With so many great Chinese restaurants in Cambridge, Liutaio is frequently overlooked. I have been walking the length and breadth of Mill Road for as long as I can remember, yet I have only just stumbled across this unassuming Chinese restaurant. Its offering of eastern and western cuisine rarely gets a mention in the Cambridge Foodies, making this feel like a real foodie find.

It is unsurprising really, as it blends in seamlessly with the countless other shops and restaurants on this bustling street. There is no online presence other than a very dated website with no online booking system or phone number. The only way to book is by walking in, making it challenging for anyone other than locals to make arrangements. This does, however, qualify it (in my mind) as a “hidden gem”, a term I have often disliked using, due to being overused to the point of it being meaningless but Liutaio genuinely feels like it could be one.

A Music Restaurant & Antique Shop

Liutaio lives up to its name as a music cafe with a subtle musical theme that fills one corner of the restaurant. It is tastefully decorated with musical instruments with my eye being immediately drawn to a beautiful piano nestled in the corner under a chandelier. I have been told that this centerpiece is occasionally used to entertain diners during their meals.

Speaking with the manager, she explained that the music is a spontaneous occurrence with no schedule in place. She encouraged me to visit and try my luck but I was unfortunately destined to miss this experience during my visit. Despite my disappointment, the carefully placed instruments throughout the cafe contributed a unique and charming character to the dining atmosphere.

Liutaio truly stands alone in Cambridge with a traditional sense of originality. Stepping inside feels like entering a captivating blend of an antique shop and a cozy Chinese living room. Each piece of furniture gives an antiquated and quirky charm with even my table featuring an unusual pop-out drawer. Dozens of attractive Chinese ornaments adorn the restaurant, so much so that I observed other guests wandering around, admiring the displays. Upon closer inspection, I noticed price tags on many of items, revealing Liutaio’s dual identity as both a restaurant and a shop.

The Menu

Liutaio caters to all tastes with its extensive menu, which includes a dedicated vegetarian selection. Navigating the choices is a breeze, thanks to clearly presented set menus offering attractive deals for various group sizes. The layout is straightforward and user-friendly, making it easy to find the perfect meal to suit your tastes.

To get an idea of Liutaio’s offerings, we opted for the “traditional sharing set for two people,” priced at £75. This selection provided an excellent introduction to their cuisine, showcasing a balanced variety of dishes.

• Steamed Dim Sum Assortment

• Deep-fried Mix Plate

• Seasonal Salad

• Spicy Dry-fried Chilli Salt Fish

• Pork Belly with Pickled Pak Choi

• Steamed Rice

• Seasonal Dessert

Dim Sum + Platter

As I opened the box containing the dim sum, a puff of steam filled the air, revealing an assortment of eight pieces. Each piece was delicate, soft and surprisingly light, yielding a substantial, almost springy, texture. This was some of the finest dim sum I have encountered in Cambridge. Incredible!

The deep-fried mixed platter that accompanied it offered a more grounded experience. It consisted of a modest assortment of bite-sized appetisers offering a variety of texture and colour. I was particularly keen on the spring rolls that proved to be as crispy as they were delicious. The chicken strips worked well with the accompanying sauce adding a tangy flavour on the meaty canvas.

Seasonal Salad

The seasonal salad offered a refreshing balance to the richness of the other two dishes. Finely cut ribbons of cucumber rested on top of slightly sweet and crunchy chunks of lotus root. The dish was signed off with a delicate scattering of sesame seeds for added texture. Its freshness and mild flavor provided a welcome balance to what was a heavier selection of dishes.

Pork Belly

The undisputed star of the evening? Without a doubt, the pork belly! Its simple yet striking presentation alongside vibrant pickled Pak Choi immediately sparked conversation on the table. Though appearing whole, it was thoughtfully served in easy-to-share slices which were so tender that it made eating with chopsticks a breeze.

The texture was the epitome of indulgence. It was so incredibly soft and tender that it practically dissolved on my tongue. The savory outer skin boasted a subtle sweetness, perfectly enhanced by rich Chinese spices.

I cannot recommend this enough!

Chilli Salt Fish

The chilli salt fish was a colourful and vibrant dish. It was dry-fried and presented in crispy, bite-sized portions, alongside peppers, onions, green beans. Its format made it ideal for sharing, encouraging a social dining experience. What’s more, the fish’s delicate flavour and texture rendered it surprisingly accessible, even for those who might typically shy away from seafood.

Wife Cake

While I was studying the menu, we were also given a handmade book. This was more than just a list of dishes but encompassed stories and history through detailed descriptions of hand picked items from their menu. It was a story behind their signature Wife Cake that peaked my interest, a story I know I would utterly butcher by describing it, so I have copied it below for you to read. A dessert with its own narrative is a rare and compelling thing to experience, making it absolutely impossible to resist.

WIFE CAKE

A loving newlywed couple long ago, lived in a poor rural farming village in China. A mysterious plague suddenly broke out in this small village. There was no cure, and treatment was expensive. Eventually. the new daughter-in-law offered herself secretly for sale at the slave market in return for money to buy medicine to treat her ill-health father-in-law. When the husband found out, he was stricken with grief. In a desperate attempt to redeem his spouse, the husband went to the local market and used the last of his dwindling money to buy ingredients to make a cake for sale at the bazaar. He only had enough to buy some preserved wintermelon left over from the new year celebrations a few months ago. Combined with the remaining ration of flour at home, he created a simple but unique cake. His scrumptious cake was well received and as popularity grew, his sales increased. Finally, he managed to save enough to buy back his wife’s freedom. The loving couple was finally able to get back together again and lived happily ever after. His recipe then spread from place to place, winning the name Wife Cake.

The wife cake is a light pastry filled with sun-dried wintermelon and rice. It was served warm and offered a somewhat crisp exterior with a soft, slightly gooey interior.  The cake, however, felt a little flat, lacking any real punch. While it was a sensible and balanced sweet treat to finish a large set menu without overly indulging, I couldn’t help but feel that this was not my sort of thing.

An experience like no other

It truly pains me to think that a place brimming with such character and personality has been hiding in plain sight all this time. All those years I have been walking past, I was blissfully unaware of this hidden gem! Liutaio offers a multi-faceted dining experience unlike any other. From the authentic and delicious Chinese cuisine, the quirky and culturally rich interior, the thoughtfully curated music and even the shop element, it all seamlessly blends together. Even on Mill Road, a street celebrated for its interesting and unusual establishments, Liutaio manages to stand out as something truly special. While the food alone – particularly the exceptional pork belly and dim sum – is reason enough to visit, the entire experience makes it an absolute must-try for anyone seeking something wonderfully different.

Thanks for reading.