Authentic Chinese Well Made: Shanghai Tea Garden | Food drink

Dinner: 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

These days, Chinese restaurants are as ubiquitous as good old-fashioned eateries, at least when it comes to Americanized Chinese cuisine.

Introduced by 19th-century immigrants struggling to make ends meet, this derivative cuisine tends to conjure up images of fried, syrup-laden pieces of meat degenerating under a heat lamp. But General Tso’s chop suey and chicken are just the tip of the iceberg of the great wealth of Chinese cuisine in all its regional diversity.

For a time, Charlie’s Bakery and China Town Restaurant in Government Hill were pretty much the only places in Anchorage where educated eaters could satiate their craving for something beyond the familiar. But in recent years, a handful of new restaurants have sprung up to showcase some of Chinese cuisine’s most provocative elements.

Shanghai Tea Garden, formerly known as Jewel Lake Pizza and Tea Garden, is one such destination, where a revamped menu features Shanghai and Sichuan cuisine as well as traditional American Chinese dishes and a rotating selection of produce. bakery. Fans of the old establishment may be disappointed to find that the pizzas are completely off the table, including the gastronomic anomaly known as Mongolian Beef Pizza (RIP).

I have been delighted to see a number of additions since my last visit including various hot dishes, expanded dim sum offerings and one of my favorites, the Suan Cai Yu, a sweet and sour fish stew. . But it was the braised duck that caught my eye this time, as I theorized that it could serve as a reasonable measure of a quality Chinese restaurant. The smell of cinnamon and cloves wafted through my nose as it arrived, succulent and glistening in appearance. Tender, fatty and, dare I say, smooth, my first bite didn’t disappoint, although served at an unexpected room temperature. Either way, the ratio of the lean and fat textures dipped in a sweet and savory braising liquid was sheer bliss and elevated the dish to the status of a must-have.

Side note: the meat is bone-in and does not lend itself to a graceful tasting; think twice before ordering it on a first date.

Perhaps the most interesting addition to Shanghai’s modest dim sum menu is the xiao long bao, aka the soup dumplings. Popularized by the legendary Din Tai Fung restaurant chain, these delicacies have achieved iconic status and are obsessed with many. Part of the appeal is how they’re made, a process that involves adding gelatinized broth to the filling; As the dumplings are steamed, the gelatin turns into a “soup”.

Beginners are almost guaranteed to suffer from a mouthful of burning liquid, which hints at the existence of a proper feeding method.

After having dinner at one of Din Tai Fung’s original places to taste the best, I can say that the XLBs at Shanghai Tea Garden are pretty good. The combination of melted fat and aspic, while delicious, would be overwhelming without the hint of ginger and the vinegar dip to complement the flavors. In other words, I could eat a few dozen as long as there is a bottle of Pepto handy. It’s a true comfort food, and it showcases some of the skillful ingenuity employed in Chinese cuisine.

Then we ordered their dry pot of seafood. My first exposure to this dish was actually at Jimmy’s Sushi, which features fried sea bass and assorted vegetables (eg, wild mushrooms, lotus root) seasoned with a good dose of Szechuan pepper and stacked on a burner. Szechuan pepper is known for its unique heat signature known as “mala” and produces a literal numb feeling on the tongue that can make unsuspecting diners spin on a loop.

No such ingredient appears in the Shanghai version, which trades culinary thrills for accessibility and a sense of intimacy. Scallops, shrimp, and surimi were the element of seafood, while thinly sliced ​​potatoes and cabbage added to the ensemble. It was almost reminiscent of a Thai stir-fry with its intense flavor and mild heat, not to mention the portion sizes, which were generous and designed for a very full tummy.

Unfortunately, I didn’t even touch on their pastries and cakes, which are superb as advertised on their Facebook page. But it is safe to say that I will be back to satisfy my curiosity.

This neighborhood institution has something to offer everyone, even those who are reluctant to step out of their comfort zone. But in search of new and enriching experiences, it is often said that fortune favors the daring.