In October 2018 I was invited to a dinner in a well-reputed Chinese restaurant in Tainan specializing in crab. The restaurant was located on the second floor of Tainan’s Dream Mall and was called Jin Xia (錦霞樓). According to my research, the restaurant was run by a local family then in its third generation.
The visit
Our group was assigned a large private room with a classic round table and a lazy Susan at the center.
It was a classic eight-course Chinese meal with some add-ons.
Tea, sparkling wine and Apple Sidra were available throughout the dinner. Appe Sidra is a Taiwanese fixture: launched in 1965, it is a kind of apple cider vinegar soda with a very crisp and sour flavor.
First an amuse bouche including a piece of shrimp and tofu.
A tofu and abalone appetizer.
Another nicely presented appetizer dish including some local specialties like sausages and mullet roe (in the paper wrapping). Well balance of flavors.
Then we had a delicious seafood soup with shrimps, white fish and crab.
Then time for a big ticket item: a crab with its roe on a base of rice.
Another soup with tripe.
Another fish dish with a rich sauce.
Fruit.
A final Chinese dessert with tofu, jellies and brown sugar.
The check
I cannot comment on the price point because I was invited by a friend. But I can imagine that it would be fine dining level.
I found it an incredible good meal, leveraging on local specialties and with a contemporary touch in the presentation of the dishes.
Where in Tainan:
2F, No.366, Section 1, Zhong-Hua East Road, East District, Tainan City, Taiwan (2F of T.S. Dream Mall).
Address in Chinese: 東區中華東路一段366號 · 台南市
Website: http://jinxia.ezsale.tw/JINXIA_en.asp.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ASHA.JINXIA.