The Place
It takes a wise restaurateur to identify a hole in the market and fill it accordingly. In the case of Stack, a new burger-slinging operation on Wukang Lu, the Canadian-Chinese owner took over the space left behind by Rachel’s after a flour scandal knocked Franck Pécol’s empire down.
Differentiating itself from its predecessor, Stack also specializes in towers of the #instafamous Japanese soufflé pancakes and generously-sized breakfast platters.
The Food
Many components go into making a perfect burger, and those variables are best evaluated in a Basic Cheeseburger (RMB82), which falls slightly short in nearly all departments. The flavor of the beef is affected by both the fat-to-meat ratio and the sear on the patty. In this case, there is too much grease locked in by a pretty nice char. Using cheddar tastes good, but American processed cheese melts more evenly in a burger setting. The lettuce and tomato aren’t crisp enough to offset the fattiness. An overly sweet brioche bun is the final misstep in this equation.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
To be fair, it’s not a terrible burger, and some innovative toppings could help disguise its shortcomings. Luckily, they have options like the ‘Smokey BBQ’ (RMB85) featuring caramelized onions and barbecue sauce or the ‘All Day Breakky’ (RMB95) with fried egg.
Fries will cost an additional RMB30, but their skin-on potatoes are hand cut and very well fried. The option to order them doused in high-calorie toppings like Bacon Jalapeño (RMB42) or Black Truffle Cheese (RMB50) is a fat kid’s dream.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
The first thing that we noticed when our Breakfast Plate (RMB79) came out is an impeccably cooked over-easy egg. Breakfast sausage and sautéed mushrooms are standard and wedges of ripe melon and grapefruit a lovely touch. Minor missteps include an avocado sliced about a day too early and under-toasted sourdough bread.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
If there’s only one thing that you must get, it’s the soufflé pancakes, which are so fluffy and light that a strong wind could blow them away. The Tiramisu Soufflé Pancakes (RMB82) are covered in a creamy, lightly sweetened mascarpone and pleasingly bitter cocoa powder. The one thing that would make these airy wonders more delicious is if they poured the espresso on before the cocoa powder to allow the pancakes to soak up more coffee flavor.
Food Verdict: 1.5/3
The Vibe
The food is far from perfect, but the service is on point. Friendly wait staff are forthcoming with recommendations, water is refilled without asking, and orders come out in a jiffy – the same goes for the soufflé pancakes, which require a notoriously long time to cook. It would only take a few small changes to elevate the burger, and for a restaurant with so much potential, it would be a shame not to.
Vibe Verdict: 1.5/2
Total Verdict: 3/5
Price: RMB100-200 per person
Who’s going: Mostly young locals and a few foreigners
Good for: Casual lunch/brunch and soufflé pancakes
[Cover image by Cristina Ng/That's]
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