Chongming Island 崇明島, is the 3rd largest Island in China. It itself is bigger than all of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories combined, and is about 30 minutes drive from Shanghai Pudong. We came to Chongming Hyatt Regency like a resort visit, and here they also allow Pets, which is large market in itself in China nowadays. The food at their Ping Yue restaurant was mind blowing and locally Chong Ming Island based. Very impressed by the meal here and sticking to the island’s traditions. Really regional and amazing stuff that is pure yet innovative..
A few Photos of the Hotel Room and Surroundings itself..
My only complaint is that the Bar closes at around 10:30pm, and we cannot find a Convenience store to Buy anything for now. The Wi-fi Connection in the rooms are also patchy and we could not connect for hours at a time. The food is totally amazing, but these peripheral issue need to be addressed for a Customer to travel all the way to here and enjoy the Resort feel.
We were coming all the way to Dine at their Chongming Island Style Restaurant -
I love micro-regional cuisine and being the 1st time here, I knew it was going to be educational for me.
Appetizer of some Pickles with Chili -
It reminds me slightly of Korean Kimchi, but they were always cross-referenced as food spread throughout the world via transitional movements nearby… Even all the way to Japan, Hawaii, Guam, Peru, California or even Peru & more.
Local Chongming Chilled Boiled Pork Cheek Meat - 祟明白切豬臉肉 RMB $56
Dipped into a slightly vinegary dip, this was sliced precisely squarish. It actually reminds me of French cuisine and their terrines. Very good cold starter already.. ~ 8/10
Shanghainese Style Fried Smoky Fish - 老上海熏魚 RMB $68
This fish isn’t actually smoked by default as I have mentioned a few times, it is just fried then marinated in a sweetish and spicy solution. This is so crispy and moist, better than any version available I have had outside of Shanghai or ChongMing Island, served coldish. It ended up not being the best version of this dish we have had on this particular trip at all but it was still missable… ~ 9/10
Chinese Wine Marinated Abalone, Prawns, Duck Tongues and Snow Peas - 江南糟四鮮 $118
This was superbly done too. For me it was so balanced for a cold appetizer and the bottom snow peas were so absorbing of the flavours. I still remember this dish to this day and want to have it again… Just wished there was more to share around. ~ 10/10
東灘醬 Local Free-range Duck fed on Reed - 東灘醬燒蘆葦鴨 $62
This is a local duck and then cooked in a special solution and with aniseed. Look, I have had so many local wild ducks in my life especially in Canton regional places, I think I can conclude that they are all chewy and tough. Not here. It was so balanced and tender, with the right amount of vinegar and spices. I so miss this perfectly executed duck. ~ 15/10
Steamed then Chilled Local Chicken - 桔圓家戶雞 $68
This was just okay. It was cooked perfectly mind you, but it didn’t have much Chicken taste or texture. Too dry thin to my liking and then we are entering into subjective area again.. ~ 6/10
Baby Zucchini Flowers with Local Veggies - 祟明有機蔬菜沙律 $52
I loved this cold salad so much. It is grown locally on ChongMing Island and are such baby veggies. With a slightly Sesame based dressing. The veggies were semi-powerful in their own taste but what inspired me the most, was that this was coming from a Chinese-Shanghainese-ChongMing Kitchen, it was totally showcasing what the island is capable of in terms of locally grown veggies. ~ 9/10
ChongMing Island Crustacean Soup - 祟明鄉下濃湯 $88
This was disappointing to me as a Signature soup, it didn’t have much complexity. The Restaurant is going to hate me for saying this but I don’t care.. Just speaking the truth. Too flat la. ; ) ~ 5/10
DongPo Black Pork with Abalone - 祟明散養黑毛豬 $198
Braised and paired with Fried Scallions as a new concept… This was very soft and infiltrated tasty, although one could argue the black pork DNA means the fat melted too much, meaning it was too oily in the end. I personally don’t mind it as it is mono-unsaturated fat plus I liked the Fried Scallions part. To other customers however, I would think its a bit too oily… Abalone was a nice touch on top N/A
Pretty Bread to go with the above Legendary Pork Dish from nearby Hangzhou to Shanghai -
Sliced Tofu in Fish Soup - 祟明大湯煮乾絲 $88
This is hard to rate, but I think the soup could be stronger… Despite the other components done right. ~ N/A
Sizzling Wagyu Beef on Teppan Iron Plate - 滋味鐵板澳洲牛肉 $198
This was done really right and had the right Wagyu beef oil taste. It came with some chopped tofu and lily bulbs, also snap peas. I normally think these dishes are so boringly 2 dimensional but this I was appreciating as a multi-dimensional creation. Well done to make a Australian Wagyu dish alive and keeping the taste alive.. ~ 9/10
Half Shredded River Prawns with Tails On - 手剝長江蝦仁 $428
This dish is a very typical Shanghainese 凰尾蝦 boiled plate. Here it uses the very local river prawns which comprises of both long Clawy ones and non-Clawy ones, half of them are almost like Scampi and that is another review. Amazingly plump sweet and it’s funny how customers will never find out these all came from 2 types of Prawns with totally different looks. 10/10
Steamed Local Mandarin Fish Fish - 懷陽松子長江桂魚 $248
This was the fattier type than usual. Slightly Muddy as expected and fishy… It is pricy appreciated although all the farmed fishes in China these days are to me killing its potential. All muddy fishes need to be detoxed for 3-7 days to keep the right taste but not the muddiness if you ask me.. ~ 7/10
White Organic White Amaranth - 有機白米莧 $88
The usual appealing ones are purplish but this is the greener/whiter version sprouts. ~ 9/10
Salted Pork and Veggies Rice - 祟明砂鍋鹹肉飯 $58
A Staple rice in the Region. This was only okay, too healthy to me. I have a personal issue with this recipe, as in the past it was really porky and veggies like. Nowadays it is too healthy and one can’t taste much… It isn’t not understandable either, imagine if you grew up eating all these greasy stuff. Someone else will desire a healthier version. Just like Peking Duck vs Da Dong, its a long term strategy game… ~ 7/10
Local Grass & Mochi Cake - 祟明砂鍋鹹肉飯 $58
This was so locally invented and we all loved it so much for the grassy and chewy texture. Wish I could have this again everyday, so unique on ChongMing Island indeed.
The Pets Friendly Hotel here -
It is probably more attractive to the locals than us in HK, and if they could improve their Wi-Fi Performance. The food meanwhile was so original and fantastic… Wished I could be back to sample more.
Price: RMB $250
Food: ♕♕♕♕♕ 1/2
(Under 1 Hours Drive Away but totally Worth the Trip to This Meal, for some iconic local ChongMing Island Dishes. Oh yet, only if they fix they Wi-Fi coverage. )
Address: Lane 799, Lan Hai Road, Chenjia Town, Chongming County, Shanghai, China.
Ph: +86 21 6703 1235
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