A Marriage of Sichuan and Yangzhou Cuisines Luyangcun Restaurant
川扬联姻·绿杨邨酒家

Featuring deep penetrating flavors, the Luyangcun's food is prepared with carefully selected ingredients, and elaborative processes with attention to details. Founded in 1936, the restaurant was previously called Lvangcun Eatery, which later changed to Luyangcun Restaurant (means village of green poplar forest), quoting a famous line written by the Qing Dynasty poet Wang Yuyang: "Deep in the green forest of poplar trees, there lies the town of Yangzhou."

In the beginning, Luyangcun Restaurant mainly served Huaiyang food and Sichuan dishes were added to the menu sometimes later. After China won the Anti-Japanese Resistance War, Luyangcun Restaurant launched a marketing campaign led by the noted Sichuan food chef Mr. Lin Wanyun to integrate Yang (Abbreviation of Huaiyang) cooking with Chuan (Abbreviation of Sichuan) cuisine, pioneering the concept of Chuan-Yang flavored cuisine in the culinary world in Shanghai. The marriage of Chuan(Sichuan) and Yang(Yangzhou) cuisines became an instant sensation all over Shanghai.

As a matter of fact, Chuan-Yang fusion has already existed since the ancient times. Legend has it that during the period of the Three Kingdoms(221-223), King Liu Bei of Shu Kingdom(221-223) (Sichuan) loved Sichuan food, but his new wife Sun Shangxiang, younger sister of the King of Dongwu Kingdom (221-223) (Southeast of China where Yangzhou is located), liked Yangzhou style food. Hence, from the marriage of Sichuan and Yangzhou, Chuan-Yang fusion was born, melting together the flavors of Sichuan Style Cuisine with the tastes of Yangzhou Style Cuisine. Unfortunately, it is impossible to verify the truth of the legend. However, since the time of Chef Lin Wanyan's directorship, quite a few specialty dishes had been developed by Luyangcun Restaurant. Some of the well-known dishes were Crispy Eel with Shredded Vegetables, Wu Liu Yu Si (Sliced Fish Fillet with Five Shredded Ingredients), Salted Pork in Jelly, Luyang Crispy Chicken, "Thousand Layer" Cake, etc. Wu Liu Yu Si is a dish originally from a celebrated Sichuan cuisine. It is said that during the first year of Emperor Suzong's Reign of the Tang Dynasty, Poet Sage Du Fu (758-760) fled from home to Chengdu (a major city in Sichuan) to take refuge from the war. He settled in the southern countryside by the Huanhua Brook and built a cottage, which has become a famous historical site in China today known as Du Fu's Thatched Cottage. Once, while Du Fu was drinking with his friends, a member of his family caught a fish from a stream, which was a pleasant surprise to everybody. The overjoyed poet went to the kitchen and cooked the fish by himself. Everyone gave a round applause to the dish after tasting it. When asked the name of the dish, the poet contemplated briefly and said: I saw five long strands of the ingredients running along the back of the fish and they looked like the slender leaves of a willow tree. So let's call the dish "Wu Liu Yu(Five Willows Fish), pun on the ancient poet Tao Yuanming (365-427) who addressed himself as "Mr. Five Willow Trees". Chef Ling Wanyun captured the culinary essence of "Five Willow Fish", but substituted the whole fish with sliced fillet to create a gourmet recipe called "Wu Liu Yu Si" (Sliced Fillet with Five Shredded Ingredients), which became extremely popular among restaurant patrons.

In 1956, a new glorious chapter was opened in the history of Luyangcun Restaurant. The restaurant expanded the serving area from a single-unit room to a five-unit space, consisted of 14 dining halls, reaching the seating capacity of 800 people. During that period, the restaurant gathered many top experts and celebrity chefs, including the extraordinary "Three Best Champions" of the culinary world, which were the authentic Sichuan food chef Ling Wanyun, Yangzhou Dim Sum master Chen Xingxiang and renowned entertainment expert Guo Qiming. In addition, Sichuan cuisine grand master He Qikun's first apprentice Li Xingfu (who latter became a master chef in China) also joined the culinary team at Luyangcun Restaurant. Soon after, with unmatched culinary skills and towering reputation, Li Xingfu, commander of the kitchen brigade, guided his apprentices in creating innovative dishes and fine-tuning flavors, helping Luyangcun Restaurant to achieve the top-ranking status in Shanghai's food and beverage industry. Under the mentorship of Master Li, female apprentice Ms Ding Jianmei invented "Clove Chicken" by marinating chicken with a variety of Chinese herbal medicine, such as Ginseng, Clove, Milkvetch Root and so on. In the 1980s, it won a breakthrough victory in the "Shanghai One Hundred Chicken Recipe Competition". Clove Chicken was given the prestigious "Shanghai Famous Snack" award for its crispy texture, savory flavor, mellow aroma and high nutritional value.

Luyangcun Restaurant established a compelling reputation of cooking delightful dishes and exquisite Dim Sum. Prominent businessman Mr. Rong Yiren, who was also a food connoisseur, vacationed in Shanghai every spring. Luyangcun Restaurant always had a team of chefs to prepare fine meals at his estate. Over the month-long period, the chefs would cook a wide range of gourmet dishes and dim sums, every meal would be different. Mr. Rong loved the excellent food. When the catering service was over, Mr. Rong would treat the chefs for a leisure trip to Hong Kong.

One of Luyangcun's creations was Fragrant Duckling Toasted with Pepper, which features crispy duck skin, succulent meat and intensely aromatic Sichuan pepper. It has won China Golden Tripod Award. Couple's Lung Slice, Sautéed Beef with Asparagus, Stuffed Bun with Vegetables, Leaf Shaped Sweet Pea Paste Filled Bun and other dishes also have won various titles and awards. In 1984, after eating a delicious meal at Luyangcun Restaurant, famous Chinese painter and calligrapher Mr. Qiang Juntao performed an impromptu calligraphy writing of 4 big Chinese characters "Tian Chun Miao Wei" in praise of the chefs' outstanding culinary performance. The 4 characters meant in English "incredible taste from heaven's kitchen".

In 1982, in collaboration with prominent Chinese medicine doctors, Master Chef Li Xingfu designed and launched the first "dietary therapy cuisine" in Shanghai. In this project, attention not only was paid to color, smell and flavor of the food, health benefits were also emphasized. In particular, the notion of harmonious blending of "Five Flavors of the Herbs" was applied to promote health, which is to combine five types of grains, vegetables, poultry and fruits in food. This opened a new frontier of cooking gourmet dishes for dietary therapy. One example is "Rhizome with Eel", a dish made by pairing eel with Chinese herb Siberian Solomonseal Rhizome for the benefits of replenishing Chi (vital energy), nourishing blood, moisturizing lungs, fortifying Yang, and lowering blood cholesterol level. "Garlic with Skirt Edge" (soft parts along the edge of the carapace of a turtle) is another example, which is prepared by stewing minced garlic with "Skirt Edge" to nurture Yin and strengthens Yang, and it also promotes natural beauty and wellness. Other therapeutic dishes are "Old Duck with Grass and Worms" which invigorate kidney and body essence; "Shredded Vegetable with Yam Rhizome" which strengthens spleen and stomach; "Chicken Stew with Gastrodia Tuber" which replenishes Chi and nourishes blood. In winter, dishes and banquets prepared with deer meat as the main ingredient were extremely popular, which had created quite a sensation in the food and beverage market. Upon hearing the news, customers from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan and south pacific regions flocked to the restaurant one group after another to experience the dietary therapy.

Luyangcun Restaurant's success fully relies on continuous innovation and creation. On the technical aspect, besides making an effort to consolidate and promote Chuan-Yang cuisine's secret recipes of "dry-fried" foods, the restaurant also introduces new innovative products which would perfectly match the season of that time, achieving the goal of providing fresh seasonal food for every season. For instance, to coincide with the tradition of eating chicken in the year of rooster, under the leadership of master Li, a group of Li's apprentices developed a menu of over 150 different kinds of hors d'oeuvres platters, warm dishes and Dim Sums, and all of them used chicken as the main element, such as Lvang Shadow Chicken, White Jade Cold Chicken, Dried Scallop Chicken balls, Crab Meat Chicken Rolls, Rice Dumplings Stuffed with Minced Chicken, Tender Chicken Noodle Soup and etc. This clearly demonstrates the deep-rooted skills and profound culinary expertise of the chefs at Luyangcun. Moreover, to perfectly match the changing seasons and temperature, the restaurant offers fish banquet, crab banquet, deer banquet and clay pot banquet. The Year 2005 saw the 70th anniversary of the restaurant and Master Li's 70th birthday as well. The restaurant carefully planned a "double birthday banquet" which not only bore a good name, but also provided delicious foods that suited the palate of an elder.

Dry-Fried Prawns 干烧大明虾

Dry-Frying is a secret technique of the Sichuan Cuisine.

To prepare this dish, cleaned prawns are first deep fried in oil, and then stir-fried with a sauce made from fried hot bean paste, sweet fermented rice, ginger, scallions, wine, sugar, soy sauce and savory soup stock. The prawns are cooked until all sauce is absorbed. When it is done, the prawns are removed from heat and neatly arranged onto a platter. Finally, the remaining complementary ingredients and the briny sauce are poured over the shrimp. With vibrant colors and crystalline appearance, it is a fusion of many flavors: spicy yet not burning hot; sweet but not greasy; savory and delightful. The delicious taste of the dish has an alluring charm that is hard to resist.

Clove Hen 丁香草母鸡

This well-known dish has elevated Yangzhou cuisine to a higher level. It has won the prestigious "Shanghai Famous Snack" award. For making this dish, naturally raised chicken from Pudong District of Shanghai are chosen as the main ingredient. The chicken is first cleaned and cooked thoroughly, and then soaked in a brine sauce made from chicken stock, Shaoxing wine, ginger and 16 kinds of highly prized herbal medicine, including clove, Gastrodia Tuber, Ginseng and others. The chicken is marinated in the sauce until all flavors are absorbed by the meat. And then it is lifted out and cut into pieces. The dish is served after being evenly mixed with chopped scallions, sesame oil and ginger powder.

Turkey with Shredded Dried Bean Curd 火鸡干丝

This dish is a traditional Huaiyang delight. It is characterized by soft, supple texture and refreshing taste. The soup is thick, rich and loaded with flavors but not greasy at all. It is one of most frequently ordered dish at the restaurant and has won a gold medal in the International Chinese Culinary Competition in Shanghai.

Braised Silver Carp Head with Crab Roe 蟹粉拆烩花鲢头

Silver carp is also known as "big head fish". Braised Silver Carp is one of the "Three Heads" of the traditional Yangzhou cuisine, which are "Braided Pork Head in Soy Sauce", "Braised Carp Head", and "Steamed Meatballs".

The head of a silver carp is heavily gelatinous, moist, rich and meaty. It nourishes the stomach, and replenishes spleen and Chi. In ancient Chinese medicine book "Origins of Materia Medica", it is stated that fish head is a remedy for dizziness and vertigo, and it is beneficial to the brain, especially for elders who have excessive phlegm and shortness of breath. Originated during the Qing Dynasty, the dish is prepared with a fish head which the bones are completely removed.

Luyangcun Restaurant adheres to the traditional approach with innovation. Fish head is braised in savory broth after the bones are removed. Then it is cooked with crab paste, resulting in a marvelous dish composed of white tender fish meat in a creamy yellow soup. Delicious, delectable and distinctive, the flavors of the crab and fish are melded into something curiously harmonious and intriguing.

"Potsticker" Mackerel Pike 锅贴刀鱼

"Pot-Sticking" refers to a cooking method of frying pre-constructed and seasoned raw food (such as a piece of fillet or dumplings) in a pan over low heat. The food is fried slowly until well done and it appears to have been stuck to the pot.

The best quality Mackerel Pike can be obtained just before the Qingming Festival. Before the Festival, the fish is plump and bones are soft. This fish is said to have the benefit of strengthening Chi. Master Chef Li Xingfu prepared the fish based on the method of "imprinting Mackerel", a culinary practice from the Qing Dynasty. The key is the laborious preparation work of removing the bones. White as jade, the firm fish meat is wrapped inside a skin, makes it a delicious mouthful dish.

Luyang Shadow Chicken 绿杨灯影鸡

Shadow Chicken is a reinvention of a famous Sichuan folk dish. The preparation of this aromatic and delightful dish involves many intricate steps. It was developed by Luyangcun Restaurant to save the lost art of making "Shadow Beef".

Kai Hua Bun 开花包

It was a "healthy Dim Sum" specially prepared for Mr. Rong Yiren who was over ninety at the time. Later on, it became one of the dish on the menu. This Dim Sum is composed of three colors, orange, emerald green and creamy white, and the colors come from carrot juice, green vegetable extract and fresh milk respectively. The ingredients are mixed with flour, which is then kneaded and rolled into shape, and finally steamed.

The flaky and puffy pastry pleases both the eyes and the palate. The stunning colors are as beautiful as a blooming flower, and the ever-so-slight sweetness just melts in the mouth. No wonder the dish won great praise from Mr. Rong.

Yuan Yang (Mandarin Duck) Glutinous Rice Cake 鸳鸯条头糕

In order to change the traditional bulky appearance of glutinous rice cake, Luyangcun has made great improvement to both shape and color. The rice cake reconstructed into a slimmer form that resembles lady's finger. Emerald green sweet pea paste is added to the original burgundy red bean paste filling. The paring of the burgundy and green gives the pastry a fresh new look as well as a good name, as for Chinese the red and green duo color combination is often associated with Mandarin Duck, which is a symbol for eternal love.

Address: 763 Nanjing Road West

Telephone: 021-62584422

Hours of Operation: 07:00 - 14:00

17:00 - 21:00