Heaven and earth are one family: the land of the son of heaven is self-contained
Wang Hongbin under the root of the imperial city
Wang Hongbin is such a place. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was part of the imperial city and belonged to the palace reservoir area of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. No random entry or exit. Among them, there is a royal historical tomb, also known as the table chapter library, which belongs to royal archives in Ming and Qing Dynasties. There is also an ancient river named Changpu River, which was called "Yugou" in ancient times and later renamed Waijinshui River.
In the Ming Dynasty, it was the imperial garden of the emperor and was called "Little South City". Later, it changed its direction towards the pool. The Regent's Palace, the Ursa Mahayana Hall rebuilt by Kangxi and the Purdue Temple named after Qianlong were all built in this place. Later, after the demise of the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial City of Beijing opened two ticket gates on the east and west wings, forming two streets. The area around the ticket gate in the west was called Nanchang Street, and the area around the ticket gate in the east was renamed Wang Hongbin.
In this way, Wang Hongbin was separated from the Forbidden City, and some residential courtyards appeared one after another, all of which were painted with gray walls and vermicelli doors. Today, Wang Hongbin Street has become a residential area, and its south gate is less than 500 meters away from Tiananmen Gate. This century-old street has witnessed the changes of Tiananmen Square, witnessed the rise and fall of the country, and is full of solemn historical atmosphere.
50 meters away from Wang Hongbin archway, you can see a magnificent blue brick house with a plaque at the door, which reads "Heaven and Earth are one". By the way, the place we are going to today is this famous restaurant located at the corner of Nanchi and on the bank of Changpu River, which occupies the best geographical position and guards the root of the imperial city.
Sitting in the royal back garden
Just look at this geography, you will know that the aristocratic atmosphere here is not general. But its charm, in addition to the mystery of royal temperament, lies in its restaurant design created by Hong Kong designers throughout the ages.
From the appearance, the red walls and green tiles are typical of the imperial city style. The brick carving of fire unicorn at the door is full of charm and ancient meaning, which was purchased by the boss who loves antiques in rural Shanxi. Inside, it is still the classic style of China, but there is no lack of elegance and low-key luxury. Four years ago, the new red sandalwood official hat chair and Zi Ling curtains made of special materials shone with the light of Leng Yan. On the first floor, there is a small patio similar to a courtyard, with a glass roof and an old oil-paper umbrella stacked like duckweed. There is a big round table in the center, surrounded by still water, and there are several colorful carp games in ten tail. At the same time, people in China say that when it comes to water, it will be stable, and it should be such good heat. It is surrounded by four sacred pillars: Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku and Xuanwu, and looks dignified and quiet in the dim light. Inserting potted plants between the columns softens the toughness of wooden furniture and embellishes the elegant temperament.
The walls are all gray-black, and the calligraphy and paintings on the walls include a batch of Song paintings of the National Palace Museum in Taipei copied by Erxuan Society, the Caoshu of Zhaoling and Liu Jun copied by famous artists such as Zhang Xu and Huai Su, and the old one specially presented to heaven and earth. There are all kinds of pottery figurines in the corner of the room and around the hall. The walls are inlaid with ancient stone carvings, and antique cabinets and porcelain can be seen everywhere, which feels like a museum.
What is even more rare is that almost every room has scenery to see, especially the balcony on the side of the private room on the second floor, where you can see the bright yellow glazed tile roof of the whole Forbidden City, as if the back garden of the former royal family was sitting between the seats, so close to this historical precipitation, people can't help but feel the dislocation of time and space, as if looking back at the past in such a boudoir compound.
Independent fusion dishes
The waiter took the menu, which was written in beautiful font: "All tastes belong to this sect and stand in one room, hoping to suit many people and become their own family". From the very beginning, he decided on the sects, and expounded his diet concept of "containing the authentic taste of all directions and being a family of heaven and earth", which should also reflect the natural atmosphere at the foot of the son of heaven.
Generally speaking, dishes include Forbidden City cuisine, Lujing cuisine, Chaozhou cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine and Zhejiang cuisine. The ingredients and cooking are very particular. Before serving, there is always a waiter who carefully explains the dish to the diners, which means that they understand the consumption. Among them, the crab feast is a must, especially the crystal crab jelly, with good vinegar sauce, refreshing and crystal clear; Fried crab powder with French bread, combined with the fusion of western food, is the only one. Another special dish that must be ordered is Japanese sake foie gras, which is made by soaking the first-class raw foie gras in sake like water. When it melts in the mouth, it is the delicate and long taste of foie gras, with a hint of sake aftertaste. The sweet and crisp beans prepared below are used to refresh your mind. It's an unparalleled feast. It is also recommended to stew abalone wings with traditional Cantonese cuisine, especially the whole Wuyang wing, stewed in clear soup. The taste is soft and waxy, the sauce is fragrant, the color is purple, like the shape of a fan, very beautiful.
Its hot pot is called "the first pot in the world". Kobe beef, which was first airlifted to Kobe, is now famous for its exquisite materials. Besides, the official dishes in the Forbidden City series are also worth a try, which must be the same strain next to the imperial city. Even simple court snacks, such as kidney roll and pea yellow, are very authentic.
People who like to drink and have fun can also go to the special wine tasting bar on the second floor. The design of the wine list is very individual. In China restaurant, this kind of brewing equipment is quite excellent. There are more than ten kinds of wines with a price of more than 1000 yuan per bottle, among which the price of dry red in Dubois Castle, the legal producing area of Langmalo in Bordeaux, France, is 16800 yuan.
However, this is a luxurious place. Sometimes, the pursuit of food requires desperate and brave efforts, especially money.
Tian di yi Jia