The Place
The Hongqiao Hub, in the far reaches of Shanghai’s wild, wild West, might not seem like an attractive location for an American-style barbecue restaurant, but Bourbon Cookhouse was surprisingly busy on a recent visit. This is even more notable because it was a rainy Saturday in an open-air mall, where neighbors include Ocean Grounds, Pizza Marzano and Green & Safe.
Bourbon’s head chef is a Brit named Justin Birmingham, who traveled through the American BBQ belt through Texas, Kentucky, Kansas City and Tennesee, where he nailed the formula for his dry rubs and smoking techniques in Memphis. Staying true to their name, they also have a nice selection of bourbons, craft beers and cocktails to go with your meal.
The Food
The offerings consist of starters, mains, sandwiches and desserts commonly found at restaurants all over the Deep South. Do not let the overwhelming number of choices lead to over-ordering, as portions are large. One appetizer is enough for two people and we recommend deep-fried pickles (RMB48) for equal parts greasy and vinegary goodness.
Birmingham uses a 24-hour process to prepare the pork ribs (RMB178/half slab, RMB298/full slab) and beef brisket (RMB128), and the flavors clearly reflect his efforts. The top badge of honor for good barbecue is a smoke ring framing succulent meat and their brisket has a discernable one; too bad they slice this cut too thinly.
The coveted pink edge is less noticeable on the ribs, but these babies are actually the best ribs we’ve had on either side of the Huangpu, due to a smoky richness. Of the five sauces, the cranberry chipotle or cayenne sriracha stand out because of their balance of heat and sweetness, but truth be told, the meats don’t actually need additional sauce to taste great.
Sides are less impressive, especially the baked beans (RMB28), which taste mostly of tomato instead of the luscious fat drippings and hints of caramelized brown sugar we expect. It’s hard to hate macaroni and cheese (RMB48), but overcooked noodles along with the odd inclusion of thyme makes this version hard to love. While scrumptious, the aged cheddar cheese and black pepper biscuits (RMB28) are more like savory scones than American-style soft, leavened quick bread.
Filled with ganache instead of pudding, the Bourbon Chocolate Mud Pie (RMB58) is misnamed. By pudding, we mean a soft dessert made of dairy, eggs, flavoring and sweetener thickened with cornstarch. Though it’s delicious, we imagine Mississippi grandmothers might have issues with this.
Food Verdict: 2/3
The Vibe
A combination of brick, brown leathers and warm woods lit with Edison light bulbs and neon signs gives off the feeling of a modern saloon. The country-western soundtrack and friendly service add additional authenticity points.
While not fans of the liberties taken with time-honored American recipes, we would return for the ribs any day. We hear they are opening more outlets around the city, so we will keep our fingers crossed for a downtown location soon.
Vibe Verdict: 1.5/2
Total Verdict: 3.5/5
Price: RMB100-200 per person
Who’s going: International school crowd and local business employees
Good for: smoked BBQ, large portions, Bourbon
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