Suppose that you, who like me, are itching to know more about 102 House – two stars Michelin and No.40 on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, touching on its heart of tying to the traditional Cantonese banquet cuisine will likely find you the secrets, for which a probe into the city of Foshan, where both 102 and the Cantonese cuisine originated, works efficiently.
The story kicked off when Chef Jingye Xu, a Foshan native, setting out on his own, started up a village private kitchen to attend to banquet cuisine driven by classic – or lost – Cantonese recipes. Cantonese cuisine essentially consists of three groups, Hakka, Teochew and Guangzhou – a stretch to the neighboring Foshan.
Anchored in the sub-category – Guangzhou and Foshan – came out of a pure instinct and appreciation to the food Chef Xu grew up with, at which point giving a new life to classics with genuineness got 102 a takeoff.
One big moment arrived in the wake of 102 being listed in the Essence of Asia collection, motivating it to bet on the competitive SH market. Accompanied by honors – the Michelin Guide and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards – bestowed on it, a larger momentum to progress followed besides fame.
More chances than ever, gifted him with a massive change: He’s more of translating a new tradition of not too traditional, where he plays around with new flavors, combinations of ingredients and cooking techniques;
A significant understanding of the deeper he runs in authenticity, the further he can go along with the open and tolerant attitude. That is, staying true to what’s essential to the quintessential Cantonese fare – original flavor, homestyle cooking, mild and elegant taste – contributes to his ingenuity.
Now, he heads around to restart the shelved 102 in Foshan through pop ups quarterly, to pamper guests in the GD-HK-Macau Greater Bay Area.
A closer reach to the root coupled with a more progressive cooking will bring a greater good, wherein you’ll be spoiled by dishes that the SH branch offers or not, like the signature sweet and sour pork, francolin congee with bird’s nest.
The increased number of visits to the 102 House, last year in particular, led to a greater depth of insights acquired in me. Though there’re plenty of reasons for making it worthy of repeated visits, of which one giving a buzz stays at an excitement born out of a good blend of originality and authenticity.
It probably is the result of the personality Chef Xu develops, namely running a lively and enquiring mind and adopting a modest heart to his root – Cantonese cuisine. Roughly walk you through a few of dishes below:
Before that, here comes a note: It’s generally agreed that Cantonese cuisine mainly includes that of Guangzhou&Foshan, and HK, but the HK style that’s long been familiar to the globe has evolved into a unique distinction of its own even if it shares the same origin as the former.
Francolin Congee with Bird’s Nest and Ham: Simmer the francolin soup stock with deboned&mashed francolin meat and Chinese yam, come a pinch of bird’s nest, and top with shredded hams, a meticulous handing is leveraged to revive the age-old rice-free francolin congee with bird’s nest to a finer quality.
Crab with Fermented Black Bean and Perilla: A move that wins the applause is to associate all the Cantonese elements as a whole to make us (re)acquaint the stir-fried crab with fermented black beans, referring to that of stir-frying the crab with chili pepper flat cake – a common seasoning made of crushed chili, garlic and fermented black beans after drying, as well as perilla and sautéed cheung fun (aka steamed rice noodle rolls).
Stir-fried Glutinous Rice: Tossing and frying the raw rice in wok until cooked, while keeping it from being sticky, Chef Xu is intensely serious about passing down the heritage.
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✈️36+ Hours in Foshan, in Guangdong province? Following his lead finds a perfect discovery – over and above the 102 House Foshan:
*Museums and Attractions: Hemart Museum, Foshan Ancestral Temple, 容桂旧圩菜市场.
*Where to eat: 鸡棚饭店, 培哥私房菜, 稔海和民饭店, 萧婆肠粉, 竹香园雷州羊肉煲,东海海鲜酒家.
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