Fuzhou Restaurants

Fuzhou dishes are representative of the Min Cuisine that is very much a feature of Fujian Province and is one of the Eight Major Cuisines of China . Min, (which is short for Fujian Province), has its own unique style that has evolved over a very long period of time and each of the various recipes are very precise with an emphasis placed on their savory sauces. These sauces are mild and of a sweet and sour nature and together with meats and vegetables that are cut and prepared in a particular manner, combine into wonderfully appetizing dishes. As in other provinces, snacks are very much part of daily diet and the tasty Fuzhou snacks rightly deserve their recognition as ‘Famous Chinese Snacks’.

Within about two weeks of Goodies closing at 1 East Broadway, Fuzhou Restaurant has opened in the same location with all new signage. The Mandarin Chinese name is – Kong Xin Hai Xian Fang. They’ve only slightly remodeled the place: switched the desk/till area and given it all a fresh coat of paint. They seemed to have tidied it up a bit in the back and the bathrooms still lack paper towels. It was deserted when I stopped by today at 11:30 a.m. save the lone waitress (English speaking) and 2-3 male, Owner-looking types at the entrance area with limited English language skills.

I ordered my Fuzhou base comparison dish – Lychee Pork over Rice ($3.95) and Fuzhou Style Wonton Soup ($2.00.) Within minutes a piping hot plate of Fuzhou style sweet and sour pork over rice arrived with some red and green peppers, a couple of fresh bamboo shoots, two black mushrooms and a healthy portion of cauliflower. Slightly sweeter, with less vinegar and without the savory hot pepper flakes in the Best Fuzhou on Forsyth Street’s preferred version. The Fuzhou Style Wonton Soup had about 15 small and delicate wontons in a clear broth with a few scallions. It was simple, delicious and cheap. It hit the spot on a cool and rainy day.

Other intriguing items on the menu are Duck Blood with Chives, Rabbit with Foo Chow Sauce, Goose Intestine done four different ways, Lamb with Wine Dregs Soups and nine different Frog dishes: from Frog with Baby Chives to Steamed Frog with Ham. As befits a Fuzhou restaurant, there are some 20 different soups. Very large seafood selection and some 20 House Specialty dishes plus more.

Probably a bit more upscale than Best Fuzhou on Eldridge Street, but not as warm. Hard to say if the old Goodies crowd will return to fill up the place at lunch. I did not see any inexpensive Fuzhou style congee dishes, a staple of the other Fuzhou restaurants in Chinatown that serve mostly Fujian dialect speaking immigrants.