The 19 private rooms are also ideal for a relaxing meal with a select number of people.

The food on offer can hardly be described as leftovers from the years gone by. Cui Yi is a young, forward-thinking chef who has grasped classical flavor and modern trends, and has applied both in the kitchen.

Braised pork is a popular dish and most local establishments muddle through it uncertainly.

The native son has taken the bull by the horns, or in this case, the sow by the ears, and prepared a tasty dish that is healthy and clean-tasting yet still focused on the fat of the pork and the sweetness of the sauce (68 yuan/US$8.80).

Pigs selected by the restaurant are from privately-owned farms, resulting in better quality meat.

Presentation is also a key factor, with form playing a big part. A few dishes were plated in different fashion before the final method was decided.

The restaurant is heavily touting its "Eight-treasure" duck. This is prepared with a secret old-fashioned method involving high-quality ingredients and round glutinous rice which is fried and then steamed for two hours.

The items are then stuffed into the duck to be steamed for another hour before the dish is ready to consume.

Despite the arduous preparation, an advance order is not necessary.

Home Gourmet may not enjoy the best of locations, but the antiques littered throughout the restaurant make it worth the taxi ride.

Most important, the food is authentic and should prove palatable even to picky foreigners.

Home Gourmet
Address: 698 Wuzhong Road
Tel: 021-34059898 ext. 8528

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