China Day 15: UNESCO Recognized - Shunde [City of Gastronomy]

~ 9th February 2016 ~

It couldn't be more true that Shunde is a city of gluttony. We eat, eat and eat~! We ordered a lot of food all the time because the food was so good. 

We decided to try out this tourist spot restaurant known as 水乡人家. It was supposed to be really famous because it came out in the food channel. I have my doubts with those restaurants which were recommended by food channels. Sometimes the hosts were invited by the restaurateurs and it was necessary to say everything nice about the food served in that particular restaurant, ain't that right? How can you be invited for your show and get free tasting of the expensive dishes then you spit onto the ground and say those were the worst you have ever tasted. 

Second uncle and father also said we should just try it out instead of driving back to search for other restaurants. Some restaurants were closed due to the festive season. 

The restaurant was really packed to the brim. Mother went to the counter to place the order. No one would come to the table to entertain you. There were just too many tables thus, it was impossible to keep track on which table has not order.

Rice was for free. We got the table nearest to the rice  plugs. You see everyone was so busy with their phones. No wifi... I cannot play with my phone. If not you will see that our table seemed to have serious problem where everyone was too busy with phones. Father and second uncle squinting, can't see those small fonts. I played with the camera, my main source of entertainment. 

A few dishes started arriving and we attacked the food. The food upset my taste buds. They were *ahem ahem*... errrmmmm need to change chefs? Yes, no good according to Shunde's level. I have been eating extremely good Shunde cuisine, this restaurant needs serious overhaul in the kitchen. I'm very sorry... ugh, no... you should be the one apologizing because we were the customers. Penang's roadside stir-fry stalls taste better hands down. 

All of us went for the watercress soup. The watercress soup, a seasonal dish, was the best~! We were all going for that only to eat with our rice. The fish cake was extremely good though. I asked mother whether there's anymore and I was horrified that we were actually waiting for some pork ribs. No, thank you~! Mother quickly scrambled to the counter to cancel the order. If the pork belly was so wrong in the taste in every corner, the pork ribs would not be able to beat those pork ribs from 禾盛.. I'm not the only who complained about the food. All of us agreed that the food was not on par with Shunde's title of City of Gastronomy. Other patrons must have 'tidak apa attitude' towards the food they put into their mouth. Everybody knows how to eat but not everyone knows how to measure taste.

To compensate ourselves, we went to Huagai Lu, the shopping street. Of course we went to get my shuang pi nai topped with chocolate sauce. We tapao-ed for Pinky and the rest of the family. It was another long drive home to Shenzhen.