淅江軒 (Zhe Jiang Heen), Wanchai, HK

Got told about this restaurant for its authentic Shanghai cuisine.  So I ordered some typical Shanghai food.  The most interesting part was that they served the veggie rice right after my order (almost in a few seconds). It made me feel I was having a lunch in a canteen.  When I touched the bowl, it was quite cool and the rice was luke warm (about 30 degree celsius).  It was quite awful to eat some rice like left over.  The appertizers didn't surprise me either.  The tofu soup was a bit better though.  The "lion head" (meat balls casserole) was disappointing too as it wasn't aromatic with the pork flavour but just in heavy gravy.  Stewed pork with preserved veggie was at average.  The dim sum was luke warm.  

 

蘇浙匯(Jardin de Jade), Wanchai, HK

Came in this place because all th other restaurants were very full.  Supposed this one should be the top-listed.  The waiters were scanning what you wore.  A bit impolite but as there wasn't any other choice, I had to forget about it.  The food became a bit quite disappointing from what I tried a few years ago.  The better ones are the steam siu lon bao and the dessert black sesame sticky rice dumpling.

 

阿芳上海餛飩，Fang's Shanghai Wonton, Jordan, Kowloon, HK

Quite nice to try some freshly made Shanghai dumplings at around HK$50 and the smoked fish at HK$15.  

 

王家沙(花樣年華), Bloom by Wang Jia Sha, City Plaza II, HK

Has been quite some years I haven't tried this place.  It wasn't too bad, nor too impressive for reminding me of regular visit.  The shop made a theme a few years ago.  I'd prefer the old name though.

Tried the pan fried buns, egg white fried rice,  Lion's head (stewed meat balls) casserole, Dan Dan noodle & crushed cucumber.  Only the fried rice, stewed meat balls and Dan Dan noodle were up to standard.  The pan fried buns were very oily and too mashy inside.  I could tell they use the same meat patty of siu lon bao for this bun, as that was supposed to be in more juicy texture.  The crushed cucumber was very disappointing.  Supposed the cucumber should be crushed in irregular small chunks and so it could absorb the crushed garlic, sesame oil, salt and vinegar.

 

外婆家 (Grandma's home), Qing Dao, China

Visited the branch in Hang Zhou quite many years ago.  The chicken baked in clay pot has still been in my mind.  This time I was glad to run into this one in Qing Dao.  So this time we ordered some steamed rice to go with the chicken, plus the stir fried veggie, pan fried small yellow fish and siu lon bao.

貼閣碧（Tie Ge Bi), Ningbo local cuisine

Tried a preserved veggie (like 梅菜) as the appetizer.  Though it's a bit salty, it was very rich in the preserved veggie flavour and it went well with the veggie rice porridge.  The next one is the house's signature dish - deep fried yellow fish filet in bean curt sheet.  Very impressive with this one as it's very moist inside but ultra crispy outside.  It's just HK$60 for this dish.  The mixed casserole was awesome too.  The shrimp was semi-sun dried - reminded me of my childhood in the fishing village.  The dessert was not to be missed - mini sticky rice dumplings in wine rice sweet.  A very big portion but just HK$25 (good for 8 servings).

桂堂本幫菜，寧波 (Gui Tang, Shanghai restaurant, Ning Bo)

Besides sticky rice dumpling, there is another famous food from Ningbo - jelly fish of Zhou Shan island (舟山海蜇).  It's interesting to me in those restaurants I tried in Ning Bo, the flavour of most dishes wasn't too heavily seasoned but just sweet or salty.  Even though some food was in heavy sauce, it was that specific sauce used, but not complicated with different sauce and seasoning.  This way you can taste the original flavour of the food.  Just like the jelly fish (photo 4), it was just with a light touch of sesame oil and vinegar served on the side.  Next one was the mashed taro and veggie casserole.  It was very aromatic when it was served on the table.  The baked soy sauce chicken was very nice too and at least the chicken was in a normal size but not a super sized-breast only chicken.  The dessert mini sticky rice dumplings in black sticky rice was in a very large portion (good for 6) but it was just only HK$20.