Over-Eats! - China

I like how the name of this appetizer is so enticing, illustrating a hidden delicate treasure. The crust is made of rice flour, thinly crafted and fried till crispy. Tastes really light and not greasy.
They don’t reveal the ingredients of the filling, but you can taste diced chicken, gingko nuts, king oyster mushrooms, peanuts. Each tart is topped with a fresh prawn and green pea. I have read that some people thought it tasted like gong bao chicken, but this savoury dish was more black pepper than spiced peppers or chilies. Not overpowering on black pepper therefore not overly spicy, it was an appetizer that I really enjoyed.

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I fall for creative culinary, easily. I love how the presentation of the dish surprises me, perhaps extra appetizing. An idyllic setting in the Tang Dynasty decorated with Peach Blossom trees and Ancient Chinese Architecture, 暗戀桃花源 serves modern Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisines. Waiters and waitresses are dressed in Tang Dynasty costumes. •

Names of their dishes here are mostly innovative. Like this cold dish that was made into an edible bonsai, the soil was a rich and dense purple sweet potato mash topped with crispy toasted rice. There were several carrot and dragonfruit sticks along with a few stalks of crystal ice plant, which I honestly thought was inedible. Pretty tasteless but crispy. What’s even more fascinating were the hidden mixed fruits in the “soil”, as though treasure hunting! Looked alluring when served with dry ice. Couldn’t finish the entire pot with 2 people, well sweet potato can really be filling. •

It’s interesting to note that the owner of this restaurant chain developed this dining concept because firstly she was a fan of poet 陶淵明’s 桃花源記, and secondly she wanted a peaceful dining place for weary souls.
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If you have always thought that 生煎包s are only made with thin bun skin, filled with soup, then perhaps the next time you might want to give 大壺春’s pan fried buns a try. Opened since 1932, 大壺春 has been described to serve pan-fried buns of 老上海味道, a sense of nostalgia. They are also awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2018 and topping the chart as the best street food at The Bund on 大眾點評. The small restaurant gets really crowded during meal times and operates by a free seating concept. Tourist-friendly too. •

Buns here goes by the 清水生煎 style, where you find thicker skins and minimal soup. Bun skins are fermented twice, to give it a chewy but thick texture, while keeping the bottom crispy. However, it was a little dry. The meat was substantial, flavorful and saucy. The lack of soup allowed the sweetness of the meat to be released upfront. I preferred the meat + prawn combination as the fishiness balanced well with the meatiness. •

New flavours are launched to keep up with time, such as clams and even foie gras. Price is really cheap but I would still have my 生煎包s loaded with soup. Not those of 小楊生煎 that’s so crazily popular, but those found in the 老弄堂s.

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Crowned as one of the 2018 must-eat restaurants in Shanghai by 大众点评, 人和館 is undeniably popular. Average waiting time was at least an hour during peak period.
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紅燒肉, or braised pork belly, is an iconic dish in the Shanghainese cuisine 上海本幫菜. It’s almost like you have never eaten authentic Shanghainese cuisine if you haven’t had a good 紅燒肉. Served individually here, each diner gets to savour the extremely soft braised pork belly that really melts in the mouth. Like the Chinese say, 入口即化. I used to dislike the fats and skin, but when I had all 3 layers in a bite, the fattiness melted with the gelatinous skin as the meat gets torn apart in the mouth harmoniously. Braised over a long process using spices, dark and light soy sauces, the drizzled sauce becomes thick. It’s fairly sweet, as with the typical Shanghainese cuisine.
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For the retro Shanghai decorations and ambience as well as the food quality, the price was well worthy. As for the waiting time, especially in winter, I am hesitant to return.

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This tea chain got me really curious because it’s at every corner of the busiest shopping streets in 长沙. There could be 3 on the same row of shops and yet it can be spotted again across the road! I just had to try it out.
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Being in a country with such rich tea culture, the owner of 茶颜悦色, or Sexy Tea, created the homegrown brand as a modern tea shop representative of the Chinese culture, as if to tell a unique story of the Chinese tea culture. Because it was created in 长沙，you can only find it in 湖南省, not anywhere outside.
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There’s mainly the Chinese green tea series and the Ceylon tea series, as well as fruit juices. Had the 幽兰拿铁 which was a concoction of chopped pecan nuts, whipped cream and Ceylon black tea. The staff kindly taught us a 3-step drinking method; Eat the pecan nuts for a nutty start, sip some of the whipped cream before mixing it into the black tea. Once melted, you can enjoy it as a black tea latte! Texture of the whipped cream was so soft as though it was milk froth. Some might find the Ceylon tea taste a little strong, but with the melted whipped cream, the latte turned out to be an enjoyable drink that surprisingly wasn’t too sweet or creamy, with a fragrant finish in fact. Love the 中國風 designs of their cups too, and there are seasonal designs for example like this one for christmas!
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I am falling in love with eating 🌶🌶🌶 here in 湖南. Other than a liking for chilli, people here eat it to keep themselves warm during the cold winter season.
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The 苗家酸菜鱼 is a specialty dish from 凤凰古镇, with 苗家族 being the main minority in the ancient town. A spicy sour broth with tender catfish slices, tomato, pickled Chinese cabbage (酸菜) and lots of dried chilies and peppercorns. Surely to leave you feeling warm and awake after this piping hotpot, though we might not be used to eating freshwater fish though, as they have many fishbones and really thick skin 😂. Ask for less spicy and they will change it into a more tangy tomato-based broth. One good thing about the hunan cuisine is that it isn’t salty surprisingly. Definitely a dish that I would crave for in cold weather!

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