Ducking-out of eccentricity

The original Yi-Ban is an eccentric, extraordinary place, looking as though a slice of contemporary China has landed in the no-man's-land opposite London City Airport. It has dragons with lit-up eyes and a menu quivering with the likes of duck tongues (seriously, don't) and crispy pig's intestines.

This, the soigné baby brother, is a different kettle of abalone: urban, glossy and, despite the soul-free riverside block location, very London. Shamelessly aping Hakkasan (sultry decor, hide-and-seek layout) it sets out to grab a well-off, Western audience.

The menu plays it equally safe: aromatic duck, spare ribs, spring rolls and satay chicken all put in an appearance. But the cooking is good: we loved dry-fried soft shell crab spiked with chilli, garlic and spring onion and velvety beef fillet with jewels of pomegranate.

Slightly over-seared foie gras was enough to defeat even my barely contained lust for this cruel delicacy. Also excellent were a clay pot of seafood with black bean and a generous plateful of scallops with mangetouts and XO sauce.

All good then; but watch out for a piece of hi-tech cheek: the chipandpin machine requests a gratuity after service has already been added to the bill. New technology, new brass neck.