The tough thing at a Shanghai style restaurant has always been knowing what to order. If there is expertise, one can end up with a delicious and exceptional meal. If we just go by the popular offerings which is usually what we ultimately fall back on when we order on our own, there is nothing special. In this case, our lunch host had specially consulted Shanghainese friends about the menu and we got to try some really different dishes.
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| 馬蘭頭百葉卷 Soy rolls with Indian aster - nice contrast in textures between the soy and the greens. (Indian aster is a wild herb from the sunflower family, fairly common in household meals in China although not so common in North America) |
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| An unusual presentation of the Compoy broad bean cake 瑤柱豆瓣酥 - but it's tasty |
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| My all time favourite - braised bamboo shoots - still have fond childhood memories of these |
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| Briased soy "goose" |
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| Love this fried rice with salted meat and pine nuts even though I'm not usually a rice eater |
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| This fish head soup, with mushrooms and yam noodles among other things, was the most delicious concoction I've tasted in a long time. I love how the cartilage from the fish head is both soft and chewy at the same time. It was so good I must have had at least three bowls and then in the evening, suggested to our host at dinner to order it again! |
Dinner was more regular fare but we were again lucky to have someone at the table familiar with the regional cuisine so the right dishes were ordered. The food was well-prepared and flavourful. And the soup was just as good the second time around!
Starters:
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| Jellyfish, drunken chicken and smoked eel - all very nicely done |
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| The shrimp went very well with the sauce |
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| This is one dish I've never tried before - cured ham, lotus seed and a piece of fried potato (?) put together in steamed buns - all succeeded in providing a delicious combination of textures and tastes - soft, salty, crunchy in a hot steamed bun |
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| "Squirrel fish" (deep fried with sweet and sour sauce) - always a favourite - not as crunchy I would have liked but still good |
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| And the crowning glory - meringue puffs stuffed with red bean paste 高力豆沙 ! I like how the icing sugar was served on the side. |
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| Bonus: Nightview from restaurant |
