Luishi Old Mansion

rating: 4/5

Built in 1897 during the Qing Dynasty by a wealthy salt merchant named Lu Shaoxu, the compound was sensitively restored in 1980 by local authorities to reflect the elegance and richness of Yangzhou's 2,500-year-old culture. Five years ago, it started operating as a restaurant and venue for events. We were led to our private dining room on the first floor of one of a series of enclosed courtyards. The waitress served us our food as we settled down. The dishes showcases Huaiyang cuisine featuring lightly flavoured and sweetish dishes containing pork, freshwater fish, chicken, stewed pork ball and other aquatic creatures. Yangchow fried rice, which is thought to have originated from the area, is a popular request. I think that the food there was quite nice but some of the dishes flavor were too strong and that I had to gulp down water.  The waitresses there are unable to understand mandarin well as they were natives of yangzhou so we had quite a hard time trying to ask for plain rice. Despite that, the waitresses introduced us to the dishes and recommend us to eat them as those were yangzhou’s specialties. I feel that they respect and feel proud of their job and being a native of Yangzhou. The best part over here is that it preserves its traditions while including modern elements into it, such as the traditional architecture. The traditional theme of the restaurant allows us to experience and appreciate show traditions while having our dinner. However, due to the complicated interior of the building such as many different alleys and private dining room, I had quite a hard time trying to find the toilet.  

food served at the Lushi Old Mansion displayed huaiyang cuisine such as stewed pork ball, sliced beancurd, yangzhou fried rice and a rare Japanese vegetable. The Japanese vegetable is very rare in Singapore and its minerals are crystalised on the outside of the vegetable. 

The surrounding of the private room which we had our dinner. The surrounding of the private room give out a traditional feel while eating at the Lushi Old Mansion as it preserved traditional features such as wooden wall, a frame with olden form of Chinese words and a couple of traditional Chinese puppets on the dinning table.

The lanterns hung in the Lushi Old Mansion. On the  lantern there are words such as 'lu' and 'yan' to show that there were salt merchants in the past living in this lushi old mansion.