Songhelou — Restaurant in Suzhou City

If you're a fan of Culinary Class Wars, you’ve probably seen the iconic Squirrel Fish dish, and no one does it better than Song He Lou in Suzhou. This historic restaurant, with over 200 years of tradition and a past frequented by Qing dynasty emperor, serves up an authentic selection of 苏帮菜.

We tried their signature 2-3 person set meal, and it was a feast fit for the king! The standout dish was, of course, the 松鼠桂鱼 (Squirrel Fish), perfectly crisped and bathed in a light and refreshing sweet-and-sour sauce. The set also comes with garlic vermicelli shrimp (蒜蓉粉丝虾) and dry-fried cured meat with deer velvet mushrooms (干煸腊肉鹿茸菌), complemented by fresh seasonal vegetables and Suzhou-style noodles. The portions are massive, easily enough to feed 4 people!

Even though prices are on the higher-end, it’s a must to try their Squirrel Fish...

Recommended by tour guide... but the service here is super lousy. We're asked to move to 2nd floor after we ordered. Then the second floor staff gave us menu and left. We're kind enough to let them know that we'd already ordered. Then they somehow thought that we moved up ourselves and angry. I told them that it's another staff asked us to go up because there are 4 guests and need table. Somehow I don't have appetite to eat because of...

蘇州に住んでる元同僚に紹介されて土曜日の夜に行きました。夏休みに入っていたので中国の国内客でごった返していましたが、店のキャパはかなりあり予約なしでも2階の席を案内してもらえました。蘇州の名物料理で松鼠桂魚という揚げた魚料理があるのですが、かなり高いのと見た目が少し苦手だったので、その他の料理を食べました。

蘇州の料理はどれも薄味で食べやすくて美味しいのですが、特にカニと豆腐のスープには癒されました。肉まんや蘇州麺も美味しいです。

ロケーションが山塘街の入口で便利なので夜景待ちに早めの...