With ex-England and British and Irish Lion rugby international John Bentley in town for the Shanghai Sevens - and looking for a feed – we decided the outspoken Yorkshireman would be the perfect person to run the rule over self-professed ‘Shanghai’s first authentic British restaurant,’ Mr Harry…
Can you give us a quick synopsis of your meal, break it down for us?
I didn’t think I was in Shanghai, actually – I thought I was in Cleckheaton. With the fish and chips, pork pie (which is a growler), ploughman’s lunch, bangers and mash and of course black pudding with your fried breakfast, but more importantly bubble and squeak - probably my favorite with some Branston Pickle.
Enjoyed it.
The bangers and mash - how were the sausages?
Alright.
Just alright?
Yeah okay. Yeah… okay. I’m a tomato sausage man - I like tomato sausages. The mash potato was unusual because there was no lumps in it like what my wife does. Like… there’s all lumps in her mash.
Lumpy mash we call it.
So there was no lumps in it and it was very smooth. The bubble and squeak were very tasty.
Um… bangers and mash with salad on the top?! We really are in Shanghai…
How did you feel about that?
I decide to hide it under the mash potato. In case anybody came in and saw me eating a salad, you know…
And what was so good about the bubble and squeak?
Ah, it’s just bubble and squeak. Love it. The best part of Christmas dinner - the next day, bubble and squeak. With some Branston Pickle.
What about the full English breakfast?
It was okay. The black pudding was unusual. It didn’t taste like black pudding.
What did it taste like?
Arrghhhhhuuuummm… I don’t know really - I’ve never tasted anything like it before in me life.
In a good way or a bad way?
In a good way. There are times to eat a full English. Friday afternoon one o’clock probably wouldn’t be my choice. The morning after - get a group together and get a full English down. But depending on what’s coming up in the evening, it can serve you well - a good ballast.
Overall impressions?
You know what, I feel like I’ve let somebody down. Probably myself. I’ve been in Shanghai for two meals so far, and for both meals I’ve has sausage and mash. I think at some point I should try some Chinese food…
The rundown:
Full English breakfast: RMB98
Ploughman’s: RMB98
Bangers and mash: RMB68
Bubble and squeak: RMB28
// 5/F, 819 Nanjing Xi Lu, by Shimen Lu 南京西路819号5楼， 近石门二路 (6203 6511, www.mrharryshanghai.com)
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