Best Food In China

Location

Old money comes alive in New Shanghai. At the intersection of West Jian Guo Road and Xiang Yang Road, the recently remodeled mansion, former residence of Rong Yiren, the ‘Red Capitalist’ and formerly China’s richest man and vice president, brings style and a touch of class to an area that is still suffering from the scarred belly of the Xiang Yang Fake Market.

A quick walk through the manicured courtyard and you will enter a stately mansion. The old architecture, stained glass windows, and slate tiling, take you to a time when Shanghai was roaring. But, this is balanced wealth, old-money elegance, where tea rules the day. Take a moment to observe the ceremonial practice of Kung Fu tea and how it is prepared before heading to your room.

Around the traditional round table, the elegant chairs were pulled back and we sat on history. Toast a bi-gone era with the house ‘huang jiu’ or yellow wine, similar to brandy, with a slightly bitter taste, and as potent as a nice glass of wine. But, if you’d prefer red or white wine, there are over one-hundred options available, French, Spanish, Italian, Xinjiang Ice Wine, etc.

We began with a golden glazed beauty, the smoked pomfret, zhang cha chang yu, sliced through, leaving each piece its own attractive fillet. With the bones towards the center, the patron will not need fret as they snack on a deliciously light fish, which has just enough fishiness to remind you of what you are eating.

Sprawled across a white plate, its meaty orange insides waiting below the dark, brown shell is the Drunken Crab, nu er hong mi zhi zui xie, cooked in the same Huang Jiu you are drinking – gan bei! With a hint of cinnamon, the yellow wine lending a slight sugary taste, this cold dish is as delicious as its presentation. Xiang Yang Garden Club’s crystal shrimp equally deserve a place on the spinning cornucopia of seafood delights. Shanghai’s local river fish is another pleasant dish dressed unceremoniously in strips of spinach and stuffed with clam and pork stuffing.

For vegetables, there’s the Shanghai regulars: tiger skin chilies, shredded pressed bean curd, and ‘King’s flavored Ku Gua’ (bitter fruit) – lime green slices with a sweet dipping sauce to counteract the cool, bitter fruit.

A unique option is the Phoenix Nest, an artfully carved carrot that resembles the Phoenix head, its body, an edible ‘nest,’ holding the baby phoenix, deep-fried duck palms. The deep-fried ‘Pheonix tears’ may not give you eternal life, but they will certainly leave you thirsty for more. For the familiar, try the black pepper steak, rich cubes coated in a tasty, peppery sauté. Crab and tofu soup is a wonderful option with a stew consistency, the tofu a golden confection alongside the strips of crab meat. Another soup, one that requires a visit to the Emperor’s chest, is the medicinal pork rib soup, chong cao hua pai gu tang . The medicine, ‘Red Snow Flake Tibetan Flower’, is imported from Tibet (10,000rmb for 5kg.)

Finish the evening with dim sum. In a translucent wrap, a small pocket on either side for ‘eyes,’ a pea and a carrot, shrimp eggs dotting its top, the actual shrimp insides can be plucked with a surgeon’s precision. The other option, the sweeter option – bright, purple taro, a pudding consistency dotted with kiwi and pineapple.

Soon to be a regular option for afternoon tea, Oolong, Tie Guanyin, Pu’er, just to name a few, and traditional dim sum, with a zither’s mythical plucks circulating above, Xiang Yang Garden Club will open its terraces and courtyard to those who care for another glimpse of Shanghai’s past.

by Kevin Smith

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