Here are all the restaurants we featured in our May 2019 issue:
New Restaurants:
Eggy
Image by Tristin Zhang/That’s
Eggy’s menu is simple: seven egg-focused burgers, four eggy snacks and close to a dozen eggless drinks, all prepared on-site as orders are placed.
While all the burgers on offer here are undoubtedly appealing, we opted for the ‘beef eggsplosion’ (RMB46), which features a runny egg, Australian beef patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles, caramelized onions and tomato. The taste is dominated by the Australian beef and a secret, homemade spicy sauce, which together result in bold, delicious flavors that had us licking our fingers in no time at all.
From the snack selections, the ‘bad eggs’ (RMB26) are a real treat. This dish is comprised of two baguette slices, a jar of creamy mashed potatoes and sous vide onsen egg, a Japanese low-temperature-cooked egg. Mix the egg with the potatoes and apply to the bread for a palate-pleasing punch of culinary excellence that costs less than a pint of beer at your average Guangzhou pub.
Price: RMB49-59
Who’s going: eggheads, burger lovers
Good for: a break from Mickey D’s double cheese burger
Nearest metro: Tiyu Xi Lu (Exit B), 10 minutes’ walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Eggy.
Xingyuecheng
Image by Tristin Zhang/That’s
Xingyuecheng’s menu has most of the usual suspects: Thailand’s tom yum soup, Singapore’s bak kut teh and Vietnam’s beef pho and charcoal-roasted pork neck, among others. But the fried crab with curry and French bread (RMB189) is the one dish here that’s worth writing home about. The crab is chopped into pieces, battered, fried and then drenched in a yellow curry sauce that defines the presentation and taste of the dish.
Indulging in the crab without a pair of plastic gloves, though, will result in the inevitable spread of yellow curry to your hands and around your mouth. We recommend forgoing the gloves and getting messy, for the environment’s sake.
For mains, try the Thai fried noodles with seafood (RMB36). Originally from Guangdong’s Chaoshan region, over time this dish has become more closely associated with Bangkok, where it’s a popular street food, than South China. This hearty helping of noodles is sure to sate your appetite, as it has done for the many visitors to the Thai kingdom, including the beloved travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain.
Price: RMB60-150
Who’s going: homesick Thai expats, mall visitors
Good for: spicy seafood, 'crabtastic' curries
Nearest metro: Tianhe Sports Center (Exit B), 5 minutes’ walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Xingyuecheng.
Yi Lu Mu
Image by Matt Bossons/That’s
Oftentimes we’re misled by ‘too good to be true’ promotions outside local restaurants, so when we saw a RMB49 all-you-can-eat buffet deal, it was met with some skepticism. But to our delight, the deal turned out to be worthwhile, with the restaurant serving quality rolls, nigiri, Japanese-style dumplings and plenty more. The shop offers up the classics like salmon, crab, eel, octopus, shrimp and tuna nigiri, and we found the portions of meat allotted to each rice ball reasonable. While not the best sushi around, it’s great value, and we haven’t got sick yet!
More importantly, you can order your favorite sushi items at Yi Lu Mu without the addition of globs of mayo, which we typically view as overkill. That being said, fans of mayo-splattered fish will find their preferred sushi varieties in abundance as well.
Perhaps the best part of the small, hidden restaurant’s all-you-can-eat bonanza is the fact that it comes with free flow sake! While the eatery does not serve beer or wine, staff told us on our last visit (we’ve been several times this week) that they’re cool with patrons bringing their own beer or other alcoholic beverages.
Good for: cheap sushi, sake samurais, staying in your financial lane
Who’s going: people who know about it
Price: RMB49-59
Nearest metro: Taojin (Exit B), 10 minutes’ walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Yi Lu Mu.
New Cafe:
Coffii&Joy
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
There’s a new spot you can enjoy your morning cup of Joe in Taojin. Located on Huanshi Dong Lu, Coffii&Joy has officially touched ground in Canton, bringing even more competition into the world of java. This sleek stand-alone coffee shop is the brainchild of Yum China, with the concept starting in 2018 and expanding across major cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou and now down south.
Coffii&Joy offers up all the standard drinks you can find at most coffee shops around Canton, such as Americanos (RMB21) and lattes (RMB25). The brand also introduces seasonal, quirkily named beverages, like the ‘stubbled uncle’ coffee (RMB32), which looks to be half milk, half Guatemala Antigua coffee.
On our visit, we ordered up the shop’s cold drip coffee, which uses Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans, giving the brew a nice and fragrant taste. The wait wasn’t painfully long, but we also had no one in line before us as we sought an energy boost to get us through a long weekday afternoon. The shop also serves up a selection of sandwiches and baked goods for a little something to munch on with your drink.
Who’s going: anyone who drinks Coffee, Taojin dwellers
Price: RMB30
Good for: a cup of Joe, pagoda chats
Nearest metro: Taojin (Exit B), 2 minutes’ walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Coffii&Joy.
Read more Guangzhou restaurant reviews, cafe reviews and bar reviews.
[Cover image by Tristin Zhang/That’s]
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