First look (by a magazine) at Jian's Kitchen.

Hal B. Klein reviews Jian's Kitchen for Pittsburgh Magazine this month in a profile of new restaurants.

There’s a lot to celebrate with this opening, and foremost is the depth of its menu. You Shan Pei, the former head chef of Northeastern Kitchen, remains on staff, and he’s joined by Michael Chew, a Taiwanese chef with 40 years of experience; Chew first cooked in Pittsburgh 30 years ago when he was the chef of Chef Chow in Fox Chapel.

Rather than focus solely on the lesser-known (though utterly delicious) cuisine of Heilongjiang province, as was the case at Northeastern Kitchen, the two chefs are collaborating on a pan-Chinese menu. Those dishes go beyond the typical Chinese restaurant menu to celebrate the nation’s culinary intricacies, and they’re also exploring the depths of regional cuisine.

Jian's Kitchen (品江南) opened in December in Squirrel Hill, in the spot formerly occupied by Northeastern Kitchen.