Autour du Yangtse

The specialty of this Chinese restaurant decorated with black and white dragons? The cuisine of Jiangsu, also known as “Huaiyang,” a coastal province near Shanghai. A few of the house classics take us on a ride along the Yangtze river: pork and crab dumplings called “xiao long bao,” which are filled with a fatty broth and dipped into soy vinegar (from €6.80 to €9.80 for six); the “tête de lion,” a big pork meatball served in a bok choy broth (€15.80); or the Nanjing duck – marinated and served cold (€14.80). Our lunch was just as authentic, and featured a superb Dongpo pork – extremely tender caramelized pork belly over a bed of Chinese cabbage (€14.80). The desserts are less impressive, like the rather ordinary coconut tapioca pearls (€3.80). To drink, there’s Tsingtao beer (€4.80 for 330 ml), soy milk drinks (€4.50) or chrysanthemum and honey tea (€4.50). Menus from €12.50 to €18.80 (weekday lunch), dishes from €9.50 to €18.80, desserts from €3.80 to €7.80. // G.D.