Sophisticated Chinese culinary gem Jiangsu Club welcomes summer with a host of new splendours headlined by sensational a la carte creations and a month-long celebration of Hangzhou cuisine led by a guest master chef from Hangzhou. A symphony of seasonal attractions also includes the return of its delectable handmade sticky rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival, the launch of a new weekend lunch menu of handcrafted dim sum, and the premiere of a precious Shaoxing wine list dedicated to huangjiu (yellow wine) supremo Gu Yue Long Shan.
Lake Fish & Seafood Star in New Seasonal A La Carte Attractions
Jiangsu Club prides itself on the quality of its light, silky yet rich specialities that epitomise the region’s cuisine – and serve as an antidote to the summer heat. Fresh catches of must-try new creations from Suzhou’s famed Taihu Lake and coastal waters are simply but perfectly cooked to harness their natural, subtle flavours.
Steamed Taihu Lake White Fish in Chicken Oil (HK$588) is one of the lake’s ‘Three Whites’ protected as national aquatic resources. While steaming is known to bring out the clean, delicate taste of this year-round delicacy, the culinary team cleverly adds a splash of fresh chicken oil beforehand, resulting in the most tender and juicy white fish imaginable.
Another Taihu Lake ‘white treasure’ is at the centre of Steamed Egg with Jiangsu Whitebait (HK$168). An impressive 10cm long, the Taihu whitebait is savoured for its tender flesh and few bones. In a clever twist on the Jiangsu classic of fried whitebait and scrambled eggs, baking the dish intensifies its fragrance and texture.
Soft-shelled Turtle with Quail Eggs in Soy Bean Sauce (HK$1,380) sees the local turtle renowned for its medicinal power paired with pork belly and quail egg and cooked in a secret sauce enhanced by the gelatinous layer found under its shell.
In a culinary feat and an Instagram treat, a whole female mud crab strides a bed of Iberico pork meat, tofu and water chestnut for Steamed Crab with Iberico Pork (HK$1,380), with the exquisite essence of each of the two key ingredients infusing the other.
With the slow-cooked treat of Mantis Shrimp in 10-Year Huadiao (HK$980), a 12-hour marinade of the finest medium-dry Shaoxing wine renders the firm meat of deshelled mantis shrimp aromatic and succulent.
Hailing a Month of Hangzhou Specialities Created by Guest Chef Shi Jun
Glorious Hangzhou dishes come to the Jiangsu Club table from 1-30 June 2024, with acclaimed Chef Shi Jun – who cooked for world leaders at the 2016 G20 Summit – bringing his team from Hangzhou and personally presiding over the kitchen for the first 2 weeks of the promotion (1-14 June 2024). Sharing his techniques and regional expertise with the inhouse team, the master chef is a 30-year veteran of Hangzhou and Zhejiang cooking – a style revered throughout China for its refreshing dishes and elaborate preparation. He was mentored by great names like Hu Zhong-ying, Dong Shun and Wang Zheng before serving as head chef at a famed five-star hotel in Hangzhou frequented by the elite.
Now leading a new wave of Hangzhou cuisine rooted in tradition but replete with creative imagination, Chef Shi presents a guest chef menu of more than 10 dishes including the city’s famed duck and delicacies from the sea.
Bighead Carp with Bird’s Nest Soup (HK$388 per person) exemplifies the laborious cooking process that underpins Zhejiang’s outstanding cuisine. Inspired by the Hangzhou classic of fish ball soup and featuring fish from Qiandao Lake, the tender white morsels are stuffed with supreme bird’s nest and swim in a fragrant broth made with chicken.
Once reserved for celebrations but now enjoyed by locals throughout the year, Chef Shi’s Hangzhou Style Soy Sauce Marinated Duck (HK$198) is a masterclass in moist, sweet meat and authentic regional flavours. The duck is marinated overnight in a secret sauce, then bathed in soy sauce and braised with homemade sauce that is constantly replenished as it thickens to achieve the perfect consistency.
Crunchy on the outside and deliciously soft within, Crispy Black Duck (HK$288) is deboned, marinated for 2 hours and steamed for another 2 hours before shredding. The delicious duck chunks are then coated with seasoned flour, deep fried and garnished with caviar for a luxurious touch.
Another famous bird of the region is lovingly prepared as 16 Days Pigeon with Pepper (HK$168). In Chef Shi’s skilled hands, tender 16-day-old Shiqi squab are infused with fragrant spiciness while boiling in a broth laced with lip-numbing teng jiao (Sichuan pepper) oil. After cooking, the pigeons are plunged in icy water then warmed with hot water 3 times for a slightly crispy skin.
The historic Hangzhou dish of braised pork belly (‘Dongpo pork’) is transformed into Dongpo Style Braised Wagyu Beef (HK$468) in Chef Shi’s kitchen, where a broth of dark soy sauce, ginger, scallion, dried tangerine peel and other spices instils dark brown colour and strong, rich flavour to tender cubes of wagyu beef.
Grain-fed for more than 300 days, the region’s distinctive two-end black ‘panda pigs’ dominate Braised Fresh Abalone with Jinhua Pork (HK$588), yielding lovely rich, reddish and non-greasy pork. Abalone joins the pot as the meat is braised with soy sauce and spices.
Seafood specialities include Smoked Black Cod with Grapefruit Sauce (HK$368), an elevated take on traditional Hangzhou smoked fish with less bony black cod replacing grass carp. This sweet-sour delight benefits from a marinade of pomelo-peel water before deep frying, a coat of homemade sauce while drying at room temperature, and a tart grapefruit topping that balances the inherent richness of the dish.
A seasonal wonder of late spring and early summer, Crispy Scale Herring in Chinese Wine (HK$1,880) is cooked with its scales intact to preserve the fat layer enclosing the tender flesh. It is stuffed with sweet fermented rice, slathered in chicken and pork oil before steaming, and finally doused in hot oil so the fish scales are crispy.
Toast Summer with a Superb New List Devoted to the Best Shaoxing Wine
Jiangsu Club has procured a prized collection of Gu Yue Long Shan Shaoxing Wine to serenade summer and complement the host of creative dishes offered on its extensive a la carte and special menus. These precious pours from China’s first and foremost huangjiu listed company and exclusive supplier to national banquets are available in limited quantities, luring connoisseurs eager to taste the pride of Chinese rice wine. Steeped in tradition, the Gu Yue Long Shan brand is renowned for its artisanal craftsmanship and unsurpassed quality at the heart of the famed huangjiu region of Shaoxing.
A top draw on this magnificent new list is a rice wine unavailable to the public in China. Special dispensation was required for the serving in Hong Kong of the mellow and aromatic 20-year-old Diaoyutai State Banquet Huadiao (HK$1,988), reserved for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ state guesthouse. Other wonders include 40-year-old Guoniang 1959 Baiyu (HK$6,888), a sweet and refreshing wine made to mark the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the gentle, fragrant Shaoxing Huadiao aged for 50 years (HK$15,888). The 20-year-old Shaoxing Huadiao ‘Chairman’s Pick’ (HK$1,388) is light, balanced and fruity, while the elegant Jianhu 30 Years Old (HK$1,688) was the only top-ranked yellow wine at China’s first nationwide wine-rating event in 1952.
Luscious Jiangsu Club Sticky Rice Dumplings Back in Time for Dragon Boat
Having made a huge splash last June, Jiangsu Club’s handcrafted Jiangsu sticky rice dumplings return by popular demand to enliven family festivities during Dragon Boat season. Available now at early-bird prices (valid to 31 May 2024), the moreish, mouth-watering delicacies presented in a handsome box can be ordered and collected at the restaurant until 10 June 2024.
Made from premium ingredients with great finesse in the time-honoured tradition, these festival essentials come in 2 classic recipes: sumptuous Jiangsu Handmade Traditional Abalone, Pork and Egg Yolk Sticky Rice Dumpling (HK$108 per piece; HK$92 for early birds) embellished with succulent South African 8-head abalone, pork belly, chestnut and salted egg yolk; and Jiangsu Handmade Traditional Red 
Bean Sticky Rice Dumpling (HK$88 per piece; early-bird HK$75) featuring glutinous rice packed with red bean, osmanthus and red dates.
Those who wish to treat friends and family with flavours and joyous surprises may opt for the choice of a delectable duo of Jiangsu Handmade Traditional Sticky Rice Dumpling Combo (HK$180 per set; early-bird HK$158).
Dim Sum Delicacies Dazzle at Newly Launched Weekend Lunch Menu
Weekend lunch finds the Jiangsu Club chefs expressing their culinary artistry and decades of experience with a delectable set menu offering choices of appetisers, soup, main dish and, of course, the finest dim-sum creations. The Weekend Dim Sum Lunch Menu is priced from HK$288 per person (two-person minimum) and offers larger groups the freedom to add on as many house-signature dim sum at special prices as they desire.
Expert renditions of popular dim sum such as Steamed Xiao Long Bao; Organic Mushroom and Vegetable Dumpling; Wonton in Red Chilli Oil Sauce; Pan-fried Turnip Cake; and gooey Steamed Custard Bun can be chosen (1 order per person) from the lunch menu list. The elevated delights of succulent Siu Mai with Shrimp Chips (HK$72 for 4 pieces); Crystal Shrimp Dumplings (HK$78/3pcs); Fried Dumplings with Diced Abalone (HK$68/3pcs); Pan-fried Pork Dumplings (HK$78/3pcs); and decadent Steamed Chicken Feet in XO Sauce (HK$68) are available to supplement the feast.
An appetiser trio embracing the likes of Sliced Pork Terrine with Zhenjiang Black Vinegar; Shredded Chicken with Bean Sheets; and Chilled Chicken in Chilli Peppercorn Sauce comes with the lunch set. Each party can enjoy a soup from the fragrant options of Hot and Sour Soup, Braised Shredded Fish Soup, or Braised Conch and Chicken Soup (add HK$50); and a small main dish per person from a choice that includes Sichuan-style Spicy Fish Pieces, Braised Iberico Pork Belly, Stir-fried Beef with Scallions, and Fried River Shrimps with Prickly Water Lily.
Jiangsu Club’s impressive interior design inspired by the traditional Chinese courtyard is the perfect setting for all gatherings, from business lunches or dinners to social or family get-togethers to festive celebrations. Up to 132 diners can be comfortably accommodated within its 5,500 sq. ft space, with the main dining area seating up to 32 people and eight private dining rooms each catering to parties of 6-20. A sapphire colour palette studded with a plethora of intricate design elements imparts an air of understated luxury.
Conveniently located at 2/F, Alliance Building, 130-136 Connaught Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, Jiangsu Club is just one minute from Sheung Wan MTR Station Exit C and a 10-minute stroll from the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal. It opens daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
For enquires, please call (852) 6230-8973 or email jiangsuclub@ponghk.com.
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