New Guangzhou Restaurants & Bars: October 2016

By That's PRD, October 19, 2016

Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our October 2016 issue:

New Restaurants

Cafe Amour

Inspired by Italian artists Amedeo Modigliami, Cafe Amour's interior and dessert will take your breath away. The cafe’s desserts, crafted by a French chef, are works of art in their own right. Those with a sweet tooth should try the blackcurrant lemongrass pearl (RMB48): a round dessert filled with a harmonious marriage of blackcurrant jam and lemongrass mousse. Presented on a citrus-infused crust and garnished with white chocolate resembling delicate feathers, it’s almost too beautiful to eat.

Price: RMB70
Who’s going: Canton Place strollers, art collectors
Good for: sensational French desserts, an artsy, exclusive aura

Read our full review here. See listing for Cafe Amour.

Grappa's

Located at Parc Central, Grappa’s offers an easy-to-find entrance outside the mall directly below Apple’s suspended palace. This secret doorway is significant because it means patrons can stay, soaking up live classical music and Australian Shiraz, until 1am – long after the plaza closes. An undisputed favorite at Grappa's is the perfectly cooked, homemade pasta blackened with squid ink and topped with seasoned shrimp and cream sauce (RMB148). It is absolutely worth the price – if you’re lucky enough to see it prepared correctly, that is.

Price: RMB200 (not including wine)
Who’s going: tuhao with taste, Antonio Carluccio
Good for: homemade pasta, undisturbed fine dining

Read our full review here. See listing for Grappa's.

Red Chilli

Contrary to what its name might suggest, at Red Chilli you won't find many spicy explosions. Instead, expect gentler-on-the-tongue, Pan-Asian fusion with a heavier focus on Vietnamese and some Thai flavors thrown in. There are a few authentic gems buried, so do look closely. A satisfactory char-grilled pork neck (RMB58) appears on their list of appetizers. Thin and slightly chewy, the meat is basted and flavored with just enough depth. Given its penchant for reinventing the culinary wheel, the Thai prawn carpaccio with lime chilli relish (RMB98) is a must try.

Price: RMB120
Who’s going: fusionistas and pho-natics
Good for: gentler Vietnamese gastronomy, fresh produce

Read our full review here. See listing for Red Chilli.

Shuimusheng

Nestled on the fourth floor of Modern Mall next to Exit C of Dongshangkou Metro Station,Shuimusheng (水木笙), a new vegetarian eatery. Shuimusheng has departed from rigid Chinese vegetarian cuisine in favor of something more fun. Although the menu is only available in Chinese, look for the thumbs-up icons. Be sure to order the xiaolongbao (翡翠布袋, RMB88/four). Spending 22 kuai on one dumpling seems excessive, but each soupy pocket requires no less than 10 steps to prepare. Another must try at this vegan joint is the Fours Flavor of Life (人生四味, RMB38) a dish featuring a quartet of uniquely prepared vegetables that will tempt diverse, demanding palates.

Price: RMB80
Who’s going: vegetarians in their 20s or 30s, trendy foodies
Good for: well-presented veggies, Buddhist fare with a twist

Read our full review here. See listing for Shuimusheng.

Taksim Garden

Presentation probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Indian food, but the good folks at Taksim Garden don’t believe in rules. They chefs at Taksim are constantly experimentin with different ingredients to create delicious and colorful dishes.

As you flip through the lengthy, pictorial menu, turn to the curry section for some staples. Give the requisite butter chicken (RMB88) a shot. This yogurt-and-spice-marinated chicken is dressed in a velvety red bath comprising butter, onions, ginger and tomatoes and is scented with garam masala, cumin and turmeric, with a cinnamon tang. Sop it up with a side of garlic naan (RMB28/basket).

Price: RMB100
Who’s going: early-morning party crowds, Moghul mania
Good for: 24-hour eats, parties in a park

Read our full review here. See listing for Taksim Garden.

Bars

Bravo

Hosting an impressive 34 taps, only 22 of which were operational on our visit, Bravo has a beer for everyone, from the novice drinker to the seasoned beer bro. With half the beers on tap made in-house by proprietor Wayne Shen and brewmaster Rocky Wang (of Lazy Guys), many of the beers at this establishment can only be sampled there.

Although we didn’t have the chance (or the constitution) to try all of Bravo’s signature suds, we made a considerable dent, and among our favorites were the Yuhuan Lychee Ale (RMB58), Song of Chu Single Hop IPA (RMB65), Strong Arm American Stout (RMB65) and, at the number-one spot, This is Not Bacon Rauchbier (RMB58).

Price: RMB100
Who’s going: ‘hopportunists,’ those that worship the craft
Good for: fancy bar food, bacon-flavored beer

Read our full review here. See listing for Bravo.

Hutaoli Music Restaurant and Bar

A chain with as much fanfare as Johnny Rockets back home, Hutaoli tries – hard – to be the gathering place for music junkies and alternative youth. Its heavily filtered pics on Instagram reflect an innate desire to look cool, as do the moose heads and exposed light bulbs suspended around the interior of the restaurant. Cultured as the collection of wine bottles and suited bartenders are, the flimsy paper menu (written only in Chinese) oozes with run-of-the-mill dishes that. Their menu is a collection of China’s regional cuisines with a bit of Italian pizza (RMB58) and cheesecake (RMB42) thrown in for good measure.

Price: RMB120
Who’s going: head bangers, middle-class families
Good for: live music in a gorgeous setting, spicy nibbles

Read our full review here. See listing for Hutaoli.