Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our June 2017 issue:
New Restaurants
Blue Frog Bar and Grill
Headquartered in Shanghai, Blue Frog bills itself as ‘casual Western dining’ and is popular for its selection of towering burgers. The Shenzhen iteration comes with all the trappings of the original outlets: royal-blue decor, juicy burgers and no actual frogs. The Montana burger (RMB98) comes with sweet BBQ sauce drizzled over two crispy onion rings, lounging on top of a cheddar cheese beef patty, all stacked on a bed of bacon, onions, lettuce, tomato and pickles. It's messy, in a good way. Sit outside on a nice day for lunch, or pull up a stool at the bar for an after-work burger and drink; you’ll leave full and maybe even a little buzzed.
Price: RMB160 for a burger and cocktail
Who's going: anyone who likes a good burger
Good for: filling food, strong drinks
Read our full review here. See listing for Blue Frog Bar and Grill.
Fubar Brewpub
Inside Fubar is the expected mix of austere concrete, shiny beer-brewing tanks and ground floor sofas, good for a lean-in after filling up. The food is standard pub fare, which is a good thing, considering how awry Western food in this town can go. The meat lover’s supreme pizza (RMB88 for 9 inches) is a cheesy, grease fest with black olives, bacon, ham and sausage. On the drinks side, the Chicken Street IPA is not the kick in the taste buds more hardcore IPA fans might want, instead its the fruity malty mix is an easy sip with a 6.5 ABV. FuBar also sells golden ale at just RMB18 for a small – a handy introduction to those used to downing Tsingtao.
Price: RMB100 for two beers
Who's going: locals, expats, early evening families
Good for: pub fare, fresh brewed beer
Read our full review here. See listing for Fubar.
Namaste
Sweating in the summer heat, with the buzz of drones overhead, you may stumble on this small Huaqiang Bei vegetarian restaurant. With few tables, and trays instead of plates, this is as close to a real Thali experience as Shenzhen gets. ‘The Lunch set’ (RMB35) consisted of two curries, a dahl, pickles, rice and chapatti, all freshly made in house. The dahl's creamy blend of vegetables gave way to an acidic kick and spicy aftertaste, which naturally led to the cardamom-heavy potato and onion curry. Both dishes were welcome surprises, given that presentation consisted of a neon-orange plastic tray.
Price: RMB35 lunch, RMB40 dinner
Who's going: vegetarians, Thali lovers
Good for: an almost Indian lunch experience
Read our full review here. See listing for Namaste.
New Bars and Clubs
Beer Nuts U
This new venue is running with the college bar vibe by serving up cheap snacks and reasonably priced drinks. RMB25 draughts of 500 milliliter Asahi are accompanied on the menu by Firestone’s Easy Jack (RMB40) for those who want to splash out. Near the door sits a fridge with bottled beers, stocking the expected Duvel and Vedette. If you’re hungry, go straight for the RMB35 Bratwurst. Served with sauerkraut and wedge fries, it’s a full meal, unlike the thin-crusted pepperoni pizzas (RMB35). It might take two or three pies to satisfy the average diner.
Price: RMB75
Who's going: university students
Good for: cheap drinks, snacks
Read our full review here. See listing for Beer Nuts U.
Club Sector
If you can measure a nightclub’s success by the number of hands waving in the air ‘like they just don’t care,’ Sector’s doing great. The Nanshan club’s giant ‘Mainroom’ dance floor is packed on the Friday we visit. In the middle of the dance floor, head-bobbing and swaying intensify as the DJ takes stage. In the smaller ‘Underground’ room, we order drinks – whiskey and soda (RMB45), vodka and orange (RMB35) – which taste as likely to keep you hydrated as lend a buzz. But it's electronic music Sector has built its reputation on, after all: so long as the DJs keep playing, the crowds will come.
Price: RMB150-200
Who’s going: college kids, EDM lovers
Good for: top-notch DJs, dramatic beat drops
Read our full review here. See listing for Club Sector.
Read more Shenzhen restaurant reviews and bar reviews.
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