We’ve just come back from a company trip down south to Guangzhou. In Shanghai we are spoiled for choice but actually the local food here, whilst excellent isn’t quite on par with some of the other Chinese provinces such as Sichuan and Guangdong. Guangzhou, which is the capital of Guangdong, is a city which has gone through a major development. I was last there around five-years-ago and the change is truly dramatic. The cool thing is that when you visit Guangzhou now it feels more like our early days in Shanghai. The excitement is palpable and there is a real buzz in the air, a feeling that anything is doable and that anything is possible.
It’s a city I think we’ll be spending more time in and you’ll be hearing more of quite soon.
And now onto the important bit… the food! The Cantonese are known by the old saying that they will eat anything with four legs except a table and this it definitely true, you see and get served some unusual items here, who doesn’t love a spot of gall bladder? In any other hands it could be a little scary but the lightness of touch and the respect of ingredients, leads to a Chinese cuisine which is as interesting as it is delicious.
Within Canton / Guangdong there are a few different regional styles and the one we love the most is Chaozhou (part of Lin Lin’s family are from Chaozhou) that really takes that seasonality, freshness of ingredients and very clean flavors to the next level. Whilst in Guangzhou we went to a restaurant called Chao Hao, it specializes in Chaozhou food and we ate some amazing dishes there.
Highlights included big eye chicken fish, a dish we termed a shrimp danish… and a little cake made of radish garnished with pickled radishes… onwards.
Guest Column:
MSG
by Jellymon
