Nanjing Impressions: Delve Into China's Tender Eastern Fare

If you can’t get out of Beijing for the holidays, head to Nanjing Impressions. The soft light of the dangling lanterns and the recurring wood-grain motif will make you feel like you’re in an ancient incarnation of the eponymous port city, not in a Shimao Department Store restaurant.

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Nanjing Impressions’ Jiangsu dishes are equally soft and comforting, with many dishes stewed to such a degree that the meat practically melts in your mouth after a few bites. It’s these soft textures that make Jiangsu (or “Su”) cuisine famous. Chefs employ a meticulous selection of seasonal ingredients, favoring stewing and braising techniques. Those elements make the dishes delightfully tender, but not to the point of mushiness.

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Nanjing in particular, with its prime location in the lower basin of the Yangtze River Delta, makes ample use of the region’s shrimp and fish. While the latter dishes might be too bony for young children, parents and older kids will enjoy the tenderness and savory flavors. Nanjing is also beloved for its delectable duck dishes, giving Beijing duck some healthy competition.

Major ingredients and condiments: Seafood and poultry (especially mandarin fish, duck, and chicken), ginger, bamboo shoots, wine sauce for pickling, sugar for condiments

Main preparation methods: Stewing, braising, quick frying

What to try:

• Stewed meatball (清炖狮子头, qingdun shizitou): A savory, tender hunk of pork with a mild and slightly smoky flavor. RMB 26.
• Bean curd with shrimp egg (虾黄豆腐, xiahuang doufu): This soft tofu easily gives collapses and gives way, revealing flecks of shrimp egg and a salty, “ocean-fresh” kick that is wholly unique. RMB 28.
• Chicken with sweet and sour sauce (王府泡椒鸡, wangfu paojiao ji): This delectable chicken is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Be sure to exercise caution; the dish has lots of bones. RMB 32.

Nanjing Impressions 南京大牌档
Mon-Fri 11am-2pm and 5-10pm, Sat-Sun 11am-10pm. 4/F, Shimao Department Store, 13 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (8405 9777)
朝阳区工体北路13号世茂百货4层

This article is one of a series whereby we try regional Chinese cuisine around the city. It was first published on beijingkids.

Photos: Kyle Mullin and Ken