Chinese cuisine boasts intricate food presentations with thousands of years of history, perhaps beginning in the days when chefs had to put together beautifully creative feasts for the emperor. From the delicately carved vegetables of dragons and phoenixes to desserts like these cute little birds, Chinese chefs have so much up their sleeves and I believe, have yet to get the international recognition they deserve.
Desserts always make me smile, but creative desserts that taste brilliant makes my heart leap.
These little chicks are made of pastry puff stuffed with lotus seed paste, laced with coconut bits and served coated with honey.
Perhaps I should make it my next project to harass Chinese pastry chefs on the art of Chinese dish presentation.
This little bird is a blob of cold dough and unfortunately inedible, but oh so cute, nonetheless.
You can find this lovely dessert in the newest branch of Huajia Yiyuan at Shangdu SOHO.
While it’s nice to take visiting friends to the old courtyard brunch on Guijie, the new brunch with modern interiors does equally good food and offers better service.
Where you can find these little birds for dessert:
Huajia Yiyuan 花家怡园 Beijing
5/F Shangdu SOHO West Bldg,8 Dongdaqiao Lu ,Chaoyang 200m south of Landao Mansion, 东大桥路8号SOHO尚都西塔五层, 蓝岛大厦向南200米路东
Tel: 5900-3055
Huajia Yiyuan 花家怡园 Beijing
235 Dongzhimennei Dajie,Dongzhimen, near Gui Jie, 东直门内235号,簋街附近, Tel: 6405-1908
Reservations at this restaurant is absolutely necessary. I much prefer the tables in the outdoors in the courtyard than the private rooms. Always a safe bet to take visiting friends. I don’t remember if they serve the little birds here, since I’m always ordering the caramelised fried fruits.
