In some quarters it's become almost knee-jerk to denigrate Yokohama's Chinatown. Too clean and tidy, they sneer, it feels like a theme park. It's just for tourists. And, the most serious charge of all, the food just isn't authentic. To which the Food File would retort: Perhaps so; not necessarily; and that depends on where you eat.

The twin peaks of top-flight dining in Chinatown are Manchirou and Heichinrou. There's very little to choose between them, either in terms of their elegant Cantonese cooking, their unashamedly lavish hotel-lobby decor, or the impersonal smoothness of their well-greased operations. If we tend to favor the latter, it is because of the bold declaration on the menu that says Heichinrou shuns the use of MSG and artificial additives.

No matter how accomplished and refined their food may be, Chinese food on this level is always best appreciated in large groups, preferably on expense accounts. So what to do if you're a couple or, heaven help you, if you're exploring the area solo? There are too many smaller restaurants that serve up well-intentioned, if not formulaic, meals for visitors who aren't interested in the full-blown Chinese food experience. How to navigate your way around? Just follow your eyes and your nose.