So as you have already learned, this post is here thanks to the loverly weather outside. Just as we thought summer was here, Hangzhou gives the usual downpour. And while sitting here in this darkened room listening to the BBC almost drowning out the rain splattering on the those metal awnings stapled all over the building, my mind goes back to a restaurant we visited twice in the last couple of weeks.

The aim was to get to Green Tea (绿茶餐厅), on Longjing Lu (龙井路). Not surprisingly that place was fully booked for lunch; weather was glorious. So why not try this Jura place? It took a little effort to find it, but by now we were hungry which provided the small edge required to get there fast. Lots of outdoor seating with enough shade for the young’uns, dogs running around, children-seemingly quite well behaved children, and soon we were quite at home.

Ordering was a little hit and miss despite being able to read much of the menu, but there was also a bit of of “I’ll have that” as delicious looking things were being rushed out from the kitchen. Only one beer on the menu, Asahi draft, and as usual ordered those come fast. Had been thirsty work so far. Like the food menu, there were lots of other enticing looking things on the drinks board. Plum Baijiu, Yangmei Jiu. But it was lunch time… Left those were they stood.

The terrace at Jura is pretty small with perhaps 15 tables, but it is right next to the tea. There was an almost theme park feeling watching the imported tea-pickers doing their thing in straw conical hats and seemingly de-rigeur clothing, blue overalls and a red and white check scarf of some sort. The beers were even better watching all that back-breaking labour. But then again beer is always good on a Saturday afternoon.

The grub seemed unusual despite being made with fairly standard ingredients. And it was good. (That was what I really wanted to say all along). Amazing braised ribs, pork wrapped in toufu skin served in a soup, and I cant remember what else. Man, we ate a lot.

Despite the title, there is one drawback to going to Jura on a very beautful day. Getting home. We couldnt. Longjin Road was chockablock as was Meiling Road. Not a taxi anyway. We had no choice. Back the restaurant to continue the beer.

Jura Restaurant/ Shuangfeng Village, Longjing Road (Between the Jiqingshan Tunnel and the Wulaofeng Tunnel), Hangzhou

汝拉小镇餐厅/杭州西湖区龙井路双峰村(吉庆山隧道与五老峰隧道中间)

0571-87979012