A few ex-coworkers and I have been tossing around the idea of a Zhongshan (中山) trip for months but it didn't really come to fruition until a couple of weeks ago when we finally got down to the detailed itinerary.
Blessed with a friend holding a valid Mainland driver’s license, our little convoy set off from Tsing Yi, breezed through the border, and before we knew it, we were rolling into the outskirts of Zhongshan. Our first destination was Shenwan Town (神湾镇), a small town in the southwestern part of the city.
We were here for a quick lunch at family-run Restaurant Rifeng (日鋒飯店), a neighborhood restaurant famous for a certain local delicacy. More on that later.
I was told that the restaurant is very good for its wok-fried dishes and seafood which are mostly chosen straight out of the fish tanks.
Pan-fried grain worm cakes (鉢仔禾蟲) (¥138) – This was no ordinary lunch. We came here with a mission — to try a hyper-local delicacy that, frankly, wasn't on any of the foodie bingo cards I've seen before — grain worms (禾蟲). And, yes I heard they were in season these days!
Apparently, pan-fried grain worm cakes is a traditional delicacy famous in Zhongshan. The worms are thought to be rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and thus considered a healthy food for its nourishing effects.
These crispy, wok-fried pancakes are made with grain worms, garlic, dried tangerine peel, and black olives, traditionally cooked in a clay pot — hence the name 鉢仔.
I’ll admit, I approached the first bite with healthy skepticism. The visual alone is not for the faint of heart but the texture surprised me. They (I mean the worms) were a lot crispier than I first thought and their texture easily stood out from the pancake.
Deep-fried cuttlefish (椒鹽鮮魷) (¥46) – Slightly heavier batter than what you’d find in Hong Kong, but still super tender on the inside. Well-seasoned and fried to perfection.
Steamed river prawns with garlic (蒜蓉清蒸羅氏蝦) (¥88) – The river prawns came straight out of the tank and we could really taste the freshness. The chopped garlic was a thing of beauty and just perfect to go with the prawns and steamed rice.
Mustard greens in superior broth (上湯芥菜) (¥25) – I am a big fan of mustard greens and the light, savory broth with the vegetables and pork ribs was a nice touch. Surprisingly, no bitter notes from the mustard greens.
Stir-fried mashed taro (雜錦炒芋泥) (¥48) – Not sure how much oil it took to stir fry this massive block of mashed taro.
It was packed with "wok hei" and umami. Ingredients like bean sprouts, Chinese sausage and garlic worked absolute wonder with the mashed taro. Won’t mind having this again.
Rifeng might not win any awards for ambience. It’s more of a neighborhood canteen than a proper restaurant but the food? Solid across the board. Prices aren’t exactly dirt cheap for a spot this deep into Zhongshan’s countryside but considering the quality and freshness, it’s money well spent.
While I won’t be rushing back for another round of grain worms anytime soon, the other dishes were more than enough to justify a return trip. And judging by the locals digging into stir-fried worms like it’s popcorn, maybe — just maybe, I’ll work up the courage to give it another go.
Until next time, Shenwan.
Food Rating: 5.9/10
Price: ¥¥
Address: 1 Xinhui Lane No.2, Guanghui Road, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, China
中山市外沙村光辉路新辉二巷1号
Tel: +86 13560611028
Opening Hours: 11:00am - 2:00pm, 5:00pm - 9:00pm daily
Post a Comment
Please tell us what you think