Eric Jiang is establishing himself as a culinary force in this city after just a year of being in Orlando. The restaurateur moved here from Syracuse, New York, having operated three Mitsuba Sushi restaurants up there as well as a couple of tea/dessert shops in the Syracuse Mall.
Last summer, he lured chef Leo Chen from Michelin-recognized Neta Shari in Brooklyn to front Sushi Izuki, an O-Town West omakase house that doesn’t mask its desire to earn a Michelin star. Next month, he and his wife, Miaozhen Zhang, will open Jiang’s Kitchen at 27 E. Robinson St. downtown, which will specialize in 18-pleat soup dumplings à la Din Tai Fung.
Like that much-vaunted global chain, Jiang’s Kitchen will also feature a show window where guests can gawk at the making of each and every dumpling, including the rarely found Shanghai pan-fried soup dumplings.
Broth-filled pockets aside, the menu will also feature noodles, like dan dan and zha jiang (fried sauce noodles), as well as soups (hot and sour, wonton) and “premium” sushi rolls. A striking cocktail bar will see such quaffs as Beijing Mules, China Old-fashioneds, Lucky Lotus Cosmos and lychee martinis being poured. Boba tea will also be offered.
Following the April opening, Jiang will turn his attentions to Fan Hwa, a Chinese dessert and bao shop in the heart of Mills 50. Sweet dessert soups called tong sui will be the specialty here, as will bao both sweet (red bean paste) and savory (barbecue chicken). The corner space at 709 N. Mills Ave., next door to the soon-to-open Little Sister Dumpling, will incorporate an inviting interior design with natural wood tones, an open kitchen and “modern Chinese aesthetics.”
Then in November, a second Jiang’s Kitchen will open in the former Pho 813 space at 4724 Millenia Plaza Way.
“Our focus is on food quality and preparation of dishes in the traditional way,” Jiang says. “Moving to Orlando offered us more business opportunities and we want to showcase our hospitality to everyone.”
In the meantime, be sure to follow @jiangskitchen and @fanhwadessert for all the latest.
