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Feng JianWen Proprietor of Southern Barbarian
by
on Friday, July 16, 2010 12:00 AM
Your first Southern Barbarian is now a well-known, popular restaurant for Yunnan cuisine. How does your new project differ from the original?
I think we grew up. The first Southern Barbarian was just small, like a baby, and now it's grown into a beautiful adult. There's more stuff here. I added a proper bar with cocktails, as well as desserts, which we didn't have before. We have more food, more dishes - we can cook more dishes with the new equipment.
Having come from Yunnan, are there parts of the menu that really remind you of your childhood there?
Many dishes! Because I cook the dishes here home-style. I cook things that my mum cooked for me when I was young, like the goat's cheese and the barbecue dishes. Especially the Cross-the-bridge Noodles. We had those for lunch every day; it's just like toast for Westerners. I also have them when I'm hung-over, having drunk too much - the noodles are great to eat then!
Apart from Yunnan dishes, what is your favourite style of Chinese food? What about global cuisine?
I like Cantonese, especially yum cha. They're small and you can have a choice of different tastes. Also North China noodles. When it comes to other food, I like Italian, Spanish, barbecue. I basically like food if it feels fresh.
Rumour has it you opened the first fish and chip diner in mainland China - is that true?
Yes! I had just gone back to Beijing and wanted to do some business in China. I first considered pizza but there were already so many - so I thought, forget it. Then one night, I was out drinking and had a bit too much. One of my friends had just got back from England and really felt like fish and chips. I said, "That's a good idea, let's open one!" From there it happened very quickly. It took just a few months and we had the location and trained the staff. It's been open for around eight years now.
When you're not saving your friends from the munchies, what do you do to enjoy Shanghai?
Stay with my family, take them out to lunch. Or go out to parties. Travel sometimes maybe, because when I'm in Shanghai it feels like I'm working, working, working.
