My Parents, the Jet Setters- Snow Pea Garden

This meal actually goes back all the way to the week after Father’s Day which… now that I think of it was last month. So! another apology for the delay in blogging… its actually more taxing than initially anticipated. After a relaxing weekend in shanghai and a small father’s day celebration minus the hermana my parents decided to follow me back to Hong Kong. I have labeled my parents “permanent jetsetters” for they never seem to stay put in one place.

This meal was their supposed “farewell meal” back to Shanghai… or maybe for my grandma just an event to go out to eat. For at 87, every event becomes a huge production. Since my dad is quite the picky eater, and I suppose my particular likes and dislikes can be attributed to being my father’s daughter, this restaurant has become a favorite among my family. My grandma even has VIP status and is known by name…. slightly embarrassing. Onto the meal!

Snow Pea Garden is located in the heart of Causway Bay… unfortunately directly next to my office but the convenience is often favored when I am required to pull OT. Shanghainese cuisine in Hong Kong? How does it measure up? Well… its actually pretty good.

Dishes:
-Lightly sautéed shrimp, which is paired with dark vinegar
-Sautéed beef flank stir-fried with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and squash
- Deep fried pork tenderloin with chilli peppers, and salt & pepper
-Cooked eggplant in chili oil with green onions, and garlic
-Classic Shanghainese cured ham/ and pork bone broth with bamboo shoots, Chinese leafy greens and bai ye( a form of tofu… will be explained below)

Most of these dishes are very popular and common shanghainese dishes that offer simplicity in the ingredients but if made correctly exude full flavor and can appeal to any foodie's palette.

Notes:

Shrimp: The shrimp seafood flavor surprisingly melds extremely well with the dark vinegar.. which is different than western vinegars and offers a muskier and more aged flavor.

Shanghainese soup- This clear but flavorful broth is by far one of my favorite soups prepared in a Chinese restaurant. While the ingredients and preparation are nowhere near difficult, the freshness of ingredients is crucial for success in this soup. One of the main ingredients in this soup is “Bai Ye” or a variable form of tofu that is formed into sheets and then tied into knots. They offer a slight chewyness but gives texture and bite as well… hard to explain but an indescribable amount of yumminess. Most often “bai ye” is seen either in clear broth soups or cooked with meats and bamboo shoots in a soy sauce reduction…another common shanghai favorite.

Cheers! and happy eating!