Restaurantsstandorfallononesimplepremise: consistentlygoodfood.Thebellsandwhistles–chandeliers,
cutlery,
glossymenusandstarchedtablelinen–arewelcomedistractions,
butnotattheexpenseofthefood.It’sasimplerealitythattoomanyrestaurantsstillfailtograsp.Becausethemoresensoryhooplaarestauranttriestopileon,
themorepressureitputsonthekitchentodeliverthegoods.Springwalksthistightropeawkwardly,
teeteringattimes,
butrecoveringitsbalanceatcrucialmoments.ThesettingrecallsaCrouchingTigertheme,
withoriginal19th-centuryhighwalls,
Chinesegabledroofs,
anexpansivecourtyardandthewhisperofhistoryseepingfrombeneaththecoatoffreshpaint.Insidethetwo-storeyhouse(sadlynottheoriginal,
butrebuiltinthelate1990s),
hardwoodfloors,
apastelpalette,
garishyellowtablecloths,
andamish-mashcollectionofstonehorsesandChinesechaisesareasomewhatblandbackgroundforChefLinZhi’scompactsouthernChinesedishes.Aquickscanofthemenurevealssomeintriguingitems,
includingfriedprawnsmarinatedinFuzhoutea,
cuminflavouredlambribsandapotofbraisedpigstrotterswithduck,
chickenandmushrooms.Butwhat’sannoyingfromtheoutsetishowthestafftriestosteerthedinerawayfromthesedishesandtowardexpensiveitemslikelobsterandgeoduckclams.Ononevisit,
thewaitresscalmlyrecommendedthefatttiewcheong(Buddhajumpsoverthewall-picturedabove)at$98aserving,
whenI’dalreadyindicatedwejustwantedasimplesoup.Wegotsoupanyway,
assmallcomplimentarybowlsofclear,
sweetish,
saltyconsomméarrivedatthetablewithasingle,
snowy-whitefishballfloatingdecorativelyinthemidst.Thefishpastewasalittletoosoftformytaste,
butthepurityofthestockheldpromisefortherestofthemeal.Butherethekitchen’sinconsistencyisalittleodd,
becausewhilesomeofthefoodwasoutstanding,
theoccasionaldishshowedcarelessnessandinattentionatthestove;thoughIsuspectthefaultlieswiththecalibreofthelinecooks.Forinstance,
thebittergourdsoup–alightandsmoothjadepuréestreakedwithribbonsofeggwhiteandtinyshredsofscallops–wonplaudits.Itwillnotbetoeveryone’staste,
butIloveditsvividlygreenbitterness.Yetthekitchenthatproducedsuchavelvety,
subtlesoupwasalsoresponsibleforstir-friedkailanovercookedtosuchanextentthatthevegetableswerereducedtodryhusks,
notevensalvagedbythegoodoystersauce.At$14foraroundsixsprigs,
itwasaveryexpensivefailure.Equallydisappointingwerethesiewmaifromthesmalldimsummenu–threeroundsofover-steamedpastry,
filledwithblandporka
ndtoppedwithaclumpofwhattastedlikeshreddeddriedscallops;andastir-friedbeefwheretheflavouroflittlespiralsofthicklymincedmeatwascompletelyoverwhelmedbythicketsofboringshreddedlettuce.JustasIwasbeginningtogetreallynervousaboutthemeal,
alongcamethefriedvegetarianbeehoon–aperfectlymoist,
crystallinetumbleofopaquethreads,
itswhitemassembeddedwithstudsofgreenchivesandsliversofcarrots.Itwasamasterclassintechnique,
andproof,
onceagain,
ofhowextraordinarilysatisfyingasimpledishcanbewhendonewell.Butthestarattraction–andadishforwhichIwouldreturnagainandagain–wasthedeep-friedspareribs: lightlybatterednuggetsofpork,
sautéedinawonderfullygooeytomato-basedmarinadewithpalehemispheresofcrunchychestnutsandashowerofchoppedgarlic.Theresultwasfirst-ratecomfortfoodthatneedednothingmorethanabowlofsteamedriceandanappetite.Withsuchhighs,
it’sapitysomanyotherdishesdidn’thavethesameimpact. (Friedricewithabaloneinredvinassepictured).
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