86a-88a Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7DT. Tel: 02380 639 833

I was recommended this restaurant as a place to try from someone who found my web site during his search for Chinese restaurants. I reciprocated by recommending the Oriental Gardens restaurant in Bournemouth.

When I family down they wanted to go to Portsmouth Quay and then have dim sum. I searched like mad and could not find a decent place that does proper dim sum as opposed to "prawn toast" and "deep fried spare ribs" type of dim sum.

I gave up and decided I would bring the family all the way back across to Southampton.

Even when I got there I wasn't too convinced at the door, so I wimped out and sent my dad up the stairs to check whether it would meet his expectations. Approval was shouted down and a hand gesture beckoned us up the stairs.

Once we sat down and everybodyelse jumped in with their orders in Cantonese, all me and Angela did was sit back and eat, plus a token pouring of tea.

For the most part it was good and as expected with regards to traditional Chinese dim sum for Chinese. We actually polished virtually everything bar some steamed spare ribs that were quite salty and some marinated ducks feet that were a bit too marinated so that you could actually taste the red colouring. Not something I tried but Hong Kong resident Mary called that one.

I would go back seeing as I know it is a place that opens all day long and I can order Cheung Fun! Staples such a Har Kau and Sui Mai were large and plump as were the beef dumplings.

Bless the little dears on the table across that went for Sweet and Sour Chicken and had Mateus Rose. I thought what the heck, they loved it and so they should!

We went to West Quay afterwards for a bit of a walk around and psuedo shopping seeing as they had spent all their money at the Burberry shop in Portsmouth.

Pearl Harbour Restaurant website