Chairman and Yip

My favourite restaurant in the whole world is Chairman and Yip in Canberra. Obviously there are a vast number of restaurants in the world I've never been to, but of the ones I have been to, Chairman and Yip is my favourite. Actually, I should be more specific and say that Chairman and Yip's sampler menu is my favourite.

Peter and I never found a restaurant in Washington DC that we liked better than Chairman and Yip. The best one we tried was 1789, which was excellent, but didn't top Chairman and Yip.

Last night, for Peter's birthday, we went to Bleeding Heart. Peter thought it was great (which is good because it was his birthday). I thought it was good, but not spectacular. We both particularly liked the service -- the waiters were helpful without being obtrusive. At some restaurants the waiters are coming over all the time asking if everything is okay -- sometimes to the point where they are really interrupting the meal. On the other hand, there are some places where it's very difficult to attract the waiter's attention and you have to spend so much time waiting and looking for them.

At Bleeding Heart, Peter and I thought the waiters had the right balance balance between being around and being helpful, but also leaving us alone at the right times to enjoy our meal without being interrupted.

As for the food, I thought it was very good, but not spectacular. I really enjoyed the food, but didn't feel it was a taste sensation. Peter, on the other hand, thought it was great and was keen to go back again. Meanwhile, I'm keen to go back to Chairman and Yip next time we're in Australia!