08
Feb 10

Phat in Shanghai: Secret Yakitori

More Yakitori! Still trying to locate the best spot in Shanghai, and so far this place is at the top of the list. It takes the cake with its amazing food, good music, comfortable space, and reggae-lovin Bobu-san keeping your sake cup filled. I promised I wouldn’t reveal the details of this “secret” yakitori spot, but if you can guess which one it is cheers to you!

secret yakitori
Here’s a hint.

potato salad
The potato salad here is to die for. I love the addition of cherry tomatoes and raisins. Yum. Comes with a side of bacon that you can mix in yourself.

mushrooms
A squeeze of lemon juice, a dash of Togarashi, and your grilled shiitake is good to go!

tsukune
Tsukune – a pair of giant, flavorful chicken meatballs stuffed with a quail egg. A nice little surprise.

yakitori oxtail
Oxtail – braised then grilled. It was so tender and delicious, and definitely my favorite dish of the night.

Thanks Adrian Lai for the flicks!

By Leykwon the Chef — $$$ — No comments
03
Feb 10

Phat in Shanghai: Orchard CRC

Ever since I was introduced to laksa, I’ve gone on a bit of a kick and ordered it for lunch everyday. I’m talkin chili and coconut milk noodle soup, EVERY day. Not exactly the healthiest habit, but I’m in love! I order my laksa from Orchard CRC on Xinzha Lu. The delivery is painfully slow (up to 2 hours!), but dine-in service is super snappy. Sure, when delivered, it arrives its barely lukewarm, but goddammit its so good and sure beats all the other options I have up around Suzhou Creek.

Hainan Chicken rice
Orchard also offers other Singaporean staples, like Hainan Chicken Rice.

laksa shanghai
(Sorry for the disgusting lighting, we have fluoro lights here.) This is my daily lunch at the office, yum. The laksa comes with bean sprouts, tofu puffs, shrimp, fish cakes, and half a hard boiled egg. The lunch set at orchard is just $35RMB including a drink.. I’ll take it over a $50RMB sandwich from wagas anyday.. even if I have to go pick it up myself!

$$
Orchard CRC
1788 Xinzha Lu at Jiaozhou Lu
新闸路1788号近胶州路
+86 6218-1792

By Leykwon the Chef — $$ — 5 comments
28
Jan 10

Gorgeous Rice Cookers

rice-cookers

Ditch your shitty rice cookers, check out these aesthetically-pleasing babies. Helen Chen’s Rice Cooker & Sang Jang Lee’s concept design.

By Leykwon the Chef — Uncategorized — No comments
25
Jan 10

Phat in Shanghai: Tenya

I’ve said it before, but Shanghai has some of the best Japanese food around. Unlike Western food or even Chinese in the city.. its reliable and consistent. Tenya is one of my favorite places to go for a sushi dinner.

There are two Tenyas, I prefer the one off of Huashan Lu in the French Concession. Tenya is known for its snow crab and quality toro, but skip the crab leg hot pot – its such a rip-off. Instead, ask for the sushi menu. I don’t know why they don’t automatically give it to you, you have to ask for it specifically. It’s China service.

Tenya Shanghai
This is the best dish on the menu – the “Bukkake Salad”. Yeah, I don’t know why its called that either. Haha. It’s an 8pc cucumber roll topped with snow crab leg meat, minced toro, and salmon roe. For $98RMB, its quite a good deal. You get to sample Tenya’s two specialties, and they are quite generous with the crab and toro toppings. Yum!

tenya shanghai
Now I’m not saying the sushi at Tenya is cheap, but its really good quality for what you pay. Nigiri ranges from $8RMB/2pcs to $28RMB/2pc for more luxe items like uni and snow crab leg.

My favorites off the sushi menu are the uni (creamy, fresh, full of flavor), scallop (sweet and delicious), and the grilled salmon topped with fried shallots (to die for, the shallots really do it up). I would avoid any clam-related sushi.. not very good. The handrolls are pretty nice too, I think they cost about $28RMB and I love the very necessary addition of a shiso leaf.

Enjoy!

$$$
Tenya
2/F, Lane 1520 Huashan Lu, at Tai’an Lu
(It’s actually in a driveway off Tai’an Lu between Huashan & Shinfu)
华山路1520弄2楼，近泰安路
+86 6281 4918
www.tei.com.cn

By Leykwon the Chef — $$$ — 2 comments
21
Jan 10

Phat in Shanghai: Mr. Willis

Anfu Lu is certainly shaping up to be laowai-ville. Expats are flocking to the new Vargas/Wagas concept building that includes La Strada for brick oven pizza, Baker & Spice for rustic breads, and the new home-style eatery, Mr. Willis. After hearing good things, I definitely wanted to check it out. Met up with Anita for a nice Sunday brunch.

mr willis shanghai
After you ascend up the wood-paneled staircase to the third floor restaurant, you are greeted enveloped in the warm, bustling atmosphere that is Mr. Willis at brunch time. The crowd is casual, the art is bad, and its perfect for a lazy Sunday.

mr willis shanghai pate
The pate at Mr. Willis. Pretty good. Served with good bread from Baker & Spice downstairs.

mr willis shanghai ricotta smoked salmon omelette
The menu at Mr. Willis sounds really fabulous. Omelettes with chorizo and potatoes! Ricotta and smoked salmon! But when you get your dish you are really puzzled at the price tag to portion size ration. I’m not sayin that this ricotta omelette wasn’t good, but it certainly wasn’t worth $85RMB. Throw in a goddamn salad or something!

mr willis shanghai benedict fail
A complete benedict fail. Last time I checked an eggs benedict came on English muffins and were not assembled into a two-egg sandwich. I think this was served on a hamburger bun? The hollandaise was tasty, but once again, definitely not worth the $85RMB. If you’re not going to toss in a salad or a potato side, I would scrap the oversize plates. It makes your dish look.. sad.. lonely… unsatisfying.

I’ve heard good things about Mr. Willis’ dinner menu and I would be happy to go back and try it. But as for brunch? You can catch me at the other Vargas outpost, Azul.

$$$
Mr. Willis
3/F, 195 Anfu Lu at Wulumuqi Lu
安福路195号3楼, 近乌鲁木齐路
+86 5404 0200

By Leykwon the Chef — $$$ — 1 comment
20
Jan 10

Poor Man’s Dinner

When I was in HK, my friend Lindsay whipped up these awesome instant noodles. They were fresh noodles instead of the dried shit you usually get. (Although I do love me some Shin Ramyun) I popped into Lawson’s and found these delicious noodles in their fridge. Yay!

fresh instant noodle
They come 2 servings to a pack, for $11RMB. This is the pork bone flavor, these also a duck flavor.. mm.

arugula lady shanghai
Also had to hit up Arugula Lady for some goods.. this is like $6RMB worth of veggies. I never really ate fresh shiitake til i got here. I’m so happy to have them on hand all the time – they are so good and add so much flavor to whatever you cook with them.

fresh instant noodle
Follow the instructions on the back, and voila! Dinner for two for $17RMB (~$2.50USD). Add a poached runny egg if ya fancy.

By Leykwon the Chef — $ — 1 comment
15
Jan 10

Phat in Shanghai: Boxing Cat Brewery

I feel so fortunate to live where I do. Shelter, el Coctel, Kito’s, & the Boxing Cat Brewery are all just a hop and skip away from my front door. Guess what I’m sayin is.. I like to be able to stumble home.

Boxing Cat is another venture by serial-restauranteur Kelley Lee. Ms. Lee is definitely doin something right, all her restaurants (Cantina Agave, Closed Door, Iiiit!) are doing really well and churning out fantastic food. Boxing Cat is a great place to go if you’re in the mood for some Southern comfort food and a tall glass of microbrew. The service is always super friendly, and bike friendly! On the weekends it feels a little like Boston – lots of baseball caps up in there. Where there is beer, the frat boys will come.

bread at boxing cat brewery shanghai
The bread at Boxing Cat is really good. It’s like half bread/half cake, all delicious. Served with herbed butter? Yes, please.

beet and goat cheese salad at boxing cat brewery, shanghai
Fried goat cheese & beetroot salad. I die over this salad, its so good. I think it’s my favorite salad in the world, in fact. I love the way the creaminess of the goat cheese goes perfectly with the acidity of the well-dressed butter lettuce. I’m not a salad girl at all, but when I’m at Boxing Cat, I gotta have this.

fish and chips at boxing cat brewery shanghai
The halibut & oyster fish and chips is a major fail. The batter is super thick and soggy. I ended up cutting the fish out of the chewy batter… not very good. I was definitely kicking myself for ordering this.

lazy man's fried chicken at boxing cat brewery shanghai
The Lazy Man’s Fried Chicken. This dish is so much better. The chicken is juicy and tender and stays crispy even though its smothered in a white gravy. The rosemary biscuit is quite thick and dense.. a nice touch. Next time I’ll be sure to get this instead of the fish and chips!

$$$
Boxing Cat Brewery
82 Fuxing Xi Lu at Yongfu Lu
复兴西路82号
French Concession, Shanghai
+86 6431-2091

By Leykwon the Chef — $$$ — 1 comment
15
Jan 10

Phat in Shanghai: Travelled Coffee & Tea

Moganshan Lu is a pretty cool place. It’s Shanghai’s art district and one of the only places you can take in some sick graffiti in the city. (Well, until the clean-up crews finish) It’s a little lane full of contemporary art galleries doing their thang and well worth the visit. If you’re ever in the area and in need of a quick bite to eat, Travelled Coffee & Tea is the (only) place.

travelled coffee & tea
The meals are super cheap, only $28RMB (~$4USD), while a coffee or tea will cost you about the same. My favorite dish is the mushroom and chicken rice. Enjoy!

$
Travelled Tea & Coffee
50 Moganshan Lu
at Xi Suzhou Lu
莫干山路50号近苏州河
Shanghai

By Leykwon the Chef — $ — No comments
13
Jan 10

Phat in Shanghai: Bo Duo Xin Ji

Canto food in Shanghai is not really Canto food. It’s always got some weird additional ingredients, or its too sweet, or its just.. unfamiliar. But let’s face it.. we’re not really in Canton so its ok. Bo Duo Xin Ji is one of those spots that cooks “Cantonese” food, but doesn’t. Yet, their brand of Shanghai-style Canto/Chao Zhou is super delicious, casual, and almost reminds me of home.

Bo Duo Xin Ji is a chain restaurant with several outlets throughout Shanghai. We visited the one on Fuxing at Huahai Lu. It’s been recently renovated – now features some sweet Ikea chairs and signature black/red plaid fits for the waitstaff. Upgrade! The menu is the same.

spinach at bo do xin ji shanghai
We ordered this spinach in soup to start. I like that at BDXJ you can get your veggies wok-fried with garlic, or in this delicious soup with goji berries, fried garlic, and dried scallops. It’s perfect for a brick ass winter day in Shanghai, and with a bowl of steaming hot rice, it could almost be a meal in itself. Almost.

cantonese meat loaf at bo do xin ji shanghai
Ah, steamed Cantonese meatloaf. This is the ultimate home cooking dish for me. My dad minces half lean/half fatty pork with fragrant dried shiitake and woodear, while my girl Gee does hers up with Chinese pickles. I’ve only had this at a restaurant a few times, and I still think it’s kind of weird that I’m not eating it at home. BDXJ does their meatloaf with water chestnuts and pickles on top. It’s super tasty, and I love the crunch of the water chestnuts. But they could mince their meat a little better… fat chunks between every other bite is not a good look. This dish comes with a scoop of rice, green bean pickles, and boiled napa cabbage on plate. Kind of weird for a Cantonese resto, but I like it.


Herring with Chinese pickles (mei gan cai). This dish is so good. A nice section of white fish steamed with Chinese pickles and shredded green onions. Mei Gan Cai pickles are made from sun-dried mustard greens or bok choy and are not very acidic. They just lend a really fragrant flavor to the dish that works well with the soy sauce and green onions. Mmmm. This dish also comes with the whole rice plate thing too. BDXJ also offers whole fish, but for a weeknight dinner for two, this portion was perfect. Whole fish – next time!

$
Bo Duo Xin Ji 博多新记
1465 Fuxing Lu at Huahai Lu
复兴中路1465号近淮海中路
+86 6437-2222

By Leykwon the Chef — $ — No comments
12
Jan 10

Phat in Shanghai: Baker & Spice

So while I was on vacay in the USA, looks like a lot of stuff happened here in Shanghai. Central Studios opened up with bang, Arugula Lady expanded and took over the shop next door, el Coctel became the new hotspot, and Baker & Spice opened up in the French Concession. I was very excited when I heard a new bakery opened up in my hood, less so when I found out it was a Wagas concept.

baker & spice shanghai
The bakery looks really promising – nice prime location on Anfu Lu next to plenty of coffee shops and restaurants. The interiors are slick and feature an industrial kitchen separated from the retail space by a pane of glass. Looks good.

baker & spice shanghai
The baguettes are quite good – only around $15RMB for a loaf of crusty bread. They also offer bagels, homemade granola, and assorted pastries and tarts. I tried this apricot danish and blehhh what a waste. I expected loose, flaky, crispy pastry, but instead got a chewy lump of inedible crap. The brownies with white chocolate are good though.

$
Baker & Spice
195 Anfu Lu
at Wulumuqi Lu
French Concession, Shanghai
+86 21 5404 2733
www.wagas.com.cn

By Leykwon the Chef — $ — 1 comment
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