Founded in 2018, Koikesen is a new brand that is more innovative in Jiangxian cuisine. At the same time, the restaurant environment is new and elegant, and it has become a suitable place for business banquets.
There is a fish box at the entrance of Xiaochi Xian, which can see several kinds of fresh fish, and the restaurant provides more than 10 kinds of river fresh, which is more abundant. Jiang Xian dishes are mostly presented with a single ingredient, while Jiang Xian Buddha jumping over the wall is stewed with 6 abalone, 2 puffer fish and 1 soft-shelled turtle, the soup is milky white and very sweet. However, the production is unstable, sometimes the stewing time is insufficient, not fragrant enough, and sometimes too light. In addition, it takes at least 40 minutes to cook the Buddha jumping over the wall, so diners are advised to book in advance.
Chopped pepper is mostly used for fish species with a strong fishy smell such as tarpon, and the fresh river fresh usually does not recommend heavy seasoning. Chopped pepper flavor is relatively rare in Jiangxian Restaurant, and Xiaoikexian's double-peppered Chinese sturgeon is quite outstanding. Known as the "giant panda in the water", the Chinese sturgeon's population has declined dramatically due to overfishing, pollution and water conservancy projects, and the fishing and trade of the Chinese sturgeon has been banned. The sturgeon used in Koike is a hybrid sturgeon, not a true Chinese sturgeon. Cut the sturgeon into several slices and spread the red and green peppers on top. The sturgeon is killed alive, the meat is delicate and smooth, the bone spurs are soft and crispy, and the salty aroma of chili peppers penetrates into the fish, which is very refreshing. At the same time, compared with the chopped pepper fish head in Hunan cuisine, it is less oil and less spicy, which can highlight the umami more.
Fugu is undoubtedly the most controversial river fresh. There are often words that praise the taste of puffer fish such as "eating puffer fish does not know the taste of fish, and eating puffer fish is tasteless". And the puffer fish itself contains toxins, and there is a saying that "desperately eat puffer fish". Nowadays, captivity can reduce tetrodotoxin, and at the same time, the maturity of slaughtering and cooking techniques can also remove toxins, and there is basically no danger from eating internal organs. To be on the safe side, never eat puffer fish that is wild or unproperly harvested and cooked. The puffer fish used in Koike is smaller, one at a time, and it is divided into two preparation methods: soup and red stew. The puffer fish soup is simmered for a longer period of time to make the soup fragrant and odorless, so diners may wish to book in advance. It is recommended to choose Jiangxian Buddha jumping over the wall for a multi-person dinner, which has a more umami taste and is more cost-effective.
Although the restaurant mainly focuses on Jiangxian, there are a variety of other dishes, such as blue crab baked rice and boiled bullfrog. Cold dishes, snacks, and vegetables have a mediocre taste and are not much.
The environment of Xiaochixian is acceptable, bright and clean, the tables are more open, more spacious, and the restaurant has 5 private rooms. Service has been criticized. The food is obviously understaffed, some customers are not immediately received when they enter the store, the serving speed is slow, the pouring of water, the removal of dishes, etc. are not timely, and the supply of rice is not guaranteed. The service attitude is even more casual, the staff are not familiar with the dishes, and even sometimes ignore the needs of customers, annoying the diners.
