Zhe Cuisine/Zhejiang Cuisine — The Mellow Seafood of Zhejiang

Zhejiang Cuisine originates from the populous and rich eastern province of Zhejiang on the Pacific. If you don't like spicy cuisine, but prefer fish and seafood, then this is the food style for you. 

Hangzhou, its capital, was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, and the city was renowned for their wealth and sophistication. Maybe this is why the food is unusually dainty and refined. 

• Names: Zhejiang food, Zhe cuisine (浙菜 Zhècài /jer-tseye/)
• Location: East China, Zhejiang Province — Hangzhou
• Distinctives: mellow flavors, seafood, artistry, many cooking methods

Main Features — Seafood, Refined Artistry, Freshness...

The great seafood dishes are the main draw of this style of food. But most tourists will find the artistic refinement of the cuisine attractive too. 

A wide variety of seafoods are used to make Zhejiang dishes. Unlike most Western seafood restaurants where the main dishes include a few varieties of fish and oysters, the people of Zhejiang can eat all these and things from the sea most people have never seen such as sea cucumbers and varieties of sea vegetables that you can explore.

Zhejiang is the richest province in China, and it was called the "land of milk and honey", so the people expect some extra refined touch to their food. It isn't greasy, not mouth numbing, not too sour, not too sweet, but not bland either.

However, they focus less on colorful dishes and artistry than the Fujianese do and focus more on serving fresh food. The food is often served raw or almost raw and is fresh and crispy and seasonal. It is more like Japanese food in this way.

The Three Styles of Zhejiang Cuisine

Zhe cuisine is one of the eight great traditions of Chinese cuisine.

• Hangzhou style is the most refined. They prefer stir-fried dishes, soups and seafood and are said to include bamboo shoots in half of their dishes. 
• Shaoxing is inland, and poultry and freshwater fish is the common fare. 
• Ningbo is noted for salty seafood and sweet confectioneries.

Sweet Desserts

Wealthy people often prefer sweet deserts, and the province is traditionally noted for sweet confections made from sugar, beans, rice, and wheat. For those in Hangzhou on the Yangtze River, northern wheat was readily available for making confections.

Sweet Ningbo rice balls (宁波年糕) and rice cakes are an example of local sweet foods. Glutinous rice and sugar gives a sweet taste that is often eaten for celebrations, festivals, and snacks. The rice balls may have a black sesame or red bean filling mixed with sugar, and flavorings might include cassia (cinnamon tree) flowers.

Many Cooking Methods — Sautéing, Braising, Stewing...

Zhejiang chefs have developed numerous ways to cook and prepare food. Perhaps this has something to do with their location next to Fujian, that also traditionally used diverse cooking methods, the influence of Shanghai's cosmopolitan culture, and influences from abroad.

Soaking in Brine

This style of "cooking" is unusual. But it is common in Ningbo where salty food is popular. It is similar to pickling. Meat is simply left to soak in brine and eaten. 

An example is the popular Ningbo salty crab dish prepared by soaking crabs in very salty brine for about 24 hours so that the brine impregnates the crab meat. They prefer female crabs with an orange roe (crab eggs), so when it is served, the roe on the meat looks like an orange sauce.

Best Places to Eat Authentic Zhejiang Cuisine in Hangzhou

Lou Wai Lou Restaurant Gushan Road Branch

In the West Lake area, this upscale gourmet restaurant with a view of West Lake is recommended.

• Chinese name: 楼外楼（孤山路店）Lou Wai Lou (Gushan Lu Dian)
• Average price per person: 130 yuan
• Address: 30 Gushan Road, Xihu District (西湖区孤山路30号)

The Chinese Restaurant in Zhejiang Xizi Hotel

The prices are high, but it is elegant dining.

Recommendations: beef fillet cooked with peppers (尖椒牛柳), Dongpo pork (东坡肉), shelled fresh shrimps cooked with Longjing tea (龙井虾仁), fish cooked in vinegar gravy (西湖醋鱼), sweet osmanthus-scented cooked lotus root (桂花糖藕), and "Beggars' chicken" (叫花鸡)

• Chinese name: 浙江西子宾馆中餐厅 Zhejiang Xizi Binguan Zhong Canting
• Average price per person: 155 yuan
• Address: Floor 1, Zhejiang Xizi Hotel, 37 Nanshan Road, Xihu District (西湖区南山路37号浙江西子宾馆1楼)

Zhe Cuisine Menu

Travel with China Highlights and Taste Authentic Zhejiang Cuisine

Our customers enjoying dinner in Guilin.

We could modify our 12-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Hong Kong Cuisine tour to go to Hangzhou, Yiwu or other cities.