The Chinese have a few maxims about food that provide plenty to think about, but really have nothing to do with eating.
“If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people” is one.
Another, more ancient, proverb rings especially true for an economically depressed and politically challenged Ukraine: “To the ruler, the people are heaven; to the people, food is heaven.”
I offer these truisms because they seem an appropriate way to begin a critique of Kyiv’s Jiu Long Chinese restaurant.
To write “I liked the atmosphere and the food” appeared pedestrian, although true.
So I opted for an approach that would provide some intellectual fare to go along with the physical for those who decide on a meal at the truly Chinese Jiu Long.
It offers a generous menu of Chinese foods to suit different tastes.
Traditional chicken, beef, fish, vegetables and rice are all on the menu, which is written in English, Ukrainian and Chinese.
Jiu Long Chinese restaurant offers a rare treat in Kyiv, where ethnic Asian food is hard to find. (Oleksiy Boyko)
The restaurant even has several dishes geared toward vegetarians, which include tofu in a clay pot (Hr 50 for 400 grams), spicy tofu (Hr 33 for 250 grams) and potatoes with ginger (Hr 18.20 for 150 grams). Special homemade Chinese dishes include frog paws with mushrooms and bamboo in a clay pot (Hr 128 for 400 grams).
It took a while to read through the menu and decide what to order.
My father-in-law, who accompanied me, is a light eater and picked as his meal an appetizer of cooked beef with spices (Hr 40 for 150 grams) and a juice.
My menu consisted of a spring roll (Hr 10 for one), a dumpling soup (Hr 21 for 150 grams), curried chicken (Hr 62 for 150 grams) and a portion of rice, which we shared.
We also split a dessert of banana in glazed caramel (Hr 34). It had to be ordered at the beginning of the meal to ensure enough preparation time. I had 200 grams of Georgian wine for Hr 22.20.
The spicy beef and curried chicken arrived first. A huge curry fan, I had been intrigued when I saw it, but wasn’t sure what to expect since it was the first time I had seen that particular item on a Chinese menu.
The dish was delicious. The bits of chicken were fantastically tender and I could have ended the meal then and walked away happy.
To be truly happy and contented, you must let go of what it means to be happy or content.”
– Confucius.
The rice was stickier than I prefer, but it did not take away from the overall dish. I had a bite of the beef and was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t too fatty or salty.
The taste of beef was complemented by juicy bits of cucumber.
The egg roll was huge and a bit greasy, although that did not stop me from eating it. I didn’t finish the soup because it had a fish base to it, which I don’t care for, although the dumplings themselves were tasty.
The dessert was a real surprise and a treat. Very sweet, we each had a bite and then my father-in-law took the rest to be enjoyed by family at home.
For those who worry about monosodium glutamate, the food additive that is known as MSG and so prevalent in the U.S., I was not left with its aftertaste.
The restaurant caters to smaller and larger groups. Consequently, many of its dishes are offered in small and large sizes.
Soups, for instance, come in 150 gram and 1,000 gram portions for one person or several.
Groups of 10 people can enjoy a Chinese feast by picking from three of the restaurant’s complex menus that range in price from Hr 1,046 to Hr 1,722. The restaurant has minimum person counts for several of its tables.
A particular mention about service and atmosphere is warranted. The presentation of the meal was a bit odd, until I learned it was our hard-working waitress’ second day on the job.
My overall impression, however, was highly positive. It began with the woman who pleasantly answered the phone when I called to make a reservation, immediately switched to Ukrainian when she heard my diaspora accent, and then, without prompting, asked if I preferred the smoking or non-smoking section.
Both may seem trivial, but they are not. Recognizing that not everyone fancies being addressed in Russian is a sign of respect.
Providing a smoke-free environment is more obvious.
Smokers may enjoy being enveloped by noxious fumes as they dine, but non-smokers do not.
Jiu Long’s non-smoking section is one floor above the one for smokers, thus, unlike too many other establishments in Ukraine that tout smoke-free rooms, cigarette smoke is virtually undetectable, allowing for a truly enjoyable meal.
After finishing the meal, I remembered another Chinese wisdom by Confucius: “To be truly happy and contented, you must let go of what it means to be happy or content.”
On this note, I felt like I could let go of my preconceptions about a Chinese meal in the city, which doesn’t even have its own Chinatown.
The restaurant, by the way, is easy to find. Just look for the two big red lamps on the street, duck into a courtyard and there it is – right in front of you.
46V, Shevchenko Blvd
Hours: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Reservations:331-0710
Kyiv Post staff writer Natalia A. Feduschak can be reached at [email protected].
