楼外楼 Louwailou

As a representative old brand of Hangzhou, "Louwailou" naturally has a quite reputation, but this dining experience felt more like a "safe bet" of Jiangnan homestyle dishes.

Soy Sauce Duck
Neatly stacked and presented properly, it falls under the category of conventional cold dishes.
Smoked Fish
Its color is dark and lustrous, seemingly with a rich flavor, but in reality, it leans too much towards sweetness, with a somewhat flat aftertaste.

Salt and Pepper Ribs
Golden in appearance, the flavor is on the heavier side. Although it has the right aroma, the meat is a bit dry, lacking memorable points. The water shield vegetables served with it were lightly seasoned, making them quite refreshing.

Cold Jellyfish Head
The crunchiness is acceptable, but the overall flavor remains conservative; on the other hand, the Lotus Leaf Steamed Pork has a hint of lotus leaf aroma, but the pork is too soft and mushy, lacking the necessary elasticity and layers of oiliness.

Shrimp Rice Crust
This is a traditional Jiangnan classic. However, the amount of shrimp is limited, and the rice crust loses its texture quickly after absorbing juice. The taste is not bad, but it still falls short of the standards one would expect from a famous restaurant.
Braised Duck Gizzards with Edamame
This falls into the standard homestyle dish category—flavorful but not outstanding. The edamame is slightly soft, and the gizzards have an average chewiness, representing the "ordinary" style of the whole table.

Braised Fish
It looks nice, with a deep red sauce. It tastes on the sweeter side, and the flavor is relatively singular. The fish is tender, but the cooking doesn’t stand out particularly. Finally, the Fish Ball and Vegetable Soup is refreshing and mild; the fish balls have a normal elasticity, but overall, the performance remains acceptable yet unremarkable.