The Thai New Year came round again and once more it was marked by a splendid and sumptuous banquet in Diep Le Shaker, where the words 'Royal Thai Cuisine' are taken seriously. Ten courses of excellent food was a bit of an appetite tester, but it did leave me with a lingering longing for the tastes that originate beyond Europe, for those same spices that so enriched European cuisine. It's been a while since I ate Chinese food, and a while since I ate out with my wife, so this week I combined the two.

The artist Susan Morley had just returned from the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and had yet to readjust to the biting cold and the wintry winds. The words 'I wish I was still on the beach' escaped her lips with a surprising regularity, as well as 'you could eat and drink really well there for under $10'. Welcome home, darling, it's still damp and misty and you might just get away with €40 a head if you're careful. 'Did you know we could fill the tank with petrol for $4? Not per gallon, but completely <it>fill the tank.' Well at least here petrol's cheaper than bottled water in a restaurant, which has to be a big plus point. If only we could drink it…

Now here's a curious thing: every now and then I come across a restaurant that everyone seems to have known about for years except me. Furama, a Chinese restaurant in Donnybrook is a case in point. I must have driven past it hundreds of times and never noticed it. Maybe that's because it's set in off the road just as you hit traffic lights and my eyes are focused waiting for the green, rather than looking around me. Anyway, it's easy enough to find when you're looking for it, although finding parking in Donnybrook by night isn't easy. I could almost have taken a taxi from where we ended up leaving the car.

Once inside the doors - you ring a bell to gain access - there's a little bar and between this and the dining room a black and vermilion wooden bridge crosses a small pool of water. I've no doubt that this is symbolic of something, the Chinese rarely do things with no purpose. The dining room is an oblong, although there's a return at the far end. The walls are decorated in a pattern made of dark wood, the lighting is gentle and though it was busy on the night we were there, the soft furnishings and carpet absorb much of the noise. The chairs are comfortable, the tables are a decent size and set with heavy linen tablecloths and napkins, the tableware is of good quality and the overall effect is one of comfort.

Looking back on it now, I can say that the most significant memory I have of Furama is the extraordinary professionalism of the service. It was faultless throughout the evening. Last time I got service as good as this it was in a two-star Michelin restaurant. There was never a moment spent trying to catch someone's eye; every request was responded to courteously and with a speed that was astounding. This level of attention needs concentration and skill, a combination that no amount of amateur enthusiasm will ever match.

Like many Chinese restaurants the menu is long, although it's also true to say that many of the dishes are variations on a theme. The starters are in the €5-€10 range and the main courses run from €13 up to €20. I spent a little time going through the wine list and even though it's nearly all from a single supplier, it's comprehensive and reasonably priced. I picked a South African white, the Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, which has a Right whale on the label, an homage to these cetaceans that gather in Walker Bay to mate. It's a good wine, and you get to feel good about the whales as well, because according to the back label a contribution is made to a whale conservation scheme for every bottle sold.

Susie had ordered the won ton soup as a starter, a tasty clear soup with the won tons inside. I'd chosen the salt and pepper squid, which does exactly what it says on the menu - simply cooked and simply flavoured with salt and pepper. I like dishes like this, simplicity is often the hardest thing to carry off. The squid was tender, there was plenty of it, and we waited for our main courses our hunger definitely on the wane.

For the main courses Susie had ordered the sizzling tiger prawns with ginger, which arrived on a cast iron griddle, sizzling as per the description. Between the prawns, my sweet and sour pork, the plain rice, the fried rice and the stir-fried vegetables there was a lot of food on the table. If you were a very hungry person in need of plenty of nourishing victuals you could assuage your appetite here with ease. By the time we'd exchanged forkfuls and tasted all there was on offer, both of us were far too full to even think of dessert.

Susie was happy just sipping the last of the wine, but I finished my meal with a surprisingly good espresso, which like everything else, seemed to arrive in the instant after I'd ordered it. It was a good meal, but I'll probably remember our evening in Furama more for the impeccable service that it offers. The bill came to €90.45, which included a 10% service charge.