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SCMP Reporter

Shops 301-302, Level 3

Man Yee Building

68 Des Voeux Road, Central

Tel: 2259 9393

Open: 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-11.30pm

The sign inside Xiao Nan Guo, which is part of a top chain of restaurants based in some of the most expensive areas of Shanghai, gives its English name rather oddly as Faye's Nouvelle Chinois Restaurant.

The English translations inside the menu are sometimes a little strange as well. Fortunately, the odd interpretations don't spill over into the kitchen, and the chefs make top-notch versions of classical Shanghainese dishes.

The extensive menu has photos of some of the more popular dishes and, for once, the food that arrives looks just as tempting as the pictures.

We ordered two traditional cold dishes, the 'delicious kou fou' ($55), which is more frequently known as braised gluten, and 'preserved chicken in country style' ($68). Both were exemplary. The gluten, with its sponge-like texture, had soaked up the complex flavours of the rich, dark sauce. The tender chicken was infused with a fragrant, refreshing rice wine sauce.

Our excellent meal continued with the fried hairy crab and rice cake, which is reasonably priced at $158. The small crabs, which are enjoyed primarily for the creamy roe, were complemented by the thick, rich sauce, which also flavoured the chewy rice cakes.

A lighter dish was the deep-fried pork spareribs with garlic sauce ($68). The pile of tender ribs, topped with a scattering of crispy fried garlic, were sufficiently fatty and moist.

We know from past visits that Xiao Nan Guo makes excellent noodles, dumplings and buns. On this occasion, we decided to order the san cheen bao ($38) which the waitress said was one of the restaurant's specialities.

The buns are cooked in an unusual way - they're both pan-fried and steamed in the same pan. This gives the buns crusty bottoms which contrasts nicely with the light and tender tops.

The only dish that disappointed was the see gwa (Chinese okra) with mushrooms ($68), which was plain and bland and didn't live up to the quality of the other dishes.

The staff are forthcoming with recommendations and it's wise to listen to them. It's possible to spend a lot if you order the expensive, luxury items such as shark's fin. But even the simple, everyday dishes are cooked well, and we paid only $568 for an excellent meal with three soft drinks.



Xiao Nan Guo