S&N 牛头山度假村

The three-storey restaurant may be rustic in style, but its novel take on familiar home-style flavours defies all expectations. The kitchen dreams up adventurous food combinations that work surprisingly well. Must-tries include pork dumplings in a deeply flavoured duck herbal broth that has been simmered for hours. A Taizhou meal is never complete without seafood, such as braised yellow croaker, white crab, or spicy whelks sautéed with aromatics.

You can find Xin Rong Ji in all major Chinese cities these days, but this is their longest-standing outlet (in business since 2005). As in most Taizhou-style restaurants, diners pick their own seafood from the tanks and specify how they want it cooked. All-time favourites include golden fried beltfish with delicate flesh in a crispy crust, and braised sea anemone with glass noodles, which seduces with its flavoursome broth and lovely textures.

In a bright, airy space that is tastefully furnished in an antique gold colour scheme, the open kitchen and live seafood tanks are the centre of attention. Popular choices include yellow croaker, pomfret and lobster –pick your favourites and have them cooked in your preferred way. Must-tries include the crispy deep-fried beltfish belly, which is packed with umami and briny sweetness. The Taizhou-style braised crushed crab is pure decadence.

For over 20 years, this longstanding restaurant has been serving a unique noodle dish from Linhai City – mai xia. Wheat flour batter is scraped into a boiling broth to make soft, chewy noodles that curl like shrimps. Try their version with ‘three delicacies’: marinated beef shank, clams and shrimps, alongside fried egg and shredded radish. Whether it’s for breakfast or a late-night supper, a bowl of delicious mai xia always hits the spot.

This simple shop near Donghu Lake has built up a loyal following over the past 20 years, thanks to its authentic local eats. The signature item is wok-fried mochi with egg, carrot and beansprouts – the sticky rice cake, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, is elevated by the smoky wok hei. Maixia noodle soup is a staple dish in Linhai, and theirs is springy in texture, with a broth imbued with deep flavour thanks to clams and dried shrimps.

For 10-plus years, this simple shop has focused on one item – bianshi dumplings that are steamed, deep-fried, pan-fried or served in soup. Each dumpling is generously filled with ground pork, mashed tofu and water bamboo shoots before being folded by hand into an ingot shape with its paper-thin wrapper draping like butterfly wings. Try their premium version of ginger juice egg custard; the ground pork and walnuts add lovely textures to the sweet treat.

The traditional wood-rich façade befits the historical charm of this ancient street. The interior is equally enchanting with latticed windows and grey bricks. A spinoff of the Xin Rong Ji group, this simple joint focuses on local snacks and home-style favourites. Dim sum like open-faced ‘chui yuan’ dumplings and ‘bian shi’ wontons are cooked to order. A sprinkling of brown sugar and walnuts adds depth to the velvety ginger juice egg custard.