When we first heard of Urban Pot, our minds immediately conjured up stirring images of earthy, rustic goodness. We even went as far as to think that maybe, just maybe, it might house a dispensary. So after a long day at work and a maze of traffic, we rolled in, ablaze with anticipation.
Our first impressions do not disappoint. Here, the decor is the star; rusty bicycles from old villages line the ceiling and walls are covered with images of scooters from the heyday, flanked by an open style bar. It's a chatty room that mingles hanging lanterns from Vietnam with vintage finds like timeworn mosaic tiles. Sadly, no green foliage, but all is forgiven.
As you thumb through the menu that offers a baffling range of local bar snacks like fried wontons (RMB38) and chicken wings (RMB42), Southeast Asian signatures, pastas, pastas, steaks, burgers and even Cantonese flavors, you will likely be reminded that this is Guangzhou, and here we get all kinds.
Some will see this as a breath of fresh air. Others will curl their lips at what they view as a mishmash of magpie pickings from the global floor. Us? We’re caught somewhere between east and west.
Wondering in which direction to point our culinary compass, we are guided to Asia, with Hainanese chicken rice (RMB55). Though well cooked, the condiments, rice and poultry lack those bold flavors they're so well known for, awakening us to the fact that one can’t always expect dishes to taste the way they do in a hawker center in Singapore.
Or can we? The nasi lemak (RMB55), laksa (RMB50) and beef rendang fare better; for those seeking Nanyang favorites, these are apt choices and go well with a dose of pulled tea, also known as teh tarik (RMB25/30), or Bandung fever (RMB35), a cold rose and milk cordial.
Fusion food lovers will enjoy Urban Pot’s pizza varieties; try the canton roast duck (RMB68) and black pepper crab (RMB88) pies. But do take heed, as they’re not eaten the traditional way – you have to fold a slice (think Peking duck pancakes) and then chow down.
For a taste of Italy, pastas are decent; try the truffle oil and mushroom (RMB48) and pair it with a cold one from the wide selection of drinks. There’s just about everything liquid to wash down your meal; juices, draft beers, bubbly, whiskeys and shots. This is Party Pier after all, and in the lyrics of Mason Jennings’ ‘Drinking as Religion,’ “it’s drown or keep drinking.”
The lack of culinary theme makes it wildly incomprehensible that a menu can deliver such authenticity, but with its casual, drop-in attitude, Urban Pot is just that – urban, with friendly vibes, decent dishes, drinks and music thrown in for good measure. And somehow, just somehow, it all lights up and comes together.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: Pre-drinkers and the well-traveled
Good for: Light eats before heavy beats
0 User Comments