By Aubrey Buckingham
Updated: 2007-07-31 09:35

It is said the ubiquitous rice offering of barbequed pork, shrimp, scallions, cabbage and egg did not originate from the city but was named in honor of its magistrate who created the dish.

 

Those in the know, however, are keen to dispel the notion that the fried rice is the be-all-and-end-all of Yangzhou cooking. "Fried rice is the local equivalent of fast food - you have all your ingredients in one dish," said Bao Zhonghe, general manager of the chain. "Most of the time these ingredients are not necessarily the best or the freshest. Most locals do not order fried rice; they order enough dishes without the need for rice and opt for steamed rice if needed."

 

Even without the safety of this comfort food, expats and tourists should find little difficulty picking the right items off the multi-lingual menu complete with adequately-sized pictures.

 

Yangzhou was once a thriving metropolis, its economy fueled by bustling trade along the Yangtze River. As a result, the fare reflects this wealth and is meant to be considerably more refined than its counterparts in other provinces.

 

The food served at Yangzhou Restaurant is modified to suit the city's palate, as is the case in most other local restaurants in town. This is often the case with most cosmopolitan locales, where the influx of out-of-towners makes for native flavors meshing with the established tastes of local people.

 

Diners can start with the usual array of cold dishes, including local favorite duck's tongue. While not obviously appealing, the dish actually has to eaten by sucking the muscle off the bone, getting the saliva running in the process and working up an appetite.

 

River fare is abundant in these parts, and a heartily recommended dish is the eel doused in hot oil (48 yuan/US$6). Called "tiger-tail" in Chinese, the Yangzhou equivalent is far less oily than when prepared Shanghainese-style.

 

Another must-try item is the fried vermicelli with shrimp (78 yuan). When done right, the glass noodles taste even better than the seafood as it has absorbed all the tasty juices released during cooking.

 

No local meal is complete without shredded bean curd, and the tofu here is brought in from Yangzhou itself. Patrons can choose from a range of toppings such as crab or dried scallops.

 

The curiously-named lion head often puzzles many foreigners. This is actually pork meatballs as opposed to consuming big game. Three styles are on offer here - a single serve of meatball with shredded crab meat (10 yuan) and braised or steamed which serves three to four people (28 yuan).

 

The meal would only be complete when finished with a tangbao (10 yuan), a soup-filled bun containing mainly soup which must be slurped first through a straw.

 

Yangzhou Restaurant is ideal for those hankering for local fare and can appreciate blatant flavors a little out of the norm. The chain unabashedly caters to the taste of the masses, and thus represents an authentic glimpse at local cuisine.

 

Yangzhou Restaurant
Address: 703 Laoshan Rd

Tel: 021-5877-5517

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