Nanxiang offers taste of Shanghai

Nanxiang offers taste of Shanghai

Susanna Tjokro, Contributor, Jakarta, s_tjokro@yahoo

How extraordinary is Nanxiang Steamed Bun restaurant compared to
other Chinese restaurants in Jakarta? Well, it has a century's
history, as the brand was established in Guangzu more than 100
years ago -- during the 26th year of the Qing dynasty, or 1900
A.D., to be precise. Queen Elizabeth II is among famous figures
who have raised their chopsticks there.

This franchise from China opened its door in Jakarta in July
2005, the first non-pork Nanxiang Steamed Bun in the world.
Currently, it has branches in four countries: Japan, Korea,
Singapore and Indonesia.

Set within a trendy facility, the interior boasts modern
furnishings and minimalist, stylish furniture -- absolutely no
clutter.

What I didn't do, but would have like to do, was sit by the
floor-to-ceiling glass panel overlooking the lake and watch the
ducks around sunset -- that would have been really pleasant.

The dining room has a view of the open kitchen, where you can
watch the chefs show off their skills.

My appetizer was Four Kinds of Cold Combination -- drunken
chicken, spiced beef shank, jellyfish and shredded cucumber -- at
Rp 30,000. Of these, I thought the jellyfish was the highlight.
The noodle-like jellyfish tentacles did not look particularly
appetizing, but the dish was very flavorsome and simply melted in
my mouth -- one could be forgiven for thinking that one is eating
yummy noodles instead of jellyfish tentacles.

My soup, Kung Tao Pao in Shanghai Steamed Bun Style, Rp
45,000, was unique as well as tasty. The soup, served inside a
bun, was a luscious blend of beef stock, chicken stock, dried
scallop and minced ginger. One slurps the soup through a straw.

This restaurant's famous steamed buns are a real must-try.
Each steamed bun is shaped like a tower, with thin skin and rich
filling.

Deep Fried Shrimp Ball Filled with Crab Roe (Rp 12,000 per
piece) was among the dim sum that I tasted. This was my favorite
dim sum, crunchy on the outside, yet tender on the inside --
succulent from first bite to the last crunch, while the shrimps
and crab roe enhanced each other perfectly.

Deep Fried Spring Roll Filled With Hairy Crab and Bean Curd
(Rp 12,000 per piece) was equally delicious, with the hairy crab
imported all the way from Shanghai.

On the other hand, the restaurant's Steamed Vegetable Bun and
Steamed Siomay Stuffed with Glutinous Rice (Rp 6,000 per piece)
were not as tasty as the other dishes.

Nanxiang is also renown for its xiao long bao, commonly
referred to as steamed dumplings in English. In Chinese, it means
"little dumplings from basket". As for xiao long bao, my
favorites were Shanghai Steamed Bun with Hairy Crab and Chicken
Stuffing (Rp 108,000 for six pieces) as well as Prawn and Chicken
Stuffing (Rp 42,000 for six pieces). Served hot, those mouth-
watering dumplings are juicy, and the unbroken skin of each xiao
long bao holds plenty of flavorsome broth inside.

Xiao long bao are eaten by dipping in black vinegar and fresh,
thinly sliced ginger. The entire xiao long bao can be popped into
your mouth, but as the dumplings are served very hot, you may end
up burning your mouth.

To prevent such an incident while savoring the taste, there
are some tips on how to eat xiao long bao . Just take a small
bite of the dumpling and slurp the broth out of the opening, or
first break its delicate skin with chopsticks and let the soup
flow onto a Chinese spoon, and you can sip it then follow with
the dumpling. One should eat the dumpling over a Chinese spoon.

My desserts were Mango and Pomelo Sago (Rp 20,000), a
combination of pureed mango and sago pearls, and although it
sounded odd to me, it turned out to be a refreshing treat.

As for beverages, Chinese tea is free flowing at Rp 8,000 per
person. Thumbing through the wine list, you will see various
wines from China, such as Shao Sing Chiew (Rp 170,000 a bottle),
Mao Tai (Rp 700,000 a bottle) and Wu Liang Ye (Rp 1.2 million a
bottle).

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant Jakarta is actually an
integral part of a four-in-one concept in dining and
entertainment. Besides Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, in the
Lobby Lagoon Tower of the Jakarta Hilton International, you can
savor Chinese cuisine at the Shanghai Classical Restaurant, too.
You may also want to drop by Airman Lounge, where daily live
music, from jazz to Top 40 to R&B light up the night.

After dinner, drop by Shanghai Night, an inviting,
sophisticated lounge where a Shanghainese singer entertains the
crowd from Monday to Saturday with nostalgic Chinese songs.

Nanxiang, Shanghai Classical Restaurant, Airman or Shanghai
Night -- the choice is yours.

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, Jakarta Hilton International,
Lobby Lagoon Tower, Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto, Central Jakarta.
Tel: 5707125 Fax: 5707126