The world on a plate

Chinese northwest-style cold noodles made of spaghetti by Dan Cha Fan restaurant. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Wuzhen is a melting pot of fare from the surrounding areas. The town is a trade and commerce hub that borders two provinces, three cities and seven counties. It was once an important stopover for boats traveling along the Yangtze River before automobiles became widely accessible in China.

"There's no such thing as Wuzhen cuisine," Wu says.

"Authentic Wuzhen food is a pinch of this and a dash of that from every Chinese cuisine."

That said, the town does have distinctive dishes, such as dried soy-sauce duck, which Wu serves atop his restaurant's sandalwood tables.

It's common to see young girls nibbling on drumsticks or wings while walking along the cobblestone streets next to bridges reflected in the canals.

Wu borrows from Cantonese cuisine for his version of soy-sauce duck. He uses male ducks younger than a year old, so they're flavorful yet tender. And he marinates the meat in soy sauce, garlic, chili peppers and anise.