Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our September 2016 issue:
New Restaurants
Asia Table
Asia Table’s double-sided grayscale menu (a temporary measure, we are told) is clear and engaging, with toothsome friendliness; but it also asserts its heritage, labeling categories first in Thai, then in both English and Chinese. The food is served in no particular order, so it’s really just about chowing down. The green papaya salad with chili sauce (RMB38), a dish you’re probably familiar with, left a velvety feeling in the mouth and came with an overambitious, solid hit of heat that left us a little thirsty. If that happens to you, try the thirst-quenching and extremely icy lemongrass virgin mojito (RMB32) or the Thai iced milk tea (RMB30).
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: Mall rats, Thai-esque treat seekers
Good for: Asian fixes, durian cakes
Read our full review here. See listing for Asia Table.
Line Friends
This cafe focuses on character-shaped sweet treats and quick bites, but truth be told, it is not cheap… or tasty. The mochis (RMB25) are super sugary and tiny, while the macaroons (RMB18) are a bit too dry (even though they somehow manage to sell out quickly). The cupcakes and mousses (RMB42) are simply awwww-worthy and impeccable in their presentation. Little can be said about their texture or taste, however. Brown Mini hotcakes (RMB32/8 or RMB42/12 pieces) are custard-filled pockets; ask for a squirt or two more of that delightful custard. Mains like pancakes with salad, a burger with fries and toast with sausage cost a staggering RMB98 a pop. Let’s face it: people don’t go to a cartoon cafe expecting delicious food. It’s all about making it look perfect for the camera.
Price: RMB80
Who’s going: line lovers (like actual queue enthusiasts, not the company)
Good for: taking a million cutesy selfies, nervous breakdowns
Read our full review here. See listing for Line Friends.
Putien
Since it joined the underground floor of TaiKoo Hui in early July, this sub-branch of a Michelin-starred restaurant has enjoyed a full house every single day (even with its upward of 120 seats), alluring passersby with a radiant facade and animate ambiance. The popularity of this Fujian eatery can be explained in three words: fresh, light and invigorating. Order the sweet and sour pork with lychee (RMB48) and you’ll get the idea: deep-fried until slightly golden, the pork tastes tender inside, with the lychee fruit adding a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
Price: RMB90
Who’s going: Chinese families, swish TaiKoo Hui shoppers
Good for: light-flavored, hearty Putian cuisine
Read our full review here. See listing for Putien.
Tomonoya
A five-minute walk from Wuyangcun Metro Station, Tomonoya, an eatery dedicated to all things sashimi, is discreetly housed in one of the clusters of commercial yards on Chunfeng Lu. Tomonoya is an omakase restaurant, meaning all meals consist of dishes selected by the chef. Xu, a hardcore sashimi lover, enjoys treating patrons to the freshest slices of salmon, tiger prawn, white marlin and other seasonal specialties, presented with colorful floral embellishments. Order the salmon sashimi (RMB58) and sit back while Xu and his apprentice attentively prepare you meal.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: the owner’s friends, Japanese expats
Good for: seasonal sashimi, chef’s creative selections
Read our full review here. See listing for Tomonoya.
Veg Tables
Before you reduce Veg Tables to an overly perfumed vegan cafe for cleansing yoga buffs, know this: Chris Huang, winner of CCTV’s national cooking competition The Taste in 2014 (and one of our ‘Sexiest People in the PRD’ last year), is at the helm of the kitchen, crafting a new, tantalizingly delicious menu every two weeks. The result? Some of the most inspired and meticulously sourced food we’ve had the opportunity to try in Guangzhou. Take the roasted balsamic tomato and avocado on toast (RMB38) for instance: a spread of ripe fruits, arugula and walnuts on multigrain, this enhanced bruschetta epitomizes the farm-to-table concept, bringing the kind of garden-fresh flavors you only find at summer potlucks back home.
Price: RMB130
Who’s going: wellness instructors, local college students
Good for: responsibly sourced Western vegetarian food
Read our full review here. See listing for Veg Tables.
Bar
Tipsy
If Tsingdao gets you tipsy, Tipsy will get you drunk – and not only because the craft beers sold at this niche pub average 6 percent, or because a tray of free samples winds its way around the room every half hour. No, Tipsy will have you drunk on life. Entry-level drinkers can opt for the always agreeable Hoegaarden on tap (RMB32/150ml, RMB40/330ml or RMB50/500ml) or Liefmans Fruitesse (RMB36/45/60). Then again, why go to a craft beer bar and order Liefmans? Hops fan or not, you’d be wrong not to try at least a sample of Firestone Walker’s Union Jack IPA (RMB40/50/65), which registers smooth and citrusy on the tongue even with its 70 IBU (International Bitterness Units). At 7.5 percent alcohol content, you’re also looking at a fast buzz.
Price: RMB80
Who’s going: Master Cicerones, those who mistake Tsingdao for water
Good for: broad selection of craft beers on tap, after-work drinks
Read our full review here. See listing for Tipsy.
Read more Guangzhou restaurant reviews and Guangzhou bar reviews.
0 User Comments