Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our June 2018 issue:
New Restaurants
Ludao Brine Hot Pot
For Chaoshan folks who grew up with lushui dishes on their dining table, using lushui as a hotpot stock sounds revolutionary, if not sacrilegious. Thankfully, the recently opened Guangzhou branch of Ludao Brine Hot Pot is up to snuff.
The popular lushui goose, familiar to gourmands in Guangdong, makes an appearance on the menu in the form of separate marinated dishes including wings (RMB38), meat (RMB48), necks (RMB22) and heads (RMB68). Hot pot classics on the menu include a spread of meats, vegetables, seafood (including spiny lobster for RMB138), as well as some Chaoshan specialties like cuttlefish balls (RMB48) and shrimp balls (RMB32).
One of the perks of dining at Ludao is the flexibility of concocting your own bespoke dipping sauces. Here, on a dedicated sauce stand in the middle of the restaurant, over a dozen spices and toppings sit ready in jars, ranging from diced scallions to garlic oil, smashed garlic, sesame oil, chopped peppers and more.
Price: RMB100-200
Who’s going: Chinese families, Chaoshan folks
Good for: saucing your own meal, marinated goose
Nearest metro: Liede (Exit D), 10 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Ludao Brine Hot Pot.
Pandan Indonesian Restaurant
For those of you who know the ‘Zhou, you’d know that Pandan had quite a cult following. So, when all three branches shut down recently, disappointed tongues were left wagging, so to speak. Making a bona fide comeback at China Plaza is this authentic Indonesian gem.
At Pandan, there’s a telling of a story of a country, as they cook up a respectful take on its adored culinary repertoire. There’s all the essentials, from gado gado (RMB27) to soto ayam (RMB29), and seafood staples like grilled prawns (RMB59).
The impossibly enjoyable sate ayam, with juicy bits of meat, is served with peanut dipping sauce, like those sold from street stalls. Fried and served with green chili, the ayam bakar cabe ijo is a treat at just RMB42. On the rice section of the menu, you can find a seafood nasi goreng (RMB38) that lives up to its esteemed reputation.
Price: RMB80
Who’s going: reminiscent Pandan fans, curry lovers
Good for: a taste of Indonesia, sambal, sate ayam
Nearest metro: Martyrs' Park (Exit A), 5 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Pandan Indonesian Restaurant.
Sunshine Bay Cafe
Sunshine Bay Cafe appears to attract an eclectic, conscious crowd. On our visit, we spotted a merry band of yoga enthusiasts stretching away in unison, a group of middle-aged men chomping down on fresh fruit, and several smaller clusters, from families to lean young lasses posing for selfies.
Sunshine’s signature is undoubtedly the acai bowl, a nutritional powerhouse made from a thick blend of antioxidant-rich acai berries and bananas, topped with granola and a selection of superfoods like coconut flakes, chia seeds and goji berries. For a dose of daily protein, add a serving of whey powder for RMB15.
Nutrient-packed juices like the kaffir aroma (RMB29) and toxin flush (RMB32) are made to order, so expect to wait a few minutes for service. Salads are a feature too: try the hummus avocado (RMB59), a large serving of crisp hydroponically-harvested kale, topped with egg, sliced avocado, pumpkin seeds and a generous serving of homemade hummus.
Price: RMB60-100
Who’s going: health junkies, those on island time, boot campers
Good for: vitality and freshness in a bowl (or plate), healthy grab-and-go eats
Nearest metro: Huacheng Dadao (APM Line), 1 minute
Read our full review here. See listing for Sunshine Bay Cafe.
New Bars
Harena
Beer-pong. It's a pastime more often associated with the sticky frat house basements of North American college towns than the ritzy club scenes of major Chinese cities. So we must admit that we didn’t quite know what to expect from Harena’s recent entry into Xingsheng Lu’s crowded and competitive barscape.
It’s an odd mix of classy and laid back, but it works. The sporty, competitive atmosphere of athletic wall decals, referees and bouncing ping pong balls is offset by chic lighting, professional staff and a club-like vibe. This novel dichotomy is reflected on high-mounted flat screen TVs, which alternate between live soccer broadcasts and fashion show runway reels.
The pong itself, played on sleek, lit-up tables bearing the Harena brand to the thumping beat of driving hip-hop, costs RMB128 per 1.5-liter round. Price-wise, this means RMB42 pints consumed in a unique and entertaining battle of drunken dexterity. Though the game is relatively new to many in China, the wealthy ex-emigres and Eastern European models who, on the night of our visit, seemed to make up the bulk of Harena’s clientele, have taken to it with enthusiasm.
Price: RMB150
Who’s going: nostalgic ‘sea-turtles’, fans of Animal House, live-streaming celebs
Good for: settling scores, a high-energy night out with friends
Nearest metro: Liede (Exit D), 8 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Harena.
Whispers
Celebrated Japanese author Haruki Murakami once said, “Whisky, like a beautiful woman, demands appreciation. You gaze first, then it’s time to drink.” Mr. Murakami would find lots to gaze at inside Whispers, where veteran Guangzhou expat Rob Turnbull and his staff tend to a collection of 88 whiskies – from Scotch and Irish whiskey to bourbon and Japanese varieties.
Behind the bar, three shelves divide the lounge’s selection of whiskeys and whiskys based on price: RMB60 per 50-milimeter dram from bottles on the bottom shelf, RMB80 per dram from the middle-shelf bottles and RMB100 and up for top-shelf pours.
On our visit, we sampled the Bowmore 12 (RMB60), a single malt scotch whisky with a delicate and intriguing peat-smoke taste. Smooth from nose to finish, we found this Scotch an accessible starting point for Islay-style experimentation.
Price: RMB60-100
Who’s going: Panyu’s classiest drinkers, single malt maniacs
Good for: pondering life while sipping a cool glass of whisk(e)y
Nearest metro: Nancun Wanbo (Exit A), 10 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Whispers.
Read more Guangzhou restaurant reviews, cafe reviews and bar reviews.
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