It may take weeks to get a table but this sprawling, opulent, widely loved institution – now entering its sixth decade – warrants the wait. Crimson carpet, double-damask tablecloths and abundant hot towels proffered on silver trays are a constant. So is the ceremony with which juicy, lacquered Peking duck is wrapped tableside in supple crepes warmed over a petite flame.

Delicate dumplings plump with scallop, mud crab and prawn bathe in pure golden chicken broth, anointed with tangy red vinegar by a bow-tied waiter. A barely lifted brow summons judicious advice about the day’s market-price seafood – perhaps luscious toothfish fillet with garlic chives – or fabled off-menu dishes.

Finish with fluffy fried rice followed by feather-light almond cookies, and enjoy the polished wine service from a wide-ranging list that confirms the Drum’s big-ticket dining eminence among everyone from high-profile regulars to out-of-town visitors.

Good to know: Best enjoyed as a group – sittings can be limited for tables of four or fewer.

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