Shun De Ren Jia Restaurant Roast Goose

Jen had been reading about the growing number of Hong Kong and Guangzhou entrepreneurs opening F&B businesses in Penang. That naturally led us to one question. Where could we find a good roast goose in George Town?

Our search eventually brought us to Shun De Ren Jia Restaurant, where the Wood-fired Roasted Goose quickly justified the trip.

Shunde-style roast goose tends to be less gamey than versions from other Chinese cuisines. Rather than masking the flavour with heavier seasoning, it allows the natural character of the meat to come through. The restaurant told us they import their geese, and whether that contributed or not, the result was excellent.

The goose was wonderfully succulent, with every slice retaining its moisture without feeling greasy. The skin carried enough richness to complement the meat, while the roasting brought out a deep, aromatic flavour that kept us reaching for another piece.

Unfortunately, the Dried Razor Clams Stir-fried with Loofah was a very different story.

The loofah was cooked well and remained naturally sweet, but the razor clams were disappointingly chewy. Instead of the gentle bite you'd expect, they were so rubbery that they felt almost like eating rubber bands. In the end, we didn't even finish the dish.

Fortunately, the goose was more than enough to salvage the meal.

If you're making the trip to Shun De Ren Jia, the wood-fired roasted goose is the dish I'd recommend ordering. It's certainly the reason we'd happily return.