseroles and rice are the straightforward pleasures that bring a table together here.