Chinese dining is all too often reduced in the West to dim sum, noodles and rice. Little is known however about the variety of cooking styles this vast country has to offer. The Zhejiang province, just south of Shanghai, is a culinary hidden treasure that proves there is so much more to discover.
On the shore of the famous West Lake in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang, we find 28 HuBin Road. Ever since it first opened its doors in 2005, it has been located inside the Hyatt Regency and despite its rather large size it represents some of the very best Zhejiang has to offer.
Throughout the years, the interior has not changed and offers a stylish mix of modern architecture with Chinese traditional furniture. Brown, creamy colours dominate the dining room where old artefacts such as farming tools and wooden craftsmanship are spread throughout. The main dining room is large but intimate nonetheless and there are seven large private rooms, which can be booked separately.
Executive Chef Colin Cheng is the head of the kitchen and guards the traditional taste for up to 200 guests a day. Whereas most people associate Chinese cuisine with rice or noodles, two of the most outstanding dishes at 28 HuBin Road use neither of these.
The first is the dongpo pork, a piece of extremely tender meat that is slowly braised and afterwards cut into one long slice. Using a metal form, this slice of meat is then folded into a pyramid and stuffed with bamboo shoots before it is served with chestnut pancakes.
Another superb dish is the beggar’s chicken, wrapped in a lotus leaf and packed in clay before it is put in the oven for several hours. Thanks to the layer of clay the chicken meat retains all its flavour and becomes so soft that one can just go through it with a spoon. Guests who order this dish will be given the chance to smash the outer layer of clay with a traditional hammer in order to bring fortune.
Other remarkable dishes include the goose liver appetisers, poached turbot with spicy bean curd sauce and the stir-fried bok choy.
As is often the case in Chinese traditional cuisine, there is no specific alcohol pairing available although plum wine or baijiu are widely served. Those who insist on having wine have a large cellar to choose from although most dishes are best enjoyed with traditional tea.
All in all, 28 HuBin Road offers an authentic Zhejiang experience in a modern setting. Not many places in the world serve this cuisine at such a high level and it clearly shows that Chinese food can be absolute fine dining as well.
Written by Sebastiaan
