Real Chinese food by a skilful chef
€€
Rua António Pedro, 95
Arroios
+351 213 520 613, no website
Daily, 11h – 15h, 19h – 24h
Mr. Lu stands very far apart from the rest of the Chinese restaurants, serving an abundant selection of sumptuous northeastern Chinese delights, from the simple, such as grilled-on-a-skewer octopus and delicious dumplings, to the more intricate, including spicy rabbit in a wok and beef in oyster sauce. The staff remains the same years after it’s opened, testimony that Mr. Lu doesn’t just take care of his guests, but his waiters as well, who reward him, and you, the diner, with fast service and, depending on where they’re from (there’s a Nepalese waitress that’s become part of the family), would love to chat with you to practice their Portuguese or English. Note to the wise: avoid ordering too much food no matter how hungry you are. A bowl of hot and sour soup (scrumptious) and a small plate of dumplings will fill a pair of healthy active people no problem. If you’re on a budget, Mr. Lu has very inexpensive lunch specials, but dinner is what you really want to get here: not just for the food, but for the people-watching.