Bistro Ginger in Shanghai has found its own place in the competitive market for the dishes with influences of various countries.(Photo provided to China Daily)
Using leaves of fresh herbs from Ng's "jungle" of plants at home, the paste is combined with garlic, roasted pine nuts and rice bran oil and then seasoned with sea salt and ground pepper. They mix beautifully, creating a minty and flavorful taste that invites you to dip everything-noodles, pork and chocolate cake into it.
That is, everything except the steamed black cod, for which dipping would simply be gilding the lily. Instead of a light steamed dish, it's more like a heartwarming and stomach-gratifying soup for winter comfort: The fish chunk is cooked and served in a glass jar of soup, spiced with lemon grass, ginger, lime leaves and coconut milk.
Of course, you wouldn't mind enjoying it in summer either, if you are the tom-yam-kung-slurping type who enjoys sweating at Thailand's street stalls in pursuit of that country's famously delicious street food.
The Mochi Mochi ice dessert ends the meal with a fun-yet-soothing touch after all the spices.
The Izakaya-style classic features a variety of textures, including smoothing ice cream, and spongy and chewy mocha, all with a finely tuned mild sweetness.
(By Xu Junqian)
If you go
Ginger
No 91, Xingguo Road, Changning district, Shanghai.
021-3406-0599.
