Don't miss the tea smoked duck and wok crab and rice cakes at Harry and Alice Zhou's humble restaurant.

When Chef Harry Zhou and his wife Alice visited Denver for the first time in 1990, they were immediately attracted by the friendly residents of One Mile High City, the clean and quiet neighborhoods, and the lack of restaurants serving food from Shanghai, China. "There were not many Chinese restaurants at the time, and I wanted to bring the most authentic Shanghai cuisine to Denver," Harry said. "So we decided to move here."

A few years later, the couple moved from China to the metropolitan area and opened a Shanghai kitchen in Greenwood Village in 2000. Since then, they have provided classic Chinese and American menus-Lo Mein, Kung Pao Chicken, Beef Broccoli. They have been eating first-class menus representing Shanghai cuisine and Sichuan cuisine since they were young.

Harry dreamed of becoming a chef when he was a child. Before moving to the United States, he honed his skills in restaurant kitchens in the central coastal city of Shanghai and Sichuan in southwest China for nearly ten years. “My initial interest in cooking Shanghai cuisine came from my family’s kitchen, where I heard, saw, smelled and tasted dishes when I was young,” he said. "I provide my food from snacks because I want to protect our culture.

As Shanghai is close to the East China Sea and the Yangtze River, the cuisine in this area is dominated by seafood and seasonal vegetables. "From south to north, from east to west, there are many Chinese cuisines all over the country-each has its own characteristics," said Harry. "We are from Shanghai, which is known as the land of fish and rice, and the ingredients are very rich." 

Harry said that the specialties of their hometown and surrounding coastal areas often feature fish, crab, pork and seasonings such as soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and rice vinegar to produce sweet, salty and sour dishes. On the contrary, Sichuan Province The dishes usually use more peppers (fresh and dried peppers). 

You can taste the staple food of these two cuisines in Shanghai Kitchen. Here are some of our favorites-best with white rice.

Tea-smoked duck: To make this typical Sichuan dish, Harry marinated the whole duck for 24 hours, and then slowly simmered it on jasmine or green tea leaves in the oven for about 48 hours. This process produces juicy duck slices that fall off the bones, with the aroma of sweet soy sauce and Sichuan peppercorns. Harry said that the hot and sour cabbage marinated with habanero peppers adds a balance to the rich flavors of the dish. 

Pork eggplant: Thin slices of Chinese eggplant (known to be tenderer and fewer seeds than American eggplant) and minced pork are stir-fried in silky, garlicky soy sauce. 

Dynasty Fish: Although the restaurant offers a variety of fish dishes, Dynasty—a whole steamed sea bass with peas, carrots, pine nuts, corn and sweet and sour sauce—is our top choice. Other fish dishes you can try include various dishes cooked with ginger wine sauce (Shanghai style) and chili oil (Sichuan style). 

Braised Meatballs: These tennis-sized mermaid (also known as lion head meatballs) are a popular dish in Shanghai and other Chinese celebrations during the Lunar New Year. They are seasoned with minced ginger and green onions and placed on a bed of steamed cabbage.

Rice cake crab: If there is no such finger-licking specialty on the menu-a whole steamed crab, fried with thick, ginger garlic sauce and chewy rice cake-it is not on the menu, you can ask if it has it goods. This is a common special occasion dish, Harry said that Shanghai Kitchen strives to provide it all year round.

Xiaolongbao: Harry said that Shanghai cuisine is famous for its "exquisite and delicate pastries", and Xiaolongbao is one of the most popular. Order a basket of steamed dim sum staples: pork cubes wrapped in dough and broth that warms the soul. 

More delicious attempts on the menu include braised pork belly with cabbage, sweet and sour pork ribs, and comforting soup studded with bamboo, tofu flowers and pork ribs.

While you are enjoying the feast, please pay attention to the restaurant, the restaurant is decorated with wood, and the walls are decorated with traditional brick arches-this is an element of the traditional Shanghai architectural style Shikumen. "It combines Chinese and Western architectural styles," Harry said. "Shikumen is not only a popular modern residential building in the 1920s and 1930s, but also a symbol of Shanghai culture. Coming to a Shanghai kitchen is like being a guest in Shanghai."

4940 S. Yosemite St., E-8, Greenwood Village

Patricia joined 5280 employees in July 2019 and is pleased to be able to oversee all food and beverage coverage of 5280 magazine. Follow her food report adventure on Instagram @whatispattyeating.

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