Hometown Food

I have heard it all when people talk about their dining experience at Xin Rong Ji (新榮記), ranging from rage over the exorbitant bill that appeared at the end of the meal, to singing praises like they are in paradise, to simply an indifferent shrug. Such polarizing opinions always got me curious, and the best way to find out how I felt about was of course to try it myself, which we did a couple weekends ago when our friend organized a dinner gathering there.

Just a little background – Xin Rong Ji originated in Zhejiang Province in China with its Shanghai branch made famous by first getting a Michelin star in 2016 followed by a second one last year. And its Hong Kong branch followed suit - opened in early 2018 and got the Michelin star in the latest edition of the local Michelin Guide. It’s known for serving authentic local cuisine from the coastal town of Taizhou (台州) near the river delta south of Shanghai and Hangzhou. Well, that’s pretty much all I know about the restaurant or the food they serve before our visit – though I was joking to CYY that I should pretend I am an expert, given my family came from the region generations ago, so I supposed that gave me the right to call this “my hometown cuisine”.

Our host was kind enough to work out the menu for our feast so that saved us the troubles of having to choose from a menu of largely unknown dishes, many prepared using ingredients not commonly seen in this area. The restaurant was said to import many of the ingredients directly from their base in Taizhou to keep its authenticity, and in many cases, came straight out from their own farm. We settled down at our table with just that – slices of homegrown cantaloupe melon along with our cup of hot tea. Not too used to starting a meal with a fruit course but it’s decent and certainly appetizing.

We ended up with a feast of over 15 courses served - so understandably, it took longer than usual. I admit I was impressed with quite a number of them. Every piece of the deep-fried ribbonfish (黃金脆帶魚) was perfectly cooked – cut in equal size, coated in a light batter and deep-fried to become golden color. Crispy and packed with flavor. River snails were considered humble food but I like the cold dish of river snails and chilies (椒香冰島雪螺) with the crunchy meat combined with the punchy spicy flavor.

We dived straight into their signature Peking Duck after the series of appetizers served at almost the same time. I have heard so much about the duck from my friends, with many called this the best in town and I could understand why. The bird arrived with much fanfare after roasted in a large brick oven specifically designed for this dish and carved in front of us by the skillful chef in our private dining room. It’s served similar to many high-end modern restaurants – three different cuts were served in order and each came with different condiments. First was the crispy skin then two different cuts of meat to be eaten with the warm pancakes. Love the texture of the skin – and all’s needed was a quick dip of sugar. Almost like candied bacon. And little did we know we actually ordered two ducks for the 12 of us so it’s more than sufficient for everyone to get a good taste of them. I agreed this is definitely one of the better ones in town.

But that’s not the only main attraction of the evening. Taizhou Cuisine is more famous for its seafood given their geographical location and tonight we had two excellent seafood courses. First was the fish maw and yellow croaker soup (花膠黃魚羹) prepared in front of our table with scores of ingredients parading in front of us before they were put into the giant casserole to cook. I love the hearty flavor. The braised sea cucumber (蔥燒遼參) came in decent size and well-prepared – soft with the braising sauce infused for the rich taste, and it’s served with leeks and gorgon fruits (雞頭米) on the side. It’s plated like western dishes and I thought that’s the best course of the evening.

In any normal dinner after the two “main courses” we will wrap up with rice, noodles and desserts, but here we were served six additional savory dishes before the rice – told you it’s a feast. Tofu casserole 鹽滷豆腐 was hardly anything luxurious but I love it. With tofu made in Taizhou using the traditional method and cooked with chicken broth, ham, dried shrimps and chopped woodear mushrooms. The braised radish (榮記蘿蔔片) was another unassuming dish that’s surprisingly good, with thin slices of white radish slow-cooked with soy-based broth. The texture was perfect and I like the contrast between the clean and slightly sweet radishes and the rich sauce that they were cooked in. The tapioca noodles (沙蒜燒豆麵) were outstanding, mixed with mushrooms, bamboo shoots and “sha shuan” (沙蒜), a local ingredient found in near coast with texture similar to clams and a subtle umami flavor.

The pomfret casserole rice (鯧魚焗飯) reminded me of the Japanese unagi kamameshi, except a different fish was used with just a slight brush of the basting sauce on top of the chunks of pomfret fillet. And dessert was sweet almond soup plus mochi rolls with sugar filling, a version of the traditional “lu da gun” (驢打滾), a common Northern Chinese sweet snacks.

With everyone BYO we ended up with an interesting array of wines to go with the meal starting with the champagne then a few bottles of reds and even Japanese sake. Thought the champagnes - a pair of blanc de blancs - were the highlight which seems to go well with many dishes served this evening.

Verdict? With all things considered – the ambiance, service and cooking – I can see the charm of the restaurant and why some people loved it. Didn't get the sticker shock at the end though it's still not the type of place I would want to go often (a bit too uptight for me). That said, I would love to come back some time for those simpler yet seriously made dishes. Maybe I do still have that hometown gene in me somewhere for a place that my family is connected to but we have never set foot on.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72157708907131312

When? June 1 2019
Where? Xin Rong Ji, 1/F & G/F, China Overseas Building 138 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Braised Sea Cucumbers with Leeks
Drinks?
2006 Dom Ruinart "Blanc de Blancs" Champagne Brut
Domaine Louis Dousset Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne
2016 Donum Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, California, USA
2007 Hospice de Beaune Corton Grand Cru Cuvee Charlotte Dumay
2010 Santa Carolina Herencia Carmenere, D.O. Peumo, Chile
Hoobiden Betsuatsura Shiko Daiginjo Genshu - Koyabashi Shuzo, Tochigi Prefecture
(鳳凰美田別誂至高大吟醸原酒 - 栃木県 小林酒造)
Web: (Michelin Guide) guide.michelin.com/hk/en/hong-kong-region/hong-kong/restaurant/xin-rong-ji