We're having dinner with the uncles. The ones who are not really uncles but of the not-blood-thicker-than-blood variety. They pick a nice one, and we even get the private room with the lazy Susan.
There's a Fruit Platter to start, and it's all about the presentation. The usual items; seasonals like strawberries and slices of apples in an aesthestic array. It's not Chinese until there's watermelon, and juicy plum tomatoes are another sanguine staple.
Sweet and Sour Pork is a regional essential, and it appears on almost every table. It plays hand in hand with Shredded Potatoes, almost as an entree and palate cleanser, respectively.
Tofu Skin and Sprouts serves that purpose as well. Light and refreshing a simultaneous protein and fiber.
Whole Fish is crucial at a fancy dinner. This one was alive right until it was braised in a gingery brown sauce. You don't need much dressing for something like this. Its freshness speaks for itself.
Like this fish, all the food here is made with the best/priciest ingredients money can buy, but their skills are legit as well. They have some cold classics, like this salad of cabbage and jellyfish julienne, the shreds are the finest I've seen, and the delicate crunch is exquisite.
Okra, wood ears, mountain yam. Crunchy fungi to contrast the soft and the slighly slimy. The best veggies in the world exist in this singular country.
Fresh Shrimp, super-tenderly steamed, all the juices held inside by a coat of starch. A vinegar dip sharpens the succulence, so simple yet a bit complex.
Abalone and fried tofu are a powerful combination. The textures mix and mesh, and the tofu soaks up sauce to amp up the abalone.
Conch with veggies and wood ears, almost a salad but so much better. Cold and refreshing, it makes a breathy bite.
Peanuts and tiny anchovies. The fishy flavor is not for the faint of heart, but this salty dish is surprisingly delicious.
Sea Cucumber with Peppers, a rich flavor you couldn't expect. The brown sauce is a deep soy-based gravy, and flows into every crevice between the grains of rice for a saturating savor.
The Red Clams are served as is, steamed and salted, briny like the sea. They're chewy and minimally sandy, and their flavor is one the sweetest and purest of all the varieties.
They make a signature stuffed pancake, a thin and chewy outer bing filled with mixed veggies. I can't stand celery, but the Chinese celery is lighter, and it combines with the others for a delectable dish.
Dessert is simple sugars, poached pear and a desiccated plum. It washes down all the dinner, and you leave feeling a little lighter than you should. It's more of an enabler than a finisher.
These are the meals you hear about in China, the lavish family-style dishes to be shared with family and friends who are close enough. Sit around a table like this and play lazy Susan roulette. If they weren't your friends already, they will be after this. So eat fish, drink like a fish, and try to take this warmth with you whenever and wherever you go.
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