Best Food In China

Location

There's nothing quite like getting a second chance in life, and it's especially rewarding when you're given another opportunity to visit the Crystal Jade Garden Restaurant at Xihu Tiandi in Hangzhou, China for a great dinner. This venue sits next to the famed West Lake, and is a favorite spot for curious tourists, weekend visitors, and weekday regulars alike. I was given my first try of Crystal Jade's offerings almost a year ago, when I was a newcomer to Hangzhou... and it came at a time when I had still not been introduced to some of the city's best dining yet.

For those who might remember my last write-up from last time - and without beating around the bush - I have to say that the restaurant is as good as it was the first time I dined there. While this may seem like an oversimplified response, I feel that I should just let some of the readers out there know up front that they should simply make their reservation, and go one of these nights. For those who haven't read my last story about the Crystal Jade, I will now give the blow-by-blow account of a tremendously good meal, so that you may get the gist of what I'm talking about.

I was greeted by the charismatic Ricky Hui, General Manager of the Crystal Jade Restaurant. He swiftly led me to a table in the main dining room, and we took our seats. The décor of the restaurant is clean and comfortable, with a lot of rich dark wood colors and off-white linens making the food on the table easy to focus upon, and everything else in the room a mere backdrop for the evening. There's good reason to be tuned in to the food, partly because of their Hong Kong-trained Chef who creates and orchestrates his superb dishes, night after night. Another aspect of the overall comfort of the venue lies in its simple and no-frills layout. A huge water fountain in front of the entrance is a welcome sight, and the short walk to the main dining room reveals a spacious glass-enclosed room that gives the guest a clear and uninterrupted view of the lush greenery outside. Everything about this space gives it a feeling of natural isolation, with trees boxed into the glass atrium in the center of the room, and a terrific view of the sky from the slatted ceiling above. Japanese designers were recruited to complete the design for this restaurant, and it gives the diner a feeling of being in a unique location, without feeling overwhelmed by clutter. Chairs are big and comfy, with plenty of freedom to move around. The general noise level is not overbearing, and there's really more of a sense of calm as people quietly chat through the course of their meal.

For the first entree, Diced Seafood and Beancurd with Pumpkin in Thick Soup was presented, and gave an extra positive impression as the waiter lifted a delicate porcelain lid from the serving bowl, and revealed the glowing-orange soup within. This soup has intense color, and it took me a bit by surprise... until I tasted, and found it to be silky-smooth, and well-balanced with its flavor components. Perhaps the most striking feature of this soup was the choice to float a fresh mint leaf on top, which imparted its unmistakable essence into every spoonful. Pumpkin and mint were never on my list of compatible flavor combinations, until now. Next came the awe-inspiring duet of Pan-fried King Prawns with Tomato Sauce, a sure winner in anyone's eyes. Two meaty prawns were nestled together on the center of the plate, and covered in a glistening tomato reduction. Tender meat and a firm texture reminded me of lobster without being as sweet, while the tomato sauce served as a perfect complement with its tanginess. I moved on to the Sauteed Diced Beef with Japanese Mustard, and discovered one thing that almost every other restaurant in Hangzhou is lacking... courage! This is not a dish for the timid, and it will probably cause the uninitiated to reel back in amazement and shock, as they try to figure out why they are feeling the room spinning, their shortened breaths straining, and their eyes watering. This dish possess a power-packed punch of wasabi, the notoriously ferocious Japanese horseradish that people either swear by... or swear at. I happen to like it, and it was a shocking, yet pleasing experience.

Lastly, a hearty and appetizing BBQ Platter (chicken / duck) and a dish with a golden fried rice gluten nest filled with some Sauteed Mixed Mushroom, Asparagus, Fresh Lily Bulb and Black Fungus were brought to us... a very pleasant way to round off the evening. Mr. Hui's choices of Santa Carolina Premio white wine from Chile was a great choice for the early part of the meal, and his switch to the bolder and deeper flavors of Crystal Jade's house red (also Chilean) couldn't have been better. Dessert was the Crystal Jade's signature Mango Cream with Sago and Pamelo, which tasted exactly as I remembered it from my last visit a year ago. That's impressive, considering that consistency is another one of those mysterious elements lacking in China's burgeoning food scene.

When you need a break from the usual bustle of life in Hangzhou, stop in to try the fare at Crystal Jade Garden Restaurant. Mr. Hui's staff will take great care of you, and you'll probably want to go for seconds, just like I did.

-- By Rueben Marley.
Special thanks to Mr. Ricky Hui, his staff, and Yu Zhao. Photos courtesy of Crystal Jade Restaurant.

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