Songhe Lou Banquet

Founded in 1757 in the Qianlong era, this is the temple of Su cuisine and the birthplace of squirrel-shaped mandarin fish — deboned, scored into a pinecone lattice, deep-fried and drowned in glossy sweet-and-sour so it 'squeaks' when sauced tableside. Order it alongside river-shrimp with Longjing tea and braised cherry pork. It's a sit-down banquet house, not a quick stop; go with a group to spread the dishes.