Sating a crustacean fixation

Marinated bamboo shoots are a must-try as the first bunches are harvested in spring. Wang boils the tender bamboo shoots with some condiments and marinates them in a special brine at under 10 C for a week. The bamboo shoots are then packed so they can be kept for the summer.

Served in July, they taste just as tender as fresh bamboo shoots.

"Once the bamboo-shoot season ends, we serve cane shoots to ensure our diners can enjoy the dish all year round," says Wang.

Wang goes to great lengths to serve up the freshest ingredients during the harvest season. For his summer menu, he serves up white lotus root from Mata Lake in Shandong province and fresh lotus seeds-both are so delicious they are served uncooked.

The white lotus root is crunchy, glutinous and sweet, while the lotus seeds are slightly bitter with a sweet aftertaste.

Besides creating dishes according to the season, Wang is also an aficionado of the traditional feasts unique to the Jiangzhe region.

The long fish feast is one such traditional meal from Jiangsu province which uses eel to make a staggering 108 different dishes. Wang hopes to replicate this ancient feast for his customers, which is recorded in the annals of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) history.