Hidden gourmet gems you'd definitely miss without a local guide – the must-order dish is the shrimp and vermicelli clay pot

▲ The must-order shrimp and vermicelli clay pot at the private kitchen Ou’s Banquet.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan, ETtoday

“Ou’s Banquet” features a small sign on the second floor of an apartment building, and the first floor looks just like any ordinary residence. Without a local guide, you’d never know there’s a beloved private kitchen tucked away in the alley behind the MRT Xingtian Temple Station that foodies adore. It’s said many retired generals are regulars, and even Qiu Fusheng has dined here. The owner of Ou’s Banquet, affectionately known as Uncle Ou (or “Fifth Brother Ou”), requires advance reservations. He then shops for ingredients based on your budget, which is why Ou’s Banquet doesn’t accept walk-ins at all – you have to make a reservation if you want to eat here.

▲ %It’s hard to imagine such authentic flavors hiding in such an unassuming place./strong>


Originally thought Fifth Brother was Taiwanese, but he’s actually from Macau. His signature dishes are mostly Cantonese cuisine, though he says he just cooks whatever comes to mind, sometimes adding his own twists. For example, the classic Taiwanese three-cup dishes – usually made with chicken, squid, or tofu as in three-cup chicken, three-cup squid, or three-cup tofu – but Fifth Brother actually makes a three-cup pork trotter version. Though the three-cup sauce isn’t complicated, the preparation is labor-intensive, requiring at least two hours of prep work. As for the stuffed tofu dish, unlike Hakka-style stuffed tofu where a hole is dug into the tofu, he actually slowly stuffs minced meat directly into the tofu, which is quite painstaking. Then the tofu is pan-fried before being braised with broth and left to sit overnight so the flavors seep in. It’s reheated again right before serving the next day.


▲ Home-style stuffed tofu – unlike Hakka-style stuffed tofu where a hole is dug into the tofu, he actually slowly stuffs minced meat directly into the tofu.


▲ Tomato beef clay pot, made with Taiwan’s fresh beef, tripe, and whole tomatoes braised for three hours.


▲ Taro chicken leg.


▲ Stir-fried asparagus with squid.


▲ Three-cup pork trotter. This dish requires at least two hours of prep work.

Of course, challenging dishes are no problem for Fifth Brother either. For instance, the famous Shanghai dish – Eight Treasures Duck – is also one of his specialties. First, the duck is cleaned, then cooked glutinous rice is seasoned with aromatics, stuffed inside the duck, and the opening is sewn shut. Next comes deep-frying and braising. Fifth Brother says the frying helps the duck hold its shape, and the braising takes at least four hours to ensure the rice is fully cooked. Since it’s called Eight Treasures Duck, naturally everyone asks what the eight treasures inside the glutinous rice filling are. Fifth Brother starts listing chestnuts, lotus seeds, peanuts, mushrooms, Chinese sausage, then suddenly adds, “And then some other things – there’s eight in total, but I can’t tell you them all,” drawing laughter from everyone present.