Here are all the new restaurant and cafe openings we featured in our April 2017 issue:
New Cafes
Caffe Pascucci
Just as a family-owned vineyard preserves its wine-making expertise over generations, so has the Pascucci household passed down the art of roasting beans in the Montefeltro territory since 1883. Though all of Pascucci’s beans are roasted in Italy, patrons can choose an origin of harvest (Columbia, Guatemala, Brazil, Kenya, Peru or Costa Rica) and a style (hand-brew, syphon, cold-drip, mocha, French press or aero press).
Prices range depending on what you pick (RMB28-108), with the most expensive being a Costa Rican mocha. The day we visit, both the Columbian and Brazilian varieties are sold out, but the Kenyan hand-brew (RMB38) turns out to be well-balanced and pleasingly fragrant. It takes nearly 10 minutes to pour, however, so if you’re looking for a speedy cup to go, Caffe Pascucci probably isn’t the place.
Price: RMB40
Who’s going: expat book clubs, Chinese businessmen
Good for: making private calls, a peaceful coffee break
Read our full review here. See listing for Caffe Pascucci.
Enzo & Max
Enzo & Max, which offers catering for events and parties, crafts crepes both savory and sweet. For a main dish, try the La Forestière (RMB53), mushroom-scented and enriched with Port wine and cheese. Another solid option is the La Marinière (RMB53), infused with smoked salmon and a lemony cream sauce.
Dessert crepes come with fruity add-ons like diced mango, bananas, whipped cream, caramelized apple slices and ice cream of various flavors. We topped our chocolate crepe (RMB28) with vanilla ice cream and banana slices, but you may ‘go nuts’ with your Nutella (RMB23) served with mango and caramelized apples. Dine with a glass of imported cider (RMB25) – it’s what they do in France.
Price: RMB70
Who’s going: everyone who reads this review, crepeholics
Good for: authentic crepes, catering option
Read our full review here. See listing for Enzo & Max.
Signless Coffee
It’s no secret that some of the best coffee shops and cocktail bars here in Guangzhou are largely hidden to the naked eye – exposed only through word of mouth or an in-the-know friend – and Signless Coffee (无牌咖啡) is no exception. Contrary to what its name suggests, it does have a sign (the font of which resembles something out of Diagon Alley), and a colorful splash of graffiti on the wall opposite its entrance. Take Exit A from Gongyuanqian Metro Station, cross the street, enter an alleyway marked ‘南朝新街,’ turn right and walk until you see it on the left.
Baristas will ask your preference for coffee and show you a collection of jars holding a dozen kinds of beans from Columbia, Kenya, Panama and more. Some are flowery and taste almost like red tea, others register thick and chocolatey. If you’re with a friend, share a couple pour-overs (RMB20-25) without milk or sugar first to compare different flavors and, if you can’t bear the bitterness, ask for a latte (RMB20) with the bean variety you like best.
Price: RMB20
Who’s going: in-the-know coffee enthusiasts, photographers
Good for: comparing coffee beans, pour-overs
Read our full review here. See listing for Signless Coffee.
New Restaurants
Amaroni's
Ensconced on the third-floor roof of the upscale Taikoo Hui shopping center, Amaroni’s New York-Italian style restaurant looks phenomenal and certainly walks the walk. The real question is whether the fare offered can talk the talk and deliver authentic Italian-style dishes that transport you from Taikoo Hui to Tuscany.
The service isn’t evocative of New York City, where the wait staff deign to your every need in hope of a 20 percent tip. This is one of those places where you must refill your own glass or learn how to shout fuwuyuan loudly in a passable Cantonese accent to get attention. The main events are penne rustica (RMB98) and New York classic pizza (RMB108). Both come highly recommended by the wait staff and both are slightly underwhelming. We wish we’d sampled other tried and true Italian tropes such as the lasagna (RMB98) or spaghetti carbonara (RMB128). If you are feeling particularly posh, you can spring for more luxurious fare such as oven roasted live crab (RMB288) or the slow cooked oxtail (RMB256).
Price: RMB200 per person
Who’s going: amorous couples, people tired of the whacky toppings at Pizza Hut
Good for: a romantic date that doesn’t get too splurge-y
Read our full review here. See listing for Amaroni’s.
Atlas Kitchen
Tucked away on the third floor of Agile Center in Zhujiang Xincheng, this eclectic canteen welcomes guests with a well-stocked salad bar (RMB58/lunch, RMB78/dinner for unlimited servings) and hot and cold fridges touting grab-and-go options like roasted tomato and vegetable soup (RMB28) and Sichuan style crawfish and cucumber sandwiches (RMB48).
Lunch deals are abundant and priced on the lower side; try a crisp salad, a soup of the day and either tea, coffee or dessert for just RMB38. The juice bar is a whimsical nod to your daily dose of vitamins; get superpowers (RMB45), a mix of ginseng, ginger, apple and carrots, so you can fight the tropical storm (RMB38), a concoction of coconuts, pineapple and whey. For dinner, the incredibly juicy meat mains such as the 48-hours barbeque ribs (RMB158) – cooked sous vide so that the collagen that binds together strands of muscle melts away – is worth ordering. The due of earthy cumin and sesame seeds add a supernova of aroma and piquancy, giving it a finger-licking quality.
Price: RMB120
Who’s going: global villagers, inspired distinctions
Good for: bold combos, fun mashups
Read our full review here. See listing for Atlas Kitchen.
Read more Guangzhou restaurant reviews.
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