Situated in the heart of Llandaff Village, Summer Palace is Cardiff's oldest Cantonese restaurant. Opened in 1988 by Mr Chim, a chef with more than 30 years of experience, this intimate, exotic haven scooped the South Wales Echo Food and Drink Awards' 'Chinese Restaurant of the Year' in 2005. The casual, friendly service and traditional cuisine of the Chinese provinces of Canton, Peking and Szechwan attracts locals and tourists alike, as does the impressive fish tank and rich decor.

Averaging £4.75, starters include an array of homemade specialities, from aromatic crispy duck with pancakes to Mongolian lamb and steamed sea bass. For appetisers, we opted for salt and chilli king prawns, spring rolls and barbecued chicken. The prawns were tender and succulent, the spring rolls hot and crispy, and the chicken was served on skewers and drenched in a rich peanut satay sauce. Main courses average £9.50 and you'll find choices such as baked lobster, scallops in black bean sauce and sizzling dishes including fillet steak in Cantonese sauce and lamb with ginger and spring onions. The recommended roast duck in plum sauce was fantastic, as were the king prawns in ginger and spring onion sauce.

A wide variety of rice and noodles are available to complement, with hot and spicy vegetarian Singapore noodles and yung chow special-fried rice with diced meat, to name but two. The set menus are available for two people (£16.95 to £19.50), three people (£22.50) or four people (£24.50), and house wines start at £11.95 a bottle. Although we were too full for dessert, they did look tempting, with toffee banana and lychees in syrup on offer. Summer Palace also caters for vegetarians, offering a large selection of vegetable dishes, with ingredients sourced from local markets. Sunday lunches are also extremely popular, and booking in advance is recommended.

Our kind waiter gave me a Chinese New Year calendar on departure, stating that my Chinese sign - the tiger - denoted roaring success. After discovering food and service this memorable, I already feel as though success may be just around the corner.