The Place
The Shuiwei Village neighborhood is littered with tiny shops and street food vendors. Across from Godfather Bistro, a couple paunchy men, one of them shirtless, sits outside a general store that stocks everything from flip flops to plastic washtubs.
The bistro sticks out, with its darkened interior, shiny red booth seats and foreign beers on tap.
It’s not alone, though. Along with other recent openings that include a taco shop and craft beer bar, the restaurant points towards the neighborhood’s changing character.
The Food
Despite the name, rather than pastas and thin-crust pizza, Godfather specializes in authentic American cuisine.
The house steak (RMB148), which alternates between Argentine Black Angus and Australian Angus rib eye, is a prime example. Our medium-rare cut of Argentine beef is soft and flavorful, even without the aid of a buttery ‘black pepper sauce.’ The accompanying steak fries are fresh, with a hint of crispiness.
An American cheeseburger (RMB60) is just as satisfying, with a juicy patty, melted American cheese and lightly cooked onions inside sturdy buns.
For lighter fare, try the cooked oysters with garlic at RMB6 a pop. Although pleasingly succulent, they’re best avoided on first dates.
Of the eight draft beers served in 450ml pours, flavors range from the light, wheat beer-lager mix of Estrella Damm’s Inedit (RMB35) all the way to BrewDog’s fittingly named Jackhammer IPA (RMB50).
In the in-between range, the smooth Jet Black Heart Stout (RMB45) offers flavor and a buzz, without too much bitterness.
The Vibe
With hearty food and quality beers, Godfather is a respectable alternative to similar, pricier options in Shekou or the CBD.
In fact, the bistro has proved especially popular with Hong Kongers, co-owner James Beattie tells us. Although the place is nearly empty on the early Friday evening we stop by, we’ve seen respectable crowds on previous weekends.
In the evolving Shuiwei scene, Godfather is determined to stake out its own space.
Price: RMB100-150
Who’s going: Hong Kongers, meat lovers
Good for: real American food, late-night snacks
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