The first half of 2018 has been monumental for the F&B industry in Guangzhou. There have been a number of high-profile restaurant openings, the reopening of second and third floors at numerous pubs and eateries in Tianhe and, of course, the widely reported on launch of Guangzhou’s first-ever Michelin Guide.
Below, in no particular order, we walk you through our top 10 favorite eateries that we’ve reviewed in the past six months.
1. Hemei Japanese Cuisine
Tiyu Dong Lu has no dearth of Japanese restaurants and sake spots, which is why the addition of another similar establishment is tempting to overlook. But spend a night of wining and dining at Hemei Japanese Cuisine and it’s clear that the place gallops ahead of the greasy-spoon herd.
When patrons are seated, Hemei makes a gesture of its hospitality by offering a large complimentary mushroom, deep-fried and stuffed with pork. Don’t balk at their sprawling bilingual menu (Chinese and Japanese only). Instead, ask the waitress for the day’s list of rotating specials and, if you’re lucky, put your name in for a portion of their precious little supply of basashi.
This pink horsemeat sashimi (RMB78) is one of their imports from Japan – obtained, according to the manager, through ‘secret channels,’ at a volume of three plates per day. Sliced radish, ground ginger and soy sauce are served alongside, to spice up the surprisingly mellow equine cuts.
Price: RMB200
Who’s going: the after-work Japanese crowd
Good for: impressing a date, warm sake, unparalleled service
Nearest metro: Tiyu Xilu (Exit B), 8 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Hemei.
2. 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 affogato (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.
3. Doors
Doors is all about flair and theater; the result garners a boatload of oohs, aahs and WeChat likes, and quite rightfully so. Our selection of three salads – the Turkish, grilled marinated eggplant, and kidney bean – are not just a visual treat, but off-the-hook in terms of taste, aftertaste and presentation. Priced between RMB48-65, they’re decent value for money, too.
To complement the red wine, cocktails, liquors and raki, order red and white meat dishes in portions so that you get to try the whole lot: there are several varieties of beef, lamb and chicken that fit the bill. The lamb shish kebab (RMB106) melts with meaty juices, and Ceylan jumps in expertly: perfect for stuffing into crispy homemade pockets of lavash flatbread (RMB20). It melts so naturally on the tongue and makes for such fulfilling bites that it leaves you asking the obvious: "What else can I order?"
Who’s going: super extra taste lovers, those who got dough and like to eat it too
Good for: meat flamboyance, sensual seafood, Turkish delights
Price: RMB350
Nearest metro: Liede (Exit D), 8 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Doors.
4. Feitun Charcoal Grill
Feitun offers a palatable composite of Singaporean and Malaysian cuisines, with Thai and Indonesian dishes thrown in for good measure. In other words, this new restaurant delivers a Southeast Asian smack to the palate.
The much lauded, time-tested bak kut teh (Hokkien dialect for ‘meat bone tea’, RMB38), introduced to Singapore and Malaysia in the 19th century by Chinese coolies, is a signature and must-try dish. It’s a piquant broth boiled with meaty pork ribs, bones, garlic and a complex selection of herbs.
Another standout menu item is the Kampar curry chicken bread (RMB55), which is prepared on site. Preparation takes about 30 minutes and, when the dish arrives at your table, a waitress will cut it open in the same manner one opens a pomelo.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: lady groups, lonely men
Good for: food porn, zesty flavors
Nearest metro: Tiyu Xi Lu (Exit A), 5 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Feitun.
5. Ganèa Kitchen Fairy Tales
Class. Pure, class. Located in Guangzhou’s up and coming Pazhou New Village area, Ganèa Kitchen Fairy Tales is the neighborhood’s swankiest joint, with an elegant, dimly lit interior and impressive selection of high-grade meat and booze.
We began our culinary journey at Ganèa with the beef carpaccio (RMB128), a dish that originates from Italy and consists of thinly-sliced raw beef, greens, chunks of parmesan cheese, lemon and black pepper – ingredients that, when eaten together, result in a skirmish of textures in your ol’ ‘pie hole.’ Ganèa’s rendition is true to form and serves as a fantastic appetizer.
Served with asparagus, broccoli and fries, the Australian Angus beef ribeye steak (RMB388) is a filling plate of food, no doubt. Cooked to order, patrons have a choice of several sauces to accompany their slab of beef, including a zesty pepper sauce, blue cheese sauce and classic mushroom sauce. We went with the ‘shroom dip’ and were thoroughly impressed. For poultry lovers, we recommend the slow-cooked duck breast, which comes served with a super-sweet, slow-cooked pear.
Price: RMB500
Whose going: Russian and European expats, high society
Good for: meat, meat and more meat, romantic rendezvous
Nearest metro: Wanshengwei (Exit D), 10 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Ganèa Kitchen Fairy Tales.
6. Le oui
Here at Le oui, a la carte is not an option and visitors should expect to pay dearly for the premium chic. Customers receive a neatly printed wine list and menu detailing the four set meals on offer. Prices for the multi-course arrangements range from RMB398-998, rivaling those of luxury hotel restaurants. On the day of our visit, a half-off promotion caught us by surprise. But how was the food?
From the two sets we sampled, it was clear that the ingredients Le oui chooses are faultless in both freshness and taste. This much was evident in dishes like the scallop with caviar, an efficiently refreshing appetizer presented like an exotic floral bloom, and the shrimp salad with orange, which delivers a marvelously edgy flavor, arriving frosted with a topping of tiny orange locules (the minute sacs that make up the fruit’s juicy flesh). In an added treat for the eyes, the two dishes come with a side of mystique, flirting with diners through a haze of dry ice.
As for mains, the sous-vide short ribs with foie gras sauce as well as the lamb chop with black pepper sauce, were both precisely cooked and lushly seasoned. The fried octopus with prickly ash, however, is a run-of-the-mill extra. Nonetheless, we found the colorful dessert, jujube mousse and ice cream, to make for a playfully satisfying finish.
Price: RMB400-1,000
Who’s going: affluent ‘islanders,’ curious concert-goers
Good for: expensive dates
Nearest metro: Wuyangcun, 30-40 minutes; so take a taxi
Read our full review here. See listing for Le oui.
7. Mercato
Award-winning Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, owner of a slew of Michelin-starred restaurants, had only one thing in mind when he opened Mercato at K11 Mall: to offer us ravenous Southerners simple yet sophisticated plates featuring high quality ingredients that shine.
At Mercato, a selection of crudo and appetizers make for perfect tapas-style shareables. Try the sliced kingfish with crushed olives and dill (RMB98); house-made ricotta swirled with strawberry and olive oil on bread (RMB98); and the wood-oven-roasted asparagus with prosciutto and fontina cheese (RMB98). Homemade pastas and risotto also feature; try the lobster and shrimp ravioli, doused in olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs (RMB138/198). Light and clean, it speaks volumes to those who understand what real pasta should taste like.
If you crave a meatier main, order the crispy beef short rib (RMB368), served with a glazed, sticky topping of smoked chili, cranberry and chianti, with a side of polenta fries covered with shaved parmesan. The rib is expertly braised for 12 hours, after which all excess fat is trimmed off. It’s then fried for a mere three seconds, resulting in a delicate yet crispy exterior and tender, juicy, pull-apart perfection within.
Price: RMB400
Who’s going: well-suited high rollers, devout fans of modern Italian fare
Good for: crispy beef short ribs, tapas, artisanal pours
Nearest metro: Huangcheng Dadao (APM line), 5 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Mercato.
8. 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.
9. Poké Remix
Inconspicuously located on the second floor of Fuli Dongshan New World, the small and casual interior of Poké Remix is dishing out delicious Hawaiian-inspired eats that will satisfy lovers of seafood, salad and rice bowls all at once.
Before we dive into Poké Remix’s choice dishes, some background: poké (pronounced 'poh-kay') is a salad composed of raw fish that hails from the beautiful American state of Hawaii. In many regards, the dish is comparable to fish Carpaccio or Japanese sashimi and it can be served as plain 'n' simple raw fish in sauce (such as soy sauce and sesame oil) or with additional ingredients, like rice, nuts and fruit.
On our recent visit, we sampled the ‘Traditional Remix’ bowl (RMB79), which comes with 100 grams of diced ahi tuna, house sambal and ponzu sauces, avocado, gomasio, edamame, dried bonito and seaweed all set on a dark, blackish-brown bed of five-grain rice. It's a refreshing blend of edible components that offers a range of textures and tastes. We’re told that the prawn and shrimp poke bowl (RMB69), which spices things up a notch with chipotle mayo dressing, is also worth a dabble.
Price: RMB50-80
Who’s going: homesick Hawaiians, surfer bros, pescetarians
Good for: healthy edibles, building your own meal
Nearest metro: Yangji (Exit B), 15 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Poké Remix.
10. Olive Terrace
Serving up some well-presented, primarily Italian fare crafted by a seasoned chef with a culinary career spanning 30 years, Olive Terrace boasts a decent wine list and makes for an excellent destination for those who enjoy a good vino with their fine Italian meal. Outlandishly, there’s a side menu featuring several selections of sukiyaki, or Japanese-style hot pot.
For hors d'oeuvres, order the carpaccio with scallop, shrimp, salmon and citrus dressing (RMB108). This appetizer, made with ingredients at the peak of freshness, makes for a stimulating start to the meal. The Waldorf salad (RMB60), however, comes in a mayo dressing that’s simply over the top.
The star of the show has to be the surf and turf with roast beef and Pacific prawns (RMB248), with the giant shrimp cooked to perfection. This delectable dish, with roasted carrot, onion and cherry tomatoes on the side, is tailored for two people. Another highlight on the bill of fare is linguine with prawn, cognac, cherry tomato and parmesan (RMB68), – a bold harmony of flavors served al dente.
Price: RMB150-200
Who’s going: local and expat couples, Japanese-Italian fusion fans
Good for: surf and turf
Nearest metro: Guangzhou East Railway Station (Exit F, 10 minutes)
Read our full review here. See listing for Olive Terrace.
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