This is a pretty great Chinese food takeaway and meal delivery place.
Glen Road has always had a good number of Chinese food places, and here at Gransha Shops now has this outlet, Sapphire, as well as The Welcome.
Both have arrived on Glen Road within the last two years or so from their own, renowned Chinese restaurants in Belfast - The Welcome in Stranmillis, and Sapphire Oriental comes from Essence Chinese restaurant on Lisburn Rd.
I've had food from both takeaway outlets - both are pretty great.
But I'm sure now (dwelling on it for quite a lot of takeaway meals) that Sapphire Oriental has the edge on The Welcome.
The Welcome makes classic British Isles - Chinese dishes, very well done. (A Chinese man living in Belfast once told me most of the 'Chinese' food here, in both takeaways and restaurants, is not like in China.)
So does Sapphire, but there is definitely a good bit more of an authentic Oriental and natural, fresh edge element to the food from Sapphire.
With some dishes this may not be as noticeable as others, but at least you're always getting good, well cooked and judged 'local' Chinese food.
Sapphire also has a much better vegetarian selection, which is nearly completely lacking at The Welcome.
The Vegetables Sweet and Sour Soup is an incredible Chinese dish (needs to be approached slowly), the Sweet and Sour Spring Rolls are really refreshing, and the vegetarian curries are amazing. Other dishes, like the Black Bean Sauce dishes are well made and judged as a difference from curry.
The King Prawn dishes are really good, with lots of prawn pieces, and three vegetables (mushroom, onion, peas), which most other places don't give the same attention to.
Since Sapphire came, the amount of Chinese takeaway food I've been eating has increased a lot. read more