It didn’t take long for Jiangnan Talk to start building a fan base, says dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.
ON my first visit to Jiangnan Talk, a new Chinese restaurant beside the library on Giles Street, Kingston, the place was almost packed, even though it had only been open about a week.
Located where a former vegan eatery once operated, Jiangnan Talk has refreshed the space from top to bottom, bringing in new stone tables, comfy faux-leather chairs, contemporary decor and a lovely series of bright-red Chinese lanterns. It’s stylish and more upmarket in appearance and approach.
Jiangnan takes its food seriously with a well-planned, considered menu that isn’t so lengthy it’s overwhelming. Dishes are divided into entrées, soups, dumplings, chef’s specials, seafood, a separate king prawn section, other mains (divided by protein), noodle dishes, laksas, vegetables, and dessert.
As dumpling fans, we couldn’t go past the fried chicken and chive variation (eight pieces for $16), crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside with the chives making a statement.
An excellent choice is whitebait with hot rock salt, with the fish dipped in a fine coating, lightly fried and seasoned perfectly ($27). The mound of fish arrived on top of a bed of crispy noodles.
The eight chef’s specials are impressive and the XO green beans with chilli sauce were a delight ($24). Crunchy beans, the right amount of heat and a luscious XO sauce. Lovers of XO will be attracted to the dried-fried eggplant dish featuring the sauce, created with chef’s secret ingredients ($27).
Our lamb dish came sizzling on a hotplate and featured ginger and shallots, always a winning combination ($27). The lamb was beautifully tender, and the dish was full of flavour.
As duck fans, it was inevitable we selected from Jiangnan Talk’s offerings. The steamed duck was succulent, and the big chunks of Chinese mushroom were earthy and had a wonderful texture. Bok choy provided perfect balance and a vibrant green colour.
While we didn’t taste test this time, Jiangnan Talk’s menu features five pork chop dishes, all with different sauces, including a strawberry (all $38).
We’re not always dessert people, but couldn’t spot anything too exciting anyway. Still, the two sweets are reasonably priced – the fruit salad with ice cream $8 and cake of the day $8.50.
New restaurants often need to iron out kinks. Although one dish took a considerable time to arrive, the service overall was efficient, and the staff motivated and welcoming.
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