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May 15, 2014

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Standing out from the mainstream crowd

By Xu Wenwen | May 15, 2014, Thursday | Print Edition

SOME restaurants go out of their way to offer something different and distinguish themselves from the competition. This can include the decor, entertainment, and, of course, the food.

Hangzhou boasts a bunch of restaurants that have worked hard to stand out from the crowd. Shanghai Daily takes a look at a restaurant that includes Kunqu Opera performance, a French cafe that serves homemade ice cream and an eclectic coffee house popular among hippies.

Hanyan Coffee House

This chain of three coffee houses is hard to define. Background music can be anything from bosa nova and Enya to Buddhist rhythms.

The decor includes statues from Nepal, African wood sculptures, Baroque lamps, English tea pots and Chinese straw sandals. Hanyan serves coffee, cakes and cocktails, as well as Wenzhou-style noodles, fried rice and rice cakes.

Owner Han Yan, who is from Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, says she has intentionally mixed things up in an effort to defy labeling.

Each outlet has essentially the same front yard with plants clustered on wooden chairs; a vintage television on an old bench along with two golden Buddha figures.

Inside, solid wood tables are covered with plaid tablecloths, on which are quirky items such as metal tissue holders, vintage European lamps and dried flowers.

Above the comfy sofas, complete with blankets, are shelves featuring knickknacks for sale and a selection of Chinese and English books.

The price of coffee is a bit higher than average, but the unique decor is welcomed by hippies who like to happily idle away the hours.

Address: 128 Laodong Rd

Tel: (0571) 8160-6978

Address: No. 53, Kuoshiban (near China National Silk Museum)

Tel: (0571) 8783-2858

Address: No. 46, Baishaquan,

Tel: (0571) 8780-5567

Yu Le Tang Restaurant/Theater

This restaurant hosts a Kunqu Opera performance of “Peony Pavilion” with decent English subtitles every weekend.

The famous romance is well rendered in one of China’s oldest forms of opera in the restaurant’s 66-seat theater.

The intimate setting is rather unique these days as the actors do not use any microphones and no sound system is used.

Spectators in the front row are only about 3 meters from the stage.

Yu Le Tang serves a combination of lightly flavored Cantonese dim sum, Taiwanese and Hangzhou dishes. Portions are small so diners can try more dishes.

The special salad with wasabi is strongly recommended. Golden-needle mushroom steamed with bean curd sheet is a tasty veggie dish without any spices, while the West Lake smoked fish with crispy skin is a sweet and salty favorite.

Diners who plan to catch the performance of “Peony Pavilion” are required to order the buffet (price includes ticket).

The buffet includes Yu Le Tang’s signature dishes and a nice assortment of desserts. Famous teas like Longjing, Pu’er and Zhengshan Xiaozhong are also available.

Address: 62 Zhongshan Rd M.

Tel: (0571) 8755-5780

Ticket price: 580-1,280 yuan (US$93-206)

Chez Marie

Chez Marie is not the first cafe to show movies. What makes it different is that most of the films are French and customers hang around afterward to discuss the film.

It also hosts occasional book readings, fashion parties and art shows.

The cafe, run by the couple Shi Hong and Pascal Delot, a French native, is in Silian 166, the earliest creative park in Hangzhou. The spacious cafe is in the site of a former silk factory with 6-meter-high ceilings. The original slanted ceiling has been kept and the walls feature photographs taken by either Shi or Delot.

Delot says the name Chez Marie (meaning living in Marie’s house) was inspired by French gourmet Marie, who is one of his relatives and the most well-known cook in Landes, the southwest of France near Spain. She is also known for her generosity and sharing her meals with friends.

Learning from Marie, Delot insists on large portions and Chez Marie doesn’t disappoint.

Delot also has strong dairy and tea industry experience, which he has combined to good use in the form of some delicious homemade ice creams.

The green tea ice cream is made from tea leaves grown on Jing Mountain in Yuhang, Hangzhou. The jasmine ice cream uses jasmine flower buds and white tea, also known as silver needle tea. Durian ice cream is freshly made when the pungent fruit is in season.

Freshly picked spring strawberries from nearby mountains are also used to make ice cream or used in cocktails. During autumn, Hangzhou’s city flower osmanthus is used to make ice cream. Chez Marie does not use additives or MSG.

Address: F6, Silian 166, 166 Lishui Rd

Tel: (0571) 8830-9310

Hangzhou


 

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