Nanjing was once jokingly called the Cantonese cuisine desert, but in fact, Nanjing is not the only city with a low level of Cantonese cuisine. Although Cantonese cuisine is one of the four major cuisines, the development outside the province is somewhat deformed, and there are few authentic and delicious Cantonese cuisines outside Guangdong. The training cycle of Cantonese chefs is long; The dishes are demanding on ingredients and rely on local products; Delicious seafood is prohibitively expensive due to its high price, which limits the development of Cantonese cuisine. In contrast, morning tea and roast meat are less difficult to cook, the price is not high, and it is easier to promote, but they have gained a firm foothold outside the province and gradually become the representative of Cantonese cuisine. In this context, advantageous tea restaurants will be mistaken for Cantonese restaurants, but there are very few orthodox Cantonese restaurants. This is the case with Nanjing's Cantonese markets, where you'll find authentic Cantonese flavours.

Jade Garden, a subsidiary of Hong Kong restaurant giant Maxim's Group, was founded in 1971 and its Hong Kong store has been approved by Michelin. There is a slight gap between the mainland branch and the head office, but it also continues to be at a consistently high level. Its cooking skills are sophisticated, and the flavor of the dishes is pure, which is far beyond other Cantonese restaurants in Nanjing.

Jade Garden covers almost all the major categories of Cantonese cuisine, including all kinds of seafood such as morning tea roasted meat, abalone cucumber winged belly, stir-fried hot dishes, staple desserts, etc., as well as many Western-style fusion dishes. In particular, it is worth mentioning that all dishes on the menu are clearly marked as "no added MSG". MSG is a common seasoning in Chinese cuisine and has no negative impact on the body, while Cantonese cuisine is "hostile" to MSG due to flavor preferences. Cantonese cuisine advocates the use of high-quality ingredients to reflect the original umami, condiments are a supporting role, and the efficient freshness enhancement function of monosodium glutamate is worthy of recognition, but it makes the dish single flavor type, and it is difficult to show the skills of Cantonese cooking, so it is not welcomed. Jade Garden's approach can be said to be orthodox, and many of its products also reflect the true taste of the ingredients.

Wonton wings in thick soup can reflect the above characteristics. The soup is made by boiling a variety of ingredients such as shark fin and chicken, and the fresh and sweet flavors of different foods are blended into it, and the entrance can feel multiple flavors, and the umami is not single. The original aroma and mellow taste brought by real materials are far better than the "thick soup" made of additives. In addition, shark fin is clear and translucent, the taste is smooth and oily, and it adsorbs the soup, and it is even sweeter after chewing. The ingredients are delicate and time-consuming to cook, which is difficult for ordinary Cantonese restaurants to achieve.

Roast meat is a very common dish in Guangdong, from high-end restaurants to fast food restaurants. Most of the Cantonese restaurants in Nanjing mainly focus on roast pigeon and barbecued pork, while the more difficult roast suckling pig is rare. Crispy BB pig is Jade Garden's signature dish, high-quality roast suckling pig should be fat but not greasy, lean meat is easy to chew, and the skin is crispy but not hard, Jade Garden's production is impressive. Its selection of materials is accurate, the ratio of fat and lean is appropriate, the product is moist and tender, the lean meat is not dry at all, and it is fragrant and salty. Diners can also pair it with a vegetable salad to relieve their greasyness.

In Guangdong, beef brisket is often used in dishes. Jade Garden changed the conventional stewed beef brisket to crispy beef pit brisket. The beef pit belly is the meat between the ribs of the cow, and the meat flavor is stronger than that of the other parts of the brisket. The restaurant has excellent ingredients, soft and tender beef, and a moderate proportion of fat and tendon. When you bite into it, the outer layer of pulp is crispy, and the inside is firm and juicy. The taste is brilliant, but the brisket is not very flavorful, and it will be more refreshing when dipped in the seasoning. Complimentary spices include sweet and chili sauce and chili oil.

Jade Garden only offers morning tea in the two cities in the morning and afternoon, and the service stops at 3:30 p.m., and the restaurant has launched a number of innovative Cantonese snacks. The shrimp dumplings are in the shape of small fish, and the fresh shrimp pretend to be fish tails, which are playful. The appearance of the East Star Grouper Dumplings is similar, more delicate, and the spots on the fish body are clear. The fish has a strong umami flavor and solid ingredients. Lobster dumplings are also rare, and the thin crystal skin wraps the whole lobster meat, giving it a full taste. In addition, pineapple buns and napoleon are the most popular snacks in the store. Named for the golden crispy skin on the uneven surface that resembles a pineapple, but there is no pineapple ingredient, Jade Garden adds pineapple juice to the dough and adds pineapple filling, which makes the taste more sweet and sour. Fresh fruit Napoleon is different from the common French sweet Napoleon, the puff pastry is overlapped with five kinds of fruit and cream, and the height is 13 centimeters, which is quite large. The waiter will assist in layering and cutting into pieces, which will be mellow at first, and then a little greasy and satiety.

Located on the 5th floor of Deji Plaza, Jade Garden has had a large queue since its opening, with seats available in the lobby and dinner only available until 5:30 p.m., while the private dining room has no time limit and a minimum spend of 500 per person. The décor of the restaurant is similar to that of other branches, rich and elegant, bright and clean. The dining table in the hall is narrowly spaced to cause noise disturbances, and the private room is more private, equipped with greenery, air purifier, living room and separate toilet. Jade Garden is subject to a 10% service charge, but it's worth the money. The ratio of waiters is too low, the work is in a hurry during the peak period, slightly impatient and smiling, and the order is not timely, so it needs to be urged. The overall service level is difficult to say.