Best Food In China

Location

A restaurant villa that captures Shanghai’s elegant past in both taste and tact.

In Hongqiao District, on Hongqiao Road, is Big Windmill Private Kitchen, which allows its patrons a historical step back into the Shanghai of yesteryear. Originally the home of US Air Force Flying Tiger’s pilot, Claire Chennault and his wife, Chen Xiangmei, the Spanish villa has been transformed into a three story restaurant, dressed in antiques and snapshots of the city’s roaring thirties, from the famous actors and actresses of the time to what Shanghai had once looked like.

My eyes were drawn to the many antique touches mingling well with the cozy feel of a home once owned by people who lived lives larger than life itself. Upon entering the restaurant, I was ushered upstairs passing the open dining room on the second floor, which is a combination of rooms. On the third floor are the ‘bo fangs’ or private rooms. Spirited laughter could be heard coming from many of the rooms, Shanghai’s Old School High Rollers ganbei-ing to the past, present and future.

In our own bo fang, before the ‘Cantonese, with Shanghainese undertones’ meal began, we were served a fragrant, lavender fruit tea. This was accompanied by a goblet of Wu Mei (Chinese plum) juice. And, to make it official, a bottle of Shanghai yellow wine was had. The tea was sweet, if a bit sour, the juice nearly pairing the taste, but iced, and the wine its proper sweet, yet bitter worth. The best part was the pouring of the tea, along the lines of kung fu meets kettle. With one arm stretched behind, the other hitched at her waist, the pool cue length spout ran the length of the waitress’s shoulders as she entered what you could call the ‘thirsty crane’ position. The spout resting firmly on top of the head, she also masterly performed what could only be named, the ‘burning crane.’

A shrimp cocktail, serving, you guessed it, cocktail shrimp was the first artistically designed dish – hearty shrimp wrapped in honey dew melons and sitting in a bed of chopped salmon. Miniature shredded donkey meat mixed with vegetables and rolled in a tortilla wrap and dipped into soy sauce for dipping was its compliment.

Our soup arrived in coconut shells. The creamy broth was loaded with tofu and river fish. The tofu was tofu and the river fish mild and easy to enjoy.

Another unique dish was chicken palm. Steamed than lightly fried in a sweet and sour sauce, made for some crunchy cartilage goodness.

The next dish to arrive looked like a hardened mound of sand. It was actually a baked shell of salt. Eventually the sides were chiseled away and the dish revealed its secret, Braised Abalone in a bed of kelp. My fellow diners thoroughly enjoyed this classic Chinese dish.

One of my favorite local dishes, Shanghai Smoked Fish, was delivered in its brown, sugary goodness. There were next to no bones and my sweet tooth was sated.

We were each served a strip of Chinese Style Steak. It was also braised and had the texture of a roast. Lemons were sprinkled on top, adding a unique flavor that adds to the Chinese style.

In a massive bowl came the Chilled Chicken with Shaoxing Rice, a fresh collection of chicken bits, the broth salty, with just the right amount of oil swimming on top. Once the chicken was gobbled up, it was taken away and returned with noodles and veggies simmering in the warmed broth.

For the grand finale, we were served a fun dessert called, ‘You eat it, you will know it.” We saw Chinese pumpkin gourds with deep fried corn cap. With a tip of the cap, we were pleasantly surprised to find Chinese taro (yam) spiced with ginger. Both the corn cap, which I used for dipping and the delicious spicy yam pudding were a great culinary end to an impressionable meal I certainly will not forget due to both presentation and taste.

Next time you are in Hongqiao and thirsty for the city’s history and hungry for China’s culinary delights, than Big Windmill Private Kitchen is the ideal place. But, be aware, history and cuisine come at quite a price in this kitchen.

-- by Kevin Smith

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