Hongcun - Restaurant Reviews

Most visitors to the village of Hongcun come for its ancient culture and amazing photogenic quality, yet very few are aware of its excellent food offerings and deeply-rooted culinary heritage. To be fully honest I didn't know either, until I watched CCTV's documentary A Bite of China a few months before our departure.



Prior to this trip I had never tried Anhui Cuisine, or even seen any Anhui restaurants through my travels in the rest of China and Hong Kong. While it is considered one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of Chinese Cuisines, Anhui Cuisine remains relatively unknown even within China compared to national heavyweights such as Cantonese and Sichuan. I've heard about wild and exotic names such as Hairy Tofu, Salt-Pickled Mustard Greens or Stinky Mandarin Fish ... but how palatable these dishes are, I had absolutely no idea. It was time for another one of our culinary field trips.



Reviewed below are 6 eateries of various levels of sophistication, from street-side vendors to formal restaurants, all within the environs of Hongcun village and its county town Yixian. I wanted to cover different genres of Anhui cuisine and, in the course of 3 leisurely days, ended up with some of my favorite memories of local flavors.



Food Review: PEIDETANG XIAOCHIBU (Hongcun)
Address: Moon Pond, Hongcun
Hours: 07:00 – 15:00 (unconfirmed; based on observation)
Website/Map: N/A
Directions: There is a little square on the eastern side of the semi-circular Moon Pond at the centre of the village. Peidetang is the old mansion on the north side of that square, right behind the souvenir hawkers and possibly a few racks of hang-drying clothes.

Operating informally out of a dilapidated Qing Dynasty mansion, this street-side eatery turned out to be our favorite breakfast joint in the village. How informal are we talking about? First, there was no seating aside from a couple of weathered wooden tables out in the square. Second, there was no server or menu -- you walk into the kitchen and point at the food.



We smelled this place long before we found its elusive entrance -- the seductive, smokey aroma of their house specialty practically filled the air as far as the opposite side of the Moon Pond. Being continuously smoked on a bed of pickled mustard greens since early morning were a whole bamboo-mat-full of duck legs, placed outside the kitchen where the morning breeze carried it far across the village. Yes, it smelled that good.



Walking deeper into the kitchen I found the unique local ingredient that I've only previously seen on TV -- the famous Hairy Tofu (Maodoufu). A disappearing remnant of the ancient fermentation practice where mild-tasting tofu is thoroughly transformed into strong, pungent flavors, this is actually not so different from the concept of cheese production in Europe. The thick, dense white wool on the top is actually a layer of living mold growing out of the tofu, and the miniscule black specks are its spores. Don't worry -- it dies when you pan fry the tofu.



For comparison we ordered two different types of fermented tofu -- the commonly-found Stinky Tofu (Choudoufu) in the background, and the local favorite Hairy Tofu (Maodoufu) in the front. Keep in mind that we did this at 08:00, analogous to having Danish Blue Cheese for breakfast the first thing in the morning. It was going to be a serious wake-up call for our tastebuds.

The local version of Stinky Tofu did not disappoint -- it gave out some of the deepest, most concentrated flavors I've had in any fermented Tofu anywhere in China. Both of us found it too strong by itself, but the wallop of sweet sauce and chili sauce complimented the flavors pretty well. In comparison the Hairy Tofu was much more easily palatable: smooth in texture, curiously flavorful but still within the norm of what I'd eat for breakfast, and was quite good as a street snack.



Even better was the Pickle-Smoked Duck Leg -- and this was according to my wife, a huge fan of Duck Confit. We tried multiple vendors over our 3-Day stay, and this place was the best by far.

The flesh was so tender and the flavor so deep and complex that she asked the owner whether this went through an air-curing process. The answer was no -- it was simply marinated fresh with soy sauce and other flavorings, placed on top of a bed of reconstituted salt-pickled mustard greens, and smoked over a smoldering fire for hours until the aroma of the pickles was fully absorbed into the duck meat. The result was a flavor as complex as a good Confit, but with a processing time of hours instead of weeks, and thus superior retention of moisture in the meat.



To wrap up (pun unintended) the breakfast we also had the local version of Zongzi (Sticky Rice Wrap) with a filling of minced pork. This was certainly one of our most memorable breakfasts, sitting in Hongcun's village square alongside the locals, watching the mirror-like reflections on the Moon Pond and having some of the most representative local delicacies. RMB 21 (CAD$3.3) was a relatively cheap price to pay.

Bill for Two Persons

Pickle-Smoked Duck Leg	RMB 8
Hairy Tofu	RMB 5
Stinky Tofu	RMB 5
Sticky Rice Wrap	RMB 3
TOTAL	RMB 21 (CAD$3.3)

Food Review: HAOZAILAI SHAOBING (Hongcun)
Address: Xiashuizhen, Hongcun
Hours: 08:00 – 16:00 (unconfirmed; based on observation)
Website/Map: N/A
Directions: Start from the antique-looking Painting Bridge on the South Lake. Walk straight into the village for half a block. Haozailai is the little take-out eatery on the right hand side, usually with a vat of smoked duck legs or roasted pastry at the front door.


Sorry about forgetting to take a picture of the storefront, but this is an eatery I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to anyone visiting Hongcun. Their Shaobing (Baked Pastry) with fillings of Salt-Pickled Mustard Greens are the best Shaobing I've had anywhere.

Pictured are two different versions of pastry baked over an open fire, both called Shaobing locally. The larger version was thunderously crispy to the bite, while the smaller disintegrated crumbly in the mouth. The pickled Mustard Greens (Meigancai) was at once sweet, savory, and mildly spicy in a mouth-watering way, and our only regret was missing the opportunity to order another batch on our last morning.

Bill for Two Persons

Large Shaobing x 2	(3 for RMB10)
Small Shaobing x 3	(5 for RMB 5)
TOTAL	RMB 10 (CAD$1.6)

Food Review: HONGCUN XIANGCUN YILOU (Hongcun)
Address: Jicunjie Zhongjie, Hongcun
Hours: 12:00 – 21:00 (unconfirmed; based on observation)
Website/Map: N/A
Directions: Exit Hongcun village from the West Entrance (crossing the concrete bridge)

I had the BEST EGGS of my life, here in Hongcun. I'm still salivating as I think about them.

Yes, plain and humble eggs. From an egg-laying chicken. If you're wondering how good scrambled eggs can possibly taste, my answer is ... IMPOSSIBLY GOOD.

I first heard about this restaurant from domestic Chinese travelers who showed me, much like my previous experience in Pingyao, that the best restaurants are typically found outside of the tourist zone. Located just west of the village on the commercial strip, Xiangcun Yilou turned out to be the best of four proper restaurants that we tried in Hongcun and Yixian. Prices were generally cheaper than restaurants within the village, and most importantly, its simple farmhouse-inspired dishes were some of the best food of our 17-day trip.



So how good can eggs possibly taste? Forget all memories of any eggs you've ever had, and imagine a flavor so strong and fragrant that, even after you swallow, leaves an aromatic aftertaste in the mouth for an hour. It was the most intense and concentrated flavor of eggs I've ever tasted. These Stir-Fried Eggs with Siberian Ginseng Leaves (Wujiapi Chao Tujidan) were probably scrambled in seductive but artery-clogging lard in this part of rural China, but I could hardly care. There's simply no comparison to these fully organic, free-range eggs that could only be found in remote villages. You can't even buy these with money in cities like Shanghai or Hong Kong.



My wife loved this next dish of Braised Free-Range Cornish Hen with Chestnuts (Tuzaiji Shaobanli). Throughout our travels we've noticed one general trend: the chicken of rural China are far superior in taste compared to the chicken in Chinese cities, which are in turn far superior to the typical chicken that I can buy in North America. And when we see Cornish hen on the menu, we never pass up the rare chance to taste that irreplicable sweetness and firmer, chewier texture. Braised with a little soy sauce, a hint of chili, aged vinegar and sugary chestnuts, this was an excellent dish for any chicken-lover who isn't shy of bones. And why would you be, if you're a true chicken-lover?



For veggies we ordered a plate of Stir-fried Pea Tips with Dry Tofu (Xianggan Chaodoumiao). I thought the local version of "Dry Tofu" would be similar to the extra-firm kind typically found in China's supermarkets in Original or Five-Spices flavor, except I forgot that we're in the territory of Anhui Cuisine. And true to Anhui's reputation for strongly flavored dishes, we ended up with the "Stinky" version of Dry Tofu. It actually wasn't bad -- at least it was much milder than the Stinky Tofu we ordered for breakfast. The tender pea tips worked very well to cleanse the palate.

The next day I wanted to revisit this restaurant just for the eggs alone, but sadly went off to try a new place at the end. While it's typical for me after a trip to crave for elusive delicacies such as king crabs, foie gras or Wagyu beef, I don't think I've ever craved so badly for something as simple as eggs. I don't know when I'll taste eggs of the same caliber again, and until that day, I'll still be reliving that moment in Hongcun when my chopsticks placed that first little morsel of scrambled eggs on my tongue.

Bill for Two Persons

Scrambled Free-Range Eggs with Siberian Ginseng Leaves	RMB 25
Braised Free-Range Cornish Hen with Chestnuts	RMB 68
Stir-Fried Pea Tips with Dry Tofu	RMB 25
Rice x 2	RMB 3
Plate Set x 2	RMB 2
TOTAL	RMB 123 (CAD$19.5)

Food Review: MINGQING HUIZHOU (Yixian Town)
Address: Next to Xiangyang Bridge, Yixian Town, Yixian
Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 (unconfirmed; based on observation)
Website/Map: From Yixian's Government Site
Directions: Start from the Yixian Bus Station. Hire a 3-wheeled motorcycle taxi and ask for Mingqing Jiulou (Mingqing restaurant) or the Xiangyang Qiao bridge. The restaurant is right beside the bridge.

We picked this restaurant specifically for one dish -- arguably one of the most famous dishes in Anhui Cuisine.

In fact this dish is so famously exotic that we decided to give it proper respect, to specifically travel (okay ... 30 minutes of travel) to the reputed best restaurant within Yixian county for that authentic traditional flavor that I'll likely never taste again in my lifetime.



This is another dish I've only previously seen on Chinese documentaries, and is said to encompass the true essence of Anhui Cuisine -- the intense, unmistakable flavors inherited from centuries of old-world fermentation techniques. The light fermentation of fresh fish is nothing new to the people of East Asia, originally invented for food preservation in landlocked areas, and evolving into flavor-enhancements over time. As the Japanese have Kyoto-style Saba-zushi, for the people of Anhui this distinction belongs to the ominously named Stinky Mandarin Fish.



Alright it's not that bad -- for starters it does NOT stink when being served on the dinner table. The "stink" refers to the fermenting state when the fish is lightly brined for a week under room temperature, which works to partially cure the flesh into a firmer texture with a condensed flavor ... or at least that's how the theory goes. It was time to take the plunge in the name of science!



Upon my first poke with chopsticks the difference was immediately obvious -- the normally tender meat of the fresh Mandarin Fish has been transformed into firm chunks, to the point where a whole fillet could slide off the backbone with a little nudge. There was absolutely no hint of any stinkiness at all, only a deep, briny taste consistent with any salted fish. This combination of firmness and saltiness strangely reminded me of large saltwater fish like giant grouper or rock cod, except that this fish was only about 0.7 kg, and we're 400 km from the nearest coast.

That's the culinary wisdom of the ancient land of Anhui, a resourceful people making the most out of their landlocked location away from China's large rivers and coastlines. This was the moment of epiphany when I started to have a concrete idea of what Anhui Cuisine represented.


After the climax of the Stinky Fish the next dish almost became an afterthought. That's a little unfair in retrospect as this Stir-Fried Cured Meat with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots (Larou Chaoshuangdong) was actually a very good dish. The Shiitake used were premium, wild mushrooms with its signature woody fragrance, the winter bamboo shoots were young and crisp, and the cured ham was flavorful without being overly salty.

I wasn't sure that this was the best restaurant in Yixian County as rumored on Baidu's Tieba, but the food was excellent and prices were reasonable. With Yixian being the midpoint en route to visit the village of Xidi, this is a pretty good option for a lunch stop.

Bill for Two Persons

Stinky Mandarin Fish	RMB 78
Stir-Fried Cured Meat with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots	RMB 48
Rice	RMB 2
TOTAL	RMB 128 (CAD$20.3)

Food Review: XIANGBALAO (Hongcun)
Address: Hongcun Jie, Wuyuan
Hours: 11:00 – 20:00 (unconfirmed; based on observation)
Website/Map: N/A
Directions: It's at the crossroad of Hongcun Jie (the east-west path leading from the West entrance) and the north-south street leading from the main square. The door faces the north-south street.


If you're looking for a quick lunch stop in the midst of sightseeing inside Hongcun, this is one of the more reasonably priced sit-down eateries ... so long as you stick with the cheaper noodles and rice instead of the entree dishes.

Cheaper items included Noodles with Chicken and Pickled Cabbage (Xuecai Jirou Mian) for RMB 10, House Fried Rice (Yipin Chaofan) for RMB 15, and a top-of-the-line Noodles with Rock Ear Lichen, Wild Bamboo Shoots and Pork (Shier Yesun Rousi Mian) for RMB 20. Specialty entrees ranged from the RMB 12 Homestyle Tofu to the RMB 80 Simmered Free-Range Chicken, but that's a little too much for us as far as lunches go.



I guess I could afford to splurge RMB 20 (CAD$3.2) on a bowl of top-of-the-line noodles. The owner didn't rip me off after all -- the noodles did come in a big filling bowl with just about as much meat and veggie toppings as noodles. The real justification for the price however was the exotic Rock Ear (ie. Iwatake in Japanese cooking), a locally harvested lichen species with detoxification qualities in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The baby bamboo shoots were very tender, and the soup quite rich and enjoyable on this cool November day.



My wife's Noodles with Simmered Duck Meat (Laoyabao Tangmian) came with considerably less toppings, though that's expected for a RMB 10 bowl of noodles. We also helped ourselves to one of the duck legs being smoked on a vat of pickled mustard greens, but it was nothing compared to the duck leg at Peidetang earlier that morning. Oh well ... it's a noodle house and I should have stuck with noodles.

Bill for Two Persons

Noodles with Rock Ear Lichen, Wild Bamboo Shoots and Pork	RMB 20
Noodles with Simmered Duck Meat	RMB 10
Pickle-Smoked Duck Leg	RMB 7
TOTAL	RMB 37 (CAD$5.9)

Food Review: HONGDA TINGYUAN (Hongcun)
Address: Shangshuizhen 5, Hongcun
Hours: 12:00 – 20:00 (unconfirmed; based on observation)
Website/Map: Official Site
Directions: Enter the village and find the old mansion of Shurentang. Hongda Tingyuan is just around the corner, in the northwestern-most section of the village next to other antique guesthouses such as Songhetang and Biyuan.

This is a restaurant I DO NOT RECOMMEND -- this is documented as a fair comparison to my recommendations of Xiangcun Yilou and Mingqing Huizhou reviewed above.



The attraction of Hongda Tingyuan isn't the food, but the ambiance of dining in a picturesque classical courtyard in the view of a pondful of ornamental Koi fish. Its location inside the village (just a couple of minutes walk from Chengzhi Hall in fact) probably helps to reel in the casual tourist.

But in terms of food quality, I hate to say but this place is really subpar. The Red Braised Small River Fish (Hongshao Xiaoheyu) pictured came soggy, bony and reeked of a "muddy" taste. These fish were definitely not wild caught despite what the owner claimed.



The next dish was our own fault to be fair -- we couldn't resist ordering the curiously named Laba Tofu, or literally "December 8 Tofu," another weird local Anhui dish. This time our exploit turned up a dry-cured, thick-skinned and dehydrated tofu product with the consistency of hard salami. Even with diligent chomping throughout the meal we failed to finish this dish.


We had no choice but to admit defeat when once again our last dish arrived soggy and tasteless. To sum up our dining experience in Hongcun, the best deals were the two suggestions for informal street snacks at the top of this post. For proper sit-down restaurants, I wouldn't hesitate to return to Xiangcun Yilou and Mingqing Huizhou. The rest I don't really recommend.

Bill for Two Persons

Red Braised Small River Fish	RMB 58
Laba Tofu	RMB 28
Stir-Fried Wild Fiddlehead Ferns	RMB 28
Large Beer	RMB 12
Rice x 2	RMB 4
TOTAL	RMB 130 (CAD$20.6)