Restaurants at a Glance
Suzhou
Sucheng Jiayan
Sucheng Jiayan – which has two other branches in downtown Suzhou – has its own hairy crab farm on Yancheng Lake. It also farms its own fish and shrimps and grows its own vegetables. Founder WU Xue Ling is also head chef. He represents a new generation of Chinese chefs who, while ready to experiment with modern presentation, are not, however, willing to sacrifice cooking in the traditional way, including keeping skin on chicken, and bones intact. Tradition-bound but not adverse to modern touches.
- Located by the side of a man-made lake
- Traditional cooking style but also with modern touches
- Restaurant group owns hairy crab farm on Yancheng Lake
Xie He (Top 10)
Xie He was opened in 1942 during World War II and was then closed during the Cultural Revolution (1966 – 76). Xie He is a two-storey restaurant and a favourite of locals in the know. This oasis of great cuisine is owned and staffed by people with a heartfelt devotion to authentic cooking without fuss or show. The restaurant also offers wild White Fish, one of the three treasures of Lake Taihu. The other two are White Bait and White Shrimps.
- Locals’ favourite restaurant
- Friendly staff
- Three treasures of Lake Taihu: White Fish, White Bait, White Shrimps.
