The Place
Class. Pure, class. Located in Guangzhou’s up and coming Pazhou New Village area, Ganèa Kitchen Fairy Tales is the neighborhood’s swankiest joint, with an elegant, dimly lit interior and impressive selection of high-grade meat and booze.
Owned and operated by a small team of food- and wine-loving Moldovan folks, Ganèa’s interior design and ‘feel’ can best be described as very much a cross between the sophistication of fellow steak-haven Morton’s Grille and the hominess of a small family-run restaurant. Think of Ganèa as a boutique-style Morton’s.
The Food
We began our culinary journey at Ganèa with the beef carpaccio (RMB128), a dish that originates from Italy and consists of thinly-sliced raw beef, greens, chunks of parmesan cheese, lemon and black pepper – ingredients that, when eaten together, result in a skirmish of textures in your ol’ ‘pie hole.’ Ganèa’s rendition is true to form and serves as a fantastic appetizer.
Ganèa’s tzatziki dish offers a taste authentic to the celebrated Greek dip, but with a unique method of presentation: ingredients are served individually in a large, shallow bowl, and it’s up to you whether to mix them together or to enjoy them separately. We chose the former route, and the refreshing and tart blend of ingredients was perfect for dipping the eatery’s homemade bread.
Served with asparagus, broccoli and fries, the Australian Angus beef ribeye steak (RMB388) is a filling plate of food, no doubt. Cooked to order, patrons have a choice of several sauces to accompany their slab of beef, including a zesty pepper sauce, blue cheese sauce and classic mushroom sauce. We went with the ‘shroom dip’ and were thoroughly impressed.
For poultry lovers, we recommend the slow-cooked duck breast, which comes served with a super-sweet, slow-cooked pear. The delicate balance of savory and sweet that is achieved with this spirited dish is simply remarkable. The outside of the duck breast is cooked to a light crisp, while the meat’s interior remains juicy and soft – creating a dynamic mouthfeel.
For all of the aforementioned meat dishes, Ganèa’s selection of Moldovan wine is probably the best beverage option.
To finish off our meaty marathon at Ganèa Kitchen Fairy Tales, we sampled the mille-feuille: a flaky French pastry adorned with strawberries and cream (RMB68). Pair your dessert with a ‘popcorn whiskey sour’ (RMB50): a classic whiskey sour with a subtle aftertaste of unbuttered popcorn, garnished with lightly roasted strawberry-flavored marshmallows.
The Vibe
With low lighting and soft, bluesy oldies serenading patrons from the restaurant’s speaker system, the vibe is undoubtedly relaxing. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, classy is probably the best way to describe Ganèa, and as such, it’s a great spot to bring a date for an intimate evening of flirting over fine eats and wine.
Price: RMB500
Whose going: Russian and European expats, high society
Good for: meat, meat and more meat, romantic rendezvous
Nearest metro: Wanshengwei (Exit D), 10 minutes
Open daily, 10am-midnight; see listing for Ganèa Kitchen Fairy Tales.
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