Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our February 2018 issue:
New Restaurants
Antidote Restaurant and Bar
Dining at Antidote is simple: seven appetizers, seven main courses and one dessert. There’s no profusion of menu choices, at least not for the time being. Drink options, on the other hand, are numerous. So take our word for it and treat yourself to the afgado (RMB30), a cold coffee paired with a scoop of a vanilla ice cream.
For mains, try the saffron sauce seafood angel hair (RMB78). Served on an ivory-white plate, the fishy capellini infusion prepared with scallops and clams is flavored with saffron and is nothing if not scrumptious. Big ballers might consider shelling out for the Angus Valley steak (RMB228); flawless in texture, taste and color, with Antidote’s sweet onion sauce, mashed potatoes, mushrooms and asparagus on the side.
Price: RMB200
Who’s going: lovey-dovey couples, culturati diners
Good for: date night, lip-smacking capelini
Nearest metro: Linhexi (Exit C), 10 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Antidote Restaurant and Bar.
Jack Fin
To get your fill of fish and chips in Guangzhou, look no further than Jack Fin, which serves it Australian-style on (fake) newsprint. Let’s be honest: there’s nothing particularly complicated about good fish and chips, which will set you back RMB58 at this restaurant. If you want something a bit more complex, the fish pocket (RMB48) has cheese stuffed into the fillet. The fish used is not cod or haddock, meaning that it lacks the clean, deep-sea taste of those species. However, given that Guangzhou is rather far from the North Sea, this is to be expected.
While not outstanding in comparison to the genuine article found in the Commonwealth, the food is decent enough to make Jack Fin the local, go-to chippery of Jiangnanxi expats.
Price: RMB80-100
Who’s going: locals in the Jiangnanxi area
Good for: fish n' chips, deep-fried goodness
Nearest metro: Jiangnanxi (Exit D), 10 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Jack Fin.
JZ Yakiniku
The menu at JZ Yakiniku is composed in large part of Wagyu beef selections imported, naturally, from Australia. The price for a regular plate of sliced beef, depending on the cut, ranges from RMB68-109. The M9 Wagyu beef plate (RMB109), though an average graded meat, is the most popular order, and its texture is one of distinction. You can also upgrade to a Wagyu banquet by ordering the M9 platter (RMB428), the star order on the premises.
A salty-sweet diced onion and tare, a thick soy sauce, accompany the beef as condiments, while seafood and lamb are paired with other flavoring sauces. The seafood platter (RMB69), consisting of shrimp, squid and scallops, is another sexy addition to the table. To add some variety to the otherwise meaty spread, get the veggie platter (RMB35), formed of eggplant, mushroom, corn, pimiento and cucumber.
Price: RMB150
Who’s going: Chinese families with a smoking papa
Good for: ‘meat-ing’ up with the Wagyu squad
Nearest metro: Tiyu Xilu (Exit A), 5 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for JZ Yakiniku.
The Pizza Factory (2.0)
As its name suggests, The Pizza Factory is all about ‘za! Here you can build your own unlimited topping pizza or order one of the restaurant’s specialty pies. We recommend the former, because, in the immortal words of someone, somewhere: “Custom is king.”
If making your own pizza sounds like too much work, we recommend sampling the Fujiyama or cheeseburger pizzas. The Fujiyama comes topped with white sauce, mozzarella cheese, sausage slices, mushrooms and French fries, while the cheeseburger pie is composed of tomato sauce, mozza and cheddar cheeses, minced beef, tomatoes, onions and lettuce.
On our recent visit, we also sampled Slack’s chicken wings (RMB28), which are marinated for 24 hours in a finger-lickin’ ‘pesto-esque’ sauce. Flavor-packed and cooked to near-perfection, these chicken appendages are our choice appetizer at the Factory.
Price: RMB70-100
Who’s going: picky devotees of the ‘za, young Chinese women
Good for: custom eats, crafty cupcakes, your 10-year-old's birthday party
Nearest metro: Gongyuanqian (Exit E), five minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for The Pizza Factory (2.0).
New Bar
Spin
Tucked down a quiet street in Zhujiang New Town, brave adventurers hunting for mixological glory might have a challenge ahead of them if they seek out Spin. An unassuming vape shop serves as the downstairs ‘front’ to the operation and a little creative snooping will be necessary before the truly well-hidden entrance is revealed.
The disciplined mixologists behind the magic at Spin are headed up by Jackwing, a fierce female cocktail conjurer at the top of her craft. With years of experience in the bar departments of several top-tier Guangzhou hotels, Jackwings brings a meticulous attention to detail to her boozy creations along with boundless creativity.
On our visit, we sampled Spin’s spin on the classic Old Fashioned: the Holmes cocktail (RMB108). A little sweeter than we’re used to, to be sure, but the spicy, herbal swirl of homemade cinnamon syrup and smoked rosemary alongside premium bourbon and amaretto make for a compelling swallow.
Price: RMB200
Who's going: rum runners, cocktail conniseurs, fuerdai types
Good for: bespoke beverages, clandestine rendezvouses
Nearest metro: Gangding (Exit C) 20 minutes, Liede (Exit C) 20 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Spin.
Read more Guangzhou restaurant reviews, cafe reviews and bar reviews.
0 User Comments