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In
Quest for a Harmonious Fusion between
Guangdong and Japanese Cuisine |
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| Hailing
from Fujian Province in China, Wei Xian Ren
came to Japan 20 years ago in order to broaden
his horizons. He happened to be hired by a
trading company in Kanazawa after graduating
from a university in Tokyo. Disillusioned
with his job after three years, however, he
embarked on Saikohrou, a gourmet Chinese restaurant
in Kanazawa in 1996 when he was 29 years old,
which has proved to be a spectacular success.
He now owns 8 restaurants in Kanazawa and
has recently embarked on a restaurant which
offers an innovative fusion of Chinese and
Japanese kaiseki cuisine. |
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"When
I first came to Kanazawa, I was surprised
that there were very few authentic Chinese
restaurants except in hotels, and the meals
were very expensive. Having worked in Yokohama
China Town when I was a student, I thought
it would be a great idea to open a less pricey,
but gourmet Chinese restaurant as Kanazawa
seemed to be a perfect market.
My intuition stemmed from a voracious appetite
for honest-to-goodness things that a great
many people in Kanazawa have. I also admire
their efforts at any cost to preserve numerous
sophisticated arts and crafts, and its feudal
ambience for generations.
Luckily, the fact that Kanazawa was not subject
to aerial bombardment during the Second World
War and has not undergone major disasters
such fire and earthquakes has bequeathed the
city a wealth of cultural and historical heritage.
If you walk the streets of the city, for instance,
you will glimpse the traditional aspects of
the city such as the Higashiyama Chaya District
and the remains of samurai residences in Nagamachi,
where the feudal atmosphere of Japan can still
be felt vividly.
Unlike other big cities such as Tokyo and
Osaka, housing is not a bread and butter issue,
which enables them to spend a considerable
amount of money on cultural activities, entertainment,
drinking and eating-out. Possessing sufficient
knowledge and wealth, they are capable of
appreciating the real thing. When I opened
my first restaurant, offering the real thing,
namely first-class, authentic Chinese cuisine
was my top priority.
My concept is absolutely right. Japanese customers
thoroughly enjoy Saikohrou's dishes. There
are, in fact, intriguing parallels between
Guangdong and Japanese cuisine; they both
taste light and are not seasoned much and
oily. For instance, in order to prepare a
Japanese dish of Katsuono Tataki, a bonito
is seared only on the surface. This is similar
to how prawns are cooked in Guangdong cuisine.
Kanazawa is endowed with the freshest fish
from the nearby Sea of Japan and quality locally-grown
vegetables. In traditional Japanese cuisine
served in Kanazawa, great care has been taken
to bring out the natural flavors, so too much
seasoning is counterproductive. This characteristic
coincidentally matches the Guangdong style
of cooking.
For discerning diners, Kanazawa is definitely
worth a visit, although it is not well-known
abroad. I hope you will have an unforgettable
dining experience." |
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