The true gourmet will not have to go far to sample delights from Taiwan. Caf Dongxi, the restaurant at Les Suites Orient Bund Shanghai, is offering the signature dishes of Taiwan. It is housed in a boutique hotel managed by a Taiwanese group, so it has inherited the essence of the island.

Speaking of Taiwanese delicacies, the braised pork rice will probably come to mind immediately. Usually, the versions in Shanghai are often shunned for being too greasy, with a layer of oil on top of the minced pork.

The braised pork rice in Caf Dongxi is much lighter.

"We keep stewing the minced pork for 72 hours on a gentle fire," says Joseph Pi, the hotel's chief operating officer. The restaurant uses rice produced in the Yangtze River Delta, the texture of which is as tender as the rice in Taiwan. The pork and rice can be a perfect match when mixed together, mild and a bit sweet, but full of the aroma of pork.

Another must-try of the restaurant is the Taiwanese traditional beef noodle. The secret lies in the soup, which is full-flavored yet mild.

"We prepare two kinds of soup: A deep-boiled beef and chicken soup, and the other is a beef soup seasoned with soy sauce. The combination of the two soups creates a balanced flavor," Pi says.

The highlight of the noodle dish is the beef tendon, which has a tender and chewy texture and has fully absorbed the richness of the broth.

Other dishes we strongly recommend include the three-cup chicken with a sauce made from a cup of soy sauce, a cup of oil and a cup of rice wine. The scallop and cod with marinated black bean and the Taiwanese-style rice vermicelli are also hot favorites. According to Pi, no monosodium glutamate is used in the dishes.

Of course, you must complete the meal with some of the traditional Taiwanese dessert.

The classics would be shredded ice with fresh mango or red bean and homemade pineapple tarts paired with Taiwan oolong tea or rosella (hibiscus) tea.

From now till Sept 15, you can choose the main dishes as part of a set, which contains a main dish, a selection of side dishes, dessert and tea.

The sets, available for both lunch and dinner, are priced from 89 to 120 yuan ($14-19) with a 15-percent service charge.

You can contact the writer at yangyijun@chinadaily.com.cn.

China Daily

(China Daily 07/24/2011 page13)