An eatery with a good name

The success of Xu Xian Mansion Restaurant can be partly attributed to its name. Xu Xian is the male protagonist of a fairy tale, The Story of the White Snake. It is about a white snake spirit who transforms into a beautiful woman and marries Xu Xian, a young scholar. The story is so well known the restaurant quickly got name recognition.

The first impression of the interior reminded me of the Roman baths, in Bath, England. There is a pond at the center of the restaurant, surrounded by large columns, with dining areas and a second floor private room section overlooking it. White and green coloration make the place look elegant and suits the name of the restaurant.

The cuisine is a refined version of Huaiyang style, based on adaptations of classic Jiangsu and Zhejiang dishes. The camphor and tea tree smoked duck was flavorsome, even though it was lean. Smoked fish, another cold starter, was also full of taste, although a bit tough. The assorted three plates of seafood was a wonderfully fresh and innovative dish, featuring flowery snails, yellow rice wine marinated mud snails and squilla.