Dubbed the "godfather of Huaiyang cuisine", chef Zhou Xiaoyan leads his team in preparing the most authentic dishes possible from this culinary tradition that, by some estimates, dates back more than 3,000 years. Once through the front door, the restaurant opens up like a classical Chinese garden, with winding paths offering glimpses of the surroundings, and interiors that flow into each other, evoking the Huai and Yangtze rivers near where Huaiyang was born. Food here is characterised by fresh, light yet complex flavours, and consummate knife and cooking skills. Exquisite dishes that diners can sample include – to pick just two – a julienned block of bean curd, and a steamed hilsa herring where all 164 bones are removed while maintaining the shape of the fish before it is steamed in huadiao wine.

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