Feast West Lake: The Restaurant That Best Captures the 'Remembering Jiangnan, Most Remembered Is Hangzhou' Spirit

Remembering Jiangnan – most of all I remember Hangzhou. In mountain temples' moonlight I sought osmanthus blooms, from the county pavilion I watched the tidal bore. When will I come again?

Next I remember the Wu Palace: a cup of Wu wine amid spring bamboo leaves, twin dances in Wu Palace tipsy as lotus blooms. Will we meet again, sooner or later?

There is a restaurant that lets you experience Hangzhou's 'four seasons' as you dine. The restaurant uses ingredients familiar to Hangzhou locals and creates innovative dishes, allowing diners to taste the 'roots' of it all. That place is Feast West Lake, located at the Huanglong Hotel – it's the restaurant that best embodies the 'Remembering Jiangnan, most remembered is Hangzhou' sentiment.

After booking by phone, my friend and I arrived at the Huanglong Hotel in Hangzhou. In the sunset, the hotel looked elegant and alluring. Once inside the lobby, warm staff greeted us and directed us toward Feast West Lake. To the right, we reached its entrance, where a large screen displayed beautiful scenes of West Lake. We looked around but couldn't find the door; then an automatic door slid open – the black wall was the door!

A long corridor shimmered in gold, with a mirrored ceiling and thick, patterned jade strips decorating the walls, each pattern unique. Walking further, you spot many familiar yet unfamiliar celebrity photos – familiar from TV and news, unfamiliar because you've never met them.

The onsen tamago (hot spring egg) originates from Japan and is recommended by many Michelin-starred chefs. Its creamy, custard-like texture melts in the mouth, almost drinkable. But cooking it requires precise temperature control to maintain both texture and nutrition; 67°C is the ideal temperature.