Cantonese cuisine is distinguished by its preparation methods, be they steaming, simmering, decocting or braising. Ze (啫), a cooking method where food is fried in an earthenware pot, has yet to be counted among these typical culinary styles, but soon may, simply by virtue of locally renowned Wisca restaurant. At least, Lu Zhihong – manager of Wisca’s brand-new concept, Ze Ba (啫八) – hopes so.
Lu may be onto something. Two years ago, CCTV’s popular documentary A Bite of China II opted for Wisca’s signature ze ze bao (啫啫煲) and Cantonese soup as two exemplars of the South’s finest food arts.
Entering the scene in 1992 as a dai pai dong (open-air food stall), Wisca today is admittedly among the creme de la creme in the realm of Cantonese cuisine.
To give an idea of what the ze process entails, the classy ze ze eel (RMB79) begins with the frying of garlic, red peppers and chives in sauce, followed by searing of the eel in spice and a sprinkle of huangjiu (yellow wine) to conclude. The entire process takes about 20 seconds.
The dish arrives smoking and emits an alluring smell of pungent garlic and chives. Make sure to stir the eels before digging in so as to cover them fully with sauce and prevent overcooking.
In the words of Lu, “We can ze almost everything you can possibly imagine.”
At Wisca Ze Ba, ‘ze-able’ options range from seafood and rice to vegetables and frog. The most popular choice is the ze ze lobster with chili (RMB369, serves four), which comes doused in vanilla, chili, shrimp and seven other flavors. These sauces take turns teasing the tongue for a complex, layered piquancy.
While ze dishes are definitely the highlight of Ze Ba, the venue is well versed in other appetizing eats.
The roasted Chinese sausages (RMB19) – braised with a butane torch and spotted with char – taste crispy and light when eaten together with the deep-fried scallions.
A Cantonese meal is never complete without soup, so try any of Wisca’s simmered brews. The stewed chicken with abalone (RMB39) tastes scintillatingly robust. Simmered not on a stove but in a pressure cooker for hours, the soup delivers a rich smack of natural oils from the chicken, abalone and herbs.
Ze Ba offers a soothing and agreeable aura with its underlying tones of timber and bamboo. And its culinary approach – reminiscent of an eatery from the Song dynasty – is complemented by wooden spoons and ceramic bowls that nod to the humble ways of ancient China.
Refined, full flavors in a natural ambience – that’s the unrehearsed charm of Ze Ba.
Watch excerpts featuring Wisca from CCTV’s A Bite of China II (VPN off):
Price: RMB90
Who’s going: Senior Guangzhouers, CCTV documentary film crews
Good for: Robust ze ze dishes, a pleasant atmosphere
See listing for Wisca Ze Ba here.
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