✨ AI Quick Take
Chen Yuan Pancakes and Congee represents northern Chinese cooking in Fengshan: a charcoal-heated pickled mustard greens and pork hot pot anchors the table, while wraps, soup buns, and sweet griddled pancakes all arrive with substance. The restaurant does not rely on decor for attention; crispness, fragrance, and tang keep an entire table happy, whether a small party comes for pastries or a family gathers for a meal.
● Pickled Mustard Greens and Pork Hot Pot
The traditional charcoal copper pot commands attention as soon as it lands, its central chimney surrounded by pickled mustard greens, pork belly, and seafood. The broth is smoothly sour and sweet rather than sharply acidic. Cabbage becomes especially flavorful after absorbing it, while seafood adds sweetness, making sauce unnecessary. Charcoal maintains the heat as ingredients meld: clear at first, richer later. Taste the original broth first, then cabbage, pork, and seafood in sequence to follow its deepening flavor.
● Sesame Yam Pancake
The round pancake is cut into fan-shaped slices and densely covered with sesame, creating a crisp, fragrant surface after griddling. Sesame and crust crackle first, followed by dense, gently sweet yam paste. The contrast between crisp outside and soft inside is distinct. Sesame fragrance lingers, while yam softens the experience so it never becomes merely oily pastry. It refreshes the palate between hot-pot bites or works as a shared finish; eat it hot for maximum crispness.
● Pork Wrap
This substantial wrap encloses pork and scallions in a golden griddled wrapper, tied together by gently sweet sauce. The exterior is finely crisp, yet layered dough remains apparent as you chew without feeling greasy. Meat, savory scallions, and sweet sauce alternate through every slice. Eaten immediately, the skin stays crisp; after resting, sauce seeps into the layers and makes them supple. It is an easy staple for a small party and satisfying with a bowl of soup.
● Shanghai Soup Buns
The Shanghai soup buns arrive plump in their steamer, pleated dough holding fresh pork and broth. The wrapper is soft yet springy. Let the steam escape, then bite a small opening so the broth can flow. Clean meat flavor and a pleasantly resilient wrapper deliver complete savory flavor even without sauce. Unlike thin-skinned xiaolongbao, these emphasize a more substantial ratio of dough to filling. A group can share them with hot pot, while a small party can treat one steamer as a staple.
- Best occasions: Family meals, hot pot with friends, and northern Chinese pastry fans.
- Space: Seating on both floors, round tables upstairs, and the lively plainness of a longstanding restaurant.
- Ordering direction: Choose Pickled Mustard Greens and Pork Hot Pot for tang, Sesame Yam Pancake for crisp sweetness, and wraps and soup buns for layered dough.
Chen Yuan preserves Fengshan's gathering memories in charcoal copper pots and handmade pastries. Pickled Mustard Greens and Pork Hot Pot supplies heat and fresh tang; wraps and soup buns show contrasting dough textures; Sesame Yam Pancake closes with crisp sweetness. The room is plain and lively, while each dish has a clear character. Bring companions willing to share to experience this old restaurant most fully.
