Featured Dishes of the Grand Restaurant (Part 1)

Author: Hu Bin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: "Special Dishes of Grand Restaurants" collects over 160 best-selling specialty and signature dishes. These renowned dishes are selected from 25 grand restaurants located in the Zhongguancun area of Beijing, which are famous both domestically and internationally. These 160+ dishes collectively exhibit the characteristics of a blend of Eastern and Western styles, a mix of simplicity and elegance, distinct features, and a fresh, contemporary flair. Upon reviewing these 160+ Chinese masterpieces, one would notice that the culinary values of Chinese cuisine before the late 1980s, which emphasized authenticity, regional cuisines, and culinary schools, have been replaced by the spirit of progress, innovation, and change that emerged in the mid-1990s and especially since the 21st century. Compared to traditional masterpieces, the dishes in these two books are mostly characterized by trendy styles, unique flavors, health benefits, creative alternatives, meticulous preparation, and high popularity.
From these two cookbooks, one can also observe that as the nutritional value of fruits gains increasing attention, the use of fruits in Chinese cuisine has become more prominent in the early 21st century compared to the previous century. Fruits such as mangoes, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, grapes, kiwis, fresh oranges, honeydew melons, watermelons, and others now constitute a significant portion of the ingredients in these dishes. The "Aspiration Studio" dish, "New Century Aloe Vera and Fresh Orange Stewed Bird's Nest," is both ancient and modern in style. The ancient aspect lies in the famous Southern Song Dynasty dish "Crab-Stuffed Oranges," while the modern twist is the use of fresh oranges from California, stewed with the premium Chinese banquet dish, bird's nest. In terms of incorporating fruits into dishes, this creation truly showcases ingenious craftsmanship.