Best Food In China

Location

Since 1987, when their first location was opened in Shanghai, Xiao Nan Guo restaurant has been serving delicious, reliable and high quality versions of regional cuisine. With branches in Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo, they seek to spread their own classic interpretations of Shanghainese food to customers who might only be accustomed to standard Cantonese or Sichuan fare. After 21 years, they continue to grow and attract even more loyal patrons with their popular dishes.

On this occasion, we visited Super Brand Mall’s branch in Lujiazui. Located on the 9th floor with a grand view of the Bund, the restaurant was abuzz with customers packed into wide booths, window-side tables, private rooms and a large, Chinatown-style dining area. The electric atmosphere was charming, neither too distractingly loud nor uncomfortably quiet, an ideal environment for enjoying a meal. The tables are set in a clean and orderly Western style, with sleek, cushioned armchairs and proper cutlery placement. Most interesting to note, Xiao Nan Guo provides two pairs of chopsticks for each diner: one used to take food from communal dishes, the other for eating your own food. A great and forward-thinking idea that other Chinese restaurants would be smart to follow.

We started with a few appetizer classics. The drunken chicken was tasty but without the desired wine fragrance of other versions I’ve had, while their lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice was sweet, light and cooling. The sweet and sour pork ribs were a treat, with just the right amount of tart vinegar that resulted in a sweet, aromatic, almost fruity fragrance.

Next, we tried something truly odd: a garden salad. Usually such a thing is glaringly out of place at a Chinese restaurant, yet this is actually Xiao Nan Guo’s most popular cold dish, on the menu since 1987. The ingredients – imported cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and lettuce – were fresh and vibrant. The secret to its fame is in the sauce, a secret mix that had hints of sesame, soy, vinegar and sugar. Shanghainese salad dressing, if you will. Though simple, it was surprisingly good.

Our mains consisted of an assorted who’s who of the local culinary world. Their take on shizitou - feather-soft pork meatballs covered in sweet crab – was divine. Tipang, a whole chunk of tender pork taken from the pig’s upper arm, fell apart under our chopsticks, with its chewy, braised skin and sticky soft fat complimenting the meat nicely. Over 50,000 of these are sold by Xiao Nan Guo each year, a testament to the consistent quality and taste found in most of their dishes.

Other recommended dishes include river fish steamed in jiuniang (fermented rice) sauce and a big pot of savory soup made from Huaiyang ham and a whole mountain hen, left to simmer for over 11 hours. The resulting broth was so good that I risked filling myself before half the meal had ended.

We also had a simple stir-fried shrimp and beef that was acceptable, but fell short of anything special, while a basket of crispy fried chicken strips (laziji) was not as spicy as it should have been. With other, far superior options on the menu, diners will be forgiven for giving these a skip.

For dessert, we enjoyed rice balls filled with sesame paste (tang yuan), playfully suspended in a hot, thick soup made with dried osmanthus. Although we were already stuffed from an abundant spread, I couldn’t help having a second serving.

With over two decades of experience, Xiao Nan Guo is an established and well-respected staple in the Shanghai dining scene. After trying the best of what they have to offer, it’s apparent that they have masterfully fine-tuned their menu to a scientific degree. Steeped in tradition and dedicated to showcasing the heart and soul of Shanghai-area cuisine, they are bound to expand even further in the coming years.

by Neil Yeung

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