Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish 松鼠桂鱼

First Dish on Earth (Sizzling Rice Soup) 锅巴汤

Taihu Lake Boat Dishes 太湖船菜

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Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish 松鼠桂鱼
Legend has it that Emperor Qian Long, that father of many a Chinese culinary tradition, was traveling through Suzhou when he spotted one of the sacred fish frolicking in a nearby pond.  Suddenly hungry for its tender-looking flesh, Qian Long ordered the fish cooked up for him.  This put the royal chef in quite a dilemma.  Mortals were forbidden to kill or eat this holiest of sea animals, but Qianlong was not to be disobeyed.  After much thought, the chef caught and killed the fish, but instead of leaving its skin intact while he grilled it, the wise old cook cut in a cross-hatched pattern across its body.  When the fish’s meat began to swell from the heat, it began looking less and less like a fish, and more and more like a squirrel.  The meat puffed outwards resembling a squirrel’s rigid hair.  Its tail curled upward like a squirrel’s does, and its mouth gaped open, making the head as large and round as a squirrel’s head.  The emporer was satisfied and the gods, tricked into believing that the holy fish has been replaced with a furry mammal, did not unleash their wrath.  Today, this dish is served crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside, its body sprinkled with diced vegetables and/or pinenuts, and its tail turned up – just like a squirrel’s.    

First Dish on Earth (Sizzling Rice Soup) 锅巴汤
The stories behind this dish vary widely, and no one is quite certain where it derived from.  This is, however, Suzhou’s most famed clear soup.  Watercress, shrimp, slices of chicken and crispy rice are simmered into a warm taste sensation. 

Taihu Lake Boat Dishes 太湖船菜
Taihu Boat Dishes were introduced during the Tang Dynasty by well-off officials who enjoyed the placid serenity of dining on board luxurious pleasure boats.  Today, in the town of Guangfu in the eastern Taihu Lake district, several “boat restaurants” seek to re-create this old world experience.   Steamed White Fish (干蒸白鱼), Fried Whitebait with Scrambled Eggs(银鱼炒蛋) and Fried White Shrimp(活炝白虾) are not to be missed.
Recommended Restaurant

Huxianlou Restaurant 湖鲜楼
Add: Taihu Lake Boat Dishes Street, Guangfu Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou
Tel: 0512-66931975   

Shuixiangong Restaurant 水仙宫 
Add: Taihu Lake Boat Dishes Street, Guangfu Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou
Tel: 0512-66939261  

Yinhu Restaurant 银湖酒楼 
Add: Taihu Lake Boat Dishes Street, Guangfu Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou
Tel: 0512-66932909

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