Tonight we were in Richmond’s A Bite of Shunde to experience authentic Shunde cuisine. For those unfamiliar, Shunde is a Township outside of Guangzhou, its cuisine is known for being one of the most refined branches of Cantonese cooking, and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
The evening was spent banquet-style, showcasing signature dishes from the restaurant’s new seasonal set menus. We would cherry pick the most unique and try the most iconic of the lot, which included Classic Hand-Pulled Fish Soup (順德拆魚羹), Shunde Crispy Chicken (順德燒雞), Sauna Steamed Lingcod (桑拿蒸龍躉), Braised Eel in Claypot (家鄉黃鱔煲), and the beloved Double-Skin Milk Custard (順德雙皮奶).
The evening’s meal was prepared by Chef Shui (Cai Jin-Shui) and Chef Dong（Lin Dong-Gui), hailing from Shunde, representing Cantonese cuisine with Portuguese influence. A lot of the dishes focused on steaming, with ingredients based on the ecosystem and sourced from the local farms, where fishing is important.
Our first dish was a spectacle done table side. Sauna steamed live lingcod, prepared fresh on the day. With this preparation the fish was so gentle and soft, accented by a dip in soy with jalapeño for a tickle of spice.
We were treated to two different types of soup. The first, the classic Shunde hand pulled fish soup. Where the fish is pan fried then hand pulled for the desired textured. You can taste the roast of the fry through bits of oil and char as it mingles with tue thicker and richer broth.
A tasty bowl to warm up to, but my favourite of the two was the Deluxe Seafood & Fish Maw Soup. I enjoyed this for the chewy maw bites. Unique to them is the use of goji berries and Paloma fruit for a more deluxe bouquet. I found it best with a generous scoop of red vinegar for additional tang and acidity, and a shake of white pepper for warm spice.
The Standing crispy chicken caught all our attentions as it was walked in. The presentation might be a little grotesque for some, as it is essentially strung up on a spike. This was to demonstrate how tender the meat was as the server carves the bird down by hand. Pulling legs from body and peeling meat off breast. The flavour was in the skin, it had a light seasoning overall. I did find the dish incomplete and went searching for something more punchy as a side.
By comparison the table loved the Signature Shunde Soy Sauce Chicken. A whole bird chopped down to size and served still simmering in the gravy-like sauce. The result was chicken with a silky texture, where meat fell off the smaller chopped bones. This was a dish so tasty that I took the leftover sauce home to repurpose.
Here, I learned that Ginger & Scallion is the hardest way to prepare Live Canadian Lobster. So I appreciated how easy it was the pry meat from shell, and that it was just as quick to eat.
I was at odds with the Braised Eel in Claypot, whereas the others loved it. Served very saucy in a gloopy red sauce. The texture of soft mushy flesh paired with hard and tiny bones left me grimacing. It comes to the table still boiling and bubbling. Rubbery chewy bits with bones you can easily swallow, and fibrous sections to gnaw on. The taste was good, I just couldn’t get over the texture and the thought that it felt like how an eel looks, but in my mouth.
The Flying Fish Caviar Shrimp Balls & Silver Bean Sprout was a familiar dish, elevated with the fish roe. This was a labour of love with the chefs hand picking all the heads and tails off of the bean sprouts for the optimal crisp taste and texture. Similarly, based on the texture of the shrimp ball, you could tell the that the shrimp was thoroughly hand chopped before being moulded into this round for such a fine texture.
I liked the presentation of the Chef’s Special: “Celebration of Gold & Emerald”, but reading the name didn’t really tell you much. This was the fanciest way to enjoy winter melon, cut up into perfectly formed blocks, then topped with crab roe and dried scallop. Slightly bitter, plenty juicy, I just wanted more toppings for an even flavour, as most of it came from the toppings.
The Sweet & Sour Pork was described as the, “Ultimate test for any Cantonese Chef”. This was right up there with a perfect grill, and meat that was lush with fat without being gristly.
I am not a fan of the texture of wilted and leafy greens, but everyone else reassured me that the Stir-fried Celtuce Greens in Black Bean Sauce was fantastic. That it had a crispier texture and an umami flavour from canned dace paste.
Our rice course was Claypot Rice topped with Assorted Cured Meats and choy. It was mixed together with sauce and green onion table side, and scooped into individual portions to be dispensed. A little bland compared to everything else, I would use this as a base for a few of the proteins above. We were encouraged to enjoy the crispy bits at the bottom of the pot, however majority of it was even too burnt for my taste.
Not on the regular menu, but available as part of their omakase one, if you know to ask, is this Chicken soup rice noodle. A perfect individual portion with lots of dark chicken meat and the unique use of Chinese style iberico. An elevated Chinese style chicken noodle soup that is warming, comforting, and perfect for the changing weather.
Another of their specialities is the Panfried milk with egg whites. A laborious dish, that requires a lot of stirring for the resulting luxurious texture. What sounds like a sweet dish is made savoury with the accompaniment of shrimp, bits of Chinese sausage, and fried vermicelli noodles for its crispy texture. The latter of which was oily, and as a result, distracted from the cloud-like milk with its just as gentle flavour. Otherwise it offered a nice contrasting texture. For those of us familiar with the dish, they noted their preference to the traditional use of pine nuts instead, stating that the Chinese sausage substitute was not the same.
And for dessert it was more milk in the Double Steamed MIlk Custard. Like milk, but solid, it was a nice muted taste and texture to end on, washing the mouth.
In conclusion, this was an amazing feast and an amazing show of talent. Humble dishes, reinvented with so much work and flare. Currently there are only the two chefs rotating and sharing the work, whereas the restaurant wishes to sponsor more chefs to come to Canada, in order to expand their offerings and grow the restaurant.
顺峰顺水 A Bite Of SHUNDE
4653 Garden City Rd #2215, Richmond, BC V6X 2K4
(604) 284-0119
abiteofshunde.zomi.menu
