The VIA Slow Cooking Experience is located near the intersection of Jianguo Road and Jiaxing Road, opposite the restaurant ‘Nice to Meet You.’ This place is easy to miss; it’s a standalone house with an outdoor courtyard. The restaurant has been open for about a year now. Previously, it operated as a private kitchen that wasn’t open to the public—reservations were required in advance so ingredients could be prepared according to guests’ preferences. The entire second floor features an open kitchen where diners sit around the counter, enjoying their meals while watching the chefs at work.
This year, they opened up to the general public and ran a few promotions, so I decided to give it a try. They offer lunch set menus at various price points, none of which are particularly expensive. The four-course tasting menu offers pretty good quality. Slow cooking has two main advantages: it allows flavors to penetrate more deeply, and it can make meat more tender. However, since this technique can also tenderize lower-quality cuts, the raw ingredients used here are actually fairly ordinary.
Overall, the service at this restaurant is quite good, but the interior design style is rather peculiar. The first floor feels as though no professional designer was involved—it seems the owner simply decorated it according to personal taste. Aside from a large bookshelf covering one wall, which is nice enough, everything else looks haphazard. The lighting fixtures, seating arrangements, bar counter, and soft furnishings all clash with one another.
In addition to dining services, this establishment also sells alcohol and DeLonghi kitchen appliances. Lunch service doesn’t start until 12:30 p.m.—a very European touch indeed.
Maple syrup slow-roasted duck breast, oil-poached artichokes, and arugula with aged balsamic vinaigrette. The duck breast is cooked well-done, but fortunately, thanks to the slow-roasting method, it isn’t too tough.
Maple syrup slow-roasted duck breast, oil-poached artichokes, and arugula with aged balsamic vinaigrette
Baked red prawns with orange salsa, green salad with yuzu dressing—this dish tastes amazing~~
Baked red prawns with orange salsa, green salad with yuzu dressing
Signature slow-cooked organic farm egg, celeriac purée, sautéed mushrooms, Spanish ham, and truffle chicken jus. They claim the egg is cooked in warm water for four hours, but honestly, I don’t quite understand the point—onsen eggs don’t require that long. The “four-hour” claim feels more like a marketing gimmick, and there’s no way to verify whether it really takes that long. Nevertheless, the dish itself tastes delicious.
Signature slow-cooked organic farm egg, celeriac purée, sautéed mushrooms, Spanish ham, and truffle chicken jus
Signature slow-cooked organic farm egg, celeriac purée, sautéed mushrooms, Spanish ham, and truffle chicken jus
Tomato-braised veal shank and red wine-braised beef tongue, served with mashed potatoes and winter vegetables. This is another signature dish, advertised as being slow-cooked for six hours. The veal shank is meltingly tender, and the beef tongue is equally soft and served in one generous piece.
Tomato-braised veal shank and red wine-braised beef tongue, served with mashed potatoes and winter vegetables
Low-temperature slow-cooked red snapper with white wine clam herb sauce and cherry tomatoes. I really enjoyed this dish—if you overlook the fact that the fish isn’t top-grade, the crispy skin pairs beautifully with the tender flesh, and the sweet-and-sour white wine clam herb sauce makes it absolutely delicious.
Low-temperature slow-cooked red snapper with white wine clam herb sauce and cherry tomatoes
Tiramisu is well-made too, though the alcohol flavor is slightly on the mild side.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu
Latte
Latte
Photos in this post taken with SONY NEX-5R + 35mm f1.8, post-processed in Lightroom.
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