Xiang Gourmet - Philadelphia

Hunanese are good cooks. Ask any Chinese and they will agree. This was why I was thrilled that Philly now has its own authentic Hunan restaurant. The place itself is simply delightful. Clean, quiet, and refreshing. Quite an oasis in the middle of downtown Philadelphia. The staff is friendly and helpful. And once you've tried the food, you will always want to come back. The most famous Hunan dish is the Fish Head with Chopped pepper. The special fish for this dish is not always available, but I was happy to substitute it with a whole Striped Bass. What can I say, a convergence of color, fragrance, and flavor (see photo, Striped Bass with Chopped Pepper). It was quite a treat. The trademark of authentic Hunan cooking include some unique ingredients (notably a variety of pickled vegetables and preserved meats), all with mouth-watering strong flavors. For a taste of authentic Hunan home cooking, try any of the preserved pork or beef dishes (each is augmented with a different pickled vegetable). For the adventurous, try frogs, which is a Hunan favorite. To cut the spiciness, try Mao's Braised Pork Belly, or a soup, e.g. Chinese Seaweed with Ribs or Chicken with Ginseng. Finally, Xiang Gourmet is your only chance in the metro area to find out what Shao Mei and Steamed Pork with Rice Powder should really taste like. Xiang Gourmei, a taste of Hunan at your doorstep!

We tried this place for the first time. Food is delicious. Great service and Fast. Recommend this place if you are in search of real Chinese food

We stopped in here because the restaurant that we were planning to go to had a long wait. I'm so glad we did! The food is delicious. I had the Orange Beef, which was better than I've ever had it. Not overly sweet or salty, but a delicate and flavorful sauce. My husband had the chicken dry pot, and was thrilled with it.

Great atmosphere and food! The brown rice was the best I've ever had tender and fragrant. We ordered the sesame chicken and the General Tso's. Tender, moist morsels and flavorful sauce. One word of warning: the menu serms very authentic, so don't be alarmed by the trotters or sliced pig ear entrees.

Went here with my son found this jewel by chance. I am not chinese but when we opend the door the clientele were nearly all of Asian descent and that told me of this places authenticity. We ordered a large share plate of fried rice and both had soup starter. Both perfect. My son had a beef stir fry with vegtables and I had the hottest prawn dish they had. This guy comes over and looks me over and is like, hey man this is super hot no joke, you sure? I said I am good with the hottest dish you have and he smiles and says ok. It was covered in chiles and was one of the best dishes I have ever had. The green tea was also incredible. We are sure come back again for such a great experience.