Hot dishes with ricestraightforward home cooking.

Tu Long’s appeal is straightforward: a table of hot dishes and rice. It does not stay within a single regional cuisine. Fermented black bean stir-fries, savoury meat dishes and saucy casseroles can each centre a homestyle meal. The balance between portion and price is another reason this small restaurant has kept people returning.

For stronger flavours, dishes previously offered include tripe or beef with black beans and peppers, and twice-cooked pork. Fermented black beans suit rice, while tripe and sliced meat bring different textures. Finding a seasoning you like and trying it with another main ingredient adds variety.

Lamb belly casserole and seafood with tofu are two dishes warmly remembered from earlier visits. One centres on the meat, the other combines seafood and tofu in a broth that also goes well with rice. If a particular casserole is your reason for coming, ask ahead whether it is available that day.

Vegetables and tofu can take a central place too. Fish-fragrant aubergine and eight-treasure tofu offer softer textures alongside the stir-fries. For two or three, a stir-fry, a casserole and vegetables make a more varied table than several similar meat dishes.

The small restaurant on Otto-Suhr-Allee suits an everyday meal when you know what you would like. A hot lunch or a few plates shared with friends needs little ceremony. Its warmth lies in giving a bowl of rice good company.