The Place
Guangzhou certainly has its fair share of Japanese liaoli (translated as ‘cuisine’). Whether you’re in the heart of the city or the outer edges of Haizhu or Baiyun, you’re bound to come across a shop serving up the East Asian cuisine that’s famous for raw fish and savory noodle bowls.
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
Located on Huajiu Lu, Director Yang’s Restaurant and Sake Bar is the latest Japanese spot to sprout up along the popular Zhujiang New Town F&B street. Beyond the entryway of the shop, you’ll find a bar on the left and two rows of tables on the right, with the only natural light coming in through the main door and bar window.
The Food
While perusing the menu we saw a nice variety of options for folks that aren’t into sushi, so if you’re not a fan of raw fish, don’t be deterred.
We decided to take advantage of their lunch special, chinook salmon rice (RMB108), which can easily feed two. The special starts with a dense miso soup, which met our high standards, and a crunchy salad topped with an incredibly creamy dressing.
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
After the starters, the salmon slammer came. One of the eatery’s chefs emerged from the kitchen and presented us with a bowl of fluffy rice, before topping the white grains with a literal pile of salmon flesh.
Watching the salmon get stacked like a tower was truly a thing of gastronomic beauty. However, the quality of salmon wasn’t anything to write home about, with a mixture of both chewy and tender pieces that could be off-putting to some.
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
We’d be remiss to not mention the Japanese sake and whiskey offerings on hand. Although, as you may expect, the top-shelf booze here is aimed at very special celebrations, indicated by its high price point.
The Vibe
While we caught the tail end of their lunchtime rush, we got the impression Director Yang’s isn’t a terribly busy eatery, possibly due to the fact it is surrounded by a number of well-established and popular restaurants. But it’s worth noting that the servers and kitchen staff were accommodating and the shop appeared clean. Those two factors, combined with some decent eats, make this Japanese spot worthy of a visit.
Good for: fresh seafood, sake celebrations, big meals
Who’s going: those tired of Western food, Zhujiang New Towners, sharks
Price: RMB100-150
Nearest metro: Zhujiang New Town (Exit B1), 10 minutes’ walk
Open daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-11pm; see listing for Director Yang’s Restaurant and Sake Bar.
[Cover image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s]
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