What exactly is Shaoxing cuisine? Find out about the six flavor pillars at Yue Ji, a Shaoxing restaurant that excels in the drunken, funky, and fermented flavors of the cuisine.
About Yue Ji
Yue Ji was founded in 2023 by master chef Yu Bin. Its first Hangzhou location was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand just a year later.
Now, the restaurant group has four locations in Shanghai and in Hangzhou, plus one in Shaoxing itself. And the average check sits at a very reasonable ¥120, proving that profound, regional flavor doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
I went to their PAC location in Jing’an. The vibe is minimalist and functional — this isn’t a place for velvet banquettes, but for eating. And from what I could tell, it’s an interior style that’s replicated across all locations.
What is Shaoxing Cuisine?
First, a quick primer.
Shaoxing cuisine is the bold, funky heart of the broader Jiangnan culinary tradition in Zhejiang. The flavors in Shaoxing cuisine tend to be more adventurous compared to the greater Jiangnan region, with a flavor profile built on six pillars:
Six Flavor Pillars of Shaoxing Cuisine
醉 (zuì/drunken)
酱 (jiàng/sauced)
腌 (yān/salted or pickled or preserved)
糟 (zāo/fermented lees)
霉 (méi/molded or fermented)
臭 (chòu/stinky or funky)
It’s a cuisine that doesn’t dabble in funk, it celebrates it. And some of it can be pretty stanky — more on that below.
Classic Shaoxing Dishes To Order
Start with the Huadiao Wine Marinated Crab (¥45/piece) aka “drunken crab.” Like a gateway drug into the world of Shaoxing cuisine, this will have you muttering “finger lickin’ good” in no time.
The freshwater crab is cooked, then submerged in a bath of aged Huadiao wine, soy sauce, and sugar. The result is sweet, savory, and aromatic, with a texture that’s all about the rich, creamy roe and supple flesh. A perfect cold starter.
The Sauced Platter (¥69, 酱味拼盘) showcases the “酱” (jiàng) technique, where sausages and duck tongues are marinated in a blend of soy sauce, bay leaves, fennel, and cinnamon before being air-dried. Over the course of a month, the meats develop a glossy, deep red-black hue. Duck tongues aren’t my thing, so I can’t really comment on those. The sausage was slightly sweet and appetizing, but nothing to write home about.
Next up, the Braised Pork with Shaoxing Preserved Vegetables (¥78, 越稽干菜焖肉) arrives with some theatre, served in a jumbo-sized steamer basket with steamed buns. The dish is made with salty, sour-umami mustard greens that have been rehydrated to combine with the braising liquid of Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and spices. The meat is slow-cooked to submission, incredibly tender and fat rendered, and its sauce a deep caramel.
Additionally, the steamed buns have been thoughtfully hollowed out, a vessel to contain the gloriously umami and fatty filling.
A close second is the Red Braised Prawns (¥98, 绍式红烧大虾), which come glistening in a light hongshao glaze of soy and sugar. This is a “once you pop, you can’t stop” situation. The sauce is the kind of sticky, savory-sweet glaze that makes you forget your manners and just start licking your fingers.
Don’t overlook the Dry Vegetable Pork Fried Rice (¥58, 一头牛焗饭). It’s straightforward and simple, and fully delivers on satisfaction. The soy sauce mixture they use is deeply fragrant, transforming a simple staple into something I’ll keep going back to. Within are water bamboo shoots and carrots for crunch, shiitake mushrooms, beef strips, and minced pork.
For snack-sized plates, there are the Shaoxing “Throat Buns” (¥22/six, 绍兴喉口包). A semi-leavened dough gives a thin, slightly chewy casing for a shockingly juicy and flavorful blast of minced pork and scallions.
A first for me is the “Shi” Tofu Consommé (¥56, 西施豆腐羹). It’s definitely not a consommé, but rather a comforting porridge. A soup base of chicken stock is thickened with arrowroot (rather than cornstarch) and has a velvety texture, save for the bits of sautéed minced pork and wood ear mushrooms. It looks plain, but it’s a savory, umami-rich blend of silken tofu and flavor-boosting accompaniments.
Now, let’s talk about the stinky stuff.
The Steamed Pork Patty with Fermented Tofu Sheets (¥48, 霉千张蒸肉饼) is no joke. It smells like a biology experiment and has a pungent aroma and flavor that’s akin to ammonia. Hella funky. Some people say it’s like blue cheese, but I can tell you this: no blue cheese I’ve had tastes like this.
Connoisseurs call it savory, umami, and complex. To me, it was a challenge. Thin sheets of bean curd are stacked and left to ferment, creating a powerful aroma. The texture of the tofu is pasty, very similar to a crumbly cheese. I respect it, but I can’t hack it.
In comparison, the Deep-Fried Stinky Tofu (¥32) is a walk in the park. The funk is just a hint, a background note behind a crispy shell and spongy interior. Served with a sharp fermented chili sauce and a sweet fermented paste (甜面酱) to dip, these springy tofu bites are the perfect, accessible entry point to Shaoxing’s most (in)famous flavor.
Try Shaoxing Food
The verdict: If you’re looking to get a crash course in the six flavor pillars of Shaoxing cuisine, Yue Ji is an accessible stating point. Though, if you just want get that braised pork belly and chow it down with fried rice, it’s damn good for that, too.
Yue Ji (PAC)
Click here for the venue listing.
