Like reading F&B reviews in That's PRD? We get it, there are a lot of them. Here's a list of the ones from 2017 we liked the best (so far), taking into account selection, atmosphere, service and value for money.
These are our favorites, but what places are we missing? Tell us about your favorite new restaurant in the comments section below and the most beguiling commenter will receive a free bottle of whiskey from Club Nova. That's better than a kick in the teeth, no?
1. 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.
2. Braceria Pugliese
Braceria Pugliese is the latest culinary effort by Caroppo Angelo, the veritable godfather of Shenzhen’s Italian cuisine, who can boast a 12-year history of running city staples such as Trattoria Italiana and Mediterranean Sun. On your next visit we recommend starting with the cold cut platter of dry-cured ham, mortadella and salami presented with cheeses whose flavors pair well with the meat’s. At RMB100, this selection costs more than the main dish, but the price is in line with Shenzhen’s other Italian eateries. We can also suggest ordering the RMB65 polpettone – something of an Italian meatloaf – hardy fare that will ensure you leave full.
Price: RMB150
Who’s going: foodies, groups on a night out
Good for: casual Italian, wood-oven cooked meats
Read our full review here. See listing for Braceria Pugliese.
3. Bus Grill Turkish Steakhouse
Mere weeks after opening, Bus Grill Turkish Steakhouse snagged Trip Advisor’s number one restaurant rating, riding a wave of five-star reviews that include heavy use of the word ‘best.’ With staff recruited from a top Shenzhen hotel, service is uncomplicated, fast and friendly as a divine lahmacun (RMB48), or Turkish pizza, is set down. The mildly spicy minced lamb is mixed with bits of parsley and tomato before being spread over a wafer of dough. Looking towards the mains, the Lokum Wagyu beef fillet (RMB198) is five slices of premium tenderloin, seasoned with black pepper and chunks of sea salt, served with roasted garlic, potato and creamed spinach.
Price: RMB200
Who’s going: net review writers, meat lovers
Good for: steak, casual diners, groups, grilled food
Read our full review here. See listing for Bus Grill Turkish Steakhouse.
4. Caroline by Les 5 Chef’s
Coco Park is not a place one associates with history, but at Caroline by Les 5 Chef’s, there is 600 years of it – at least if you believe the writing (and drawing) on the wall. Stretching across about a quarter of the restaurant, a mural illustrates the Dax family’s 600 years as restaurateurs. The main takeaway? Sometime after World War II, Harald Dax, one of the main men behind Les 5 Chef’s in Shekou, received the family recipes, and now those recipes – or dishes influenced by them – are being served in a well-lit underground location in Futian’s CBD. When you visit Caroline, we recommend diving into the wiener schnitzel and potato salad set (RMB58) for a main, while dabbling on the light cherry cheesecake, one of a rotating cast of sweets, to cap off your meal.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: white-collar workers, frugal foodies
Good for: value for your money, weekday lunch sets
Read our full review here. See listing for Caroline by Les 5 Chef’s.
5. Godfather Bistro
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.
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.
Price: RMB100-150
Who’s going: Hong Kongers, meat lovers
Good for: real American food, late-night snacks
Read our full review here. See listing for Godfather Bistro.
6. 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.
7. Poké-doke
Before you ask, it’s poh-kay doh-kay. And no, this new restaurant in Futian’s Intown wasn’t named after a certain animated TV series. Instead, it’s focused around a Hawaiian classic: poke. The RMB48 classic Hawaiian salmon poke bowl’s salmon and mango make a blissful pairing. We also try a customized Togarashi teriyaki tuna poke bowl (RMB58) that trades salmon for tuna, adds extra avocado and gets topped off with ‘smoking hot sauce.’ The bowl isn’t as ‘smoking’ as we expect, but it’s still flavorful; deep-fried, crispy wonton skins complement a healthy helping of vegetables.
Price: RMB80-100
Who’s going: seafood lovers, selfie snappers
Good for: quality fish, artsy food shots, lunch with the girls
Read our full review here. See listing for Poké-doke.
8. Sambal
The name’s the same, and so is the region represented, but Sambal’s Coco Park rebirth nevertheless marks the beginning of a new restaurant. Overall, it impresses with solid signature dishes and smooth service. The seafood tom yum soup (RMB58) wows with its first sour-spicy spoonful. The seafood laksa (RMB52) shines with perfectly cooked noodles served in a smooth, coconut-y soup and the Thai-style beef brisket curry (RMB78), loaded with spices, also leaves an impression.
Price: RMB60-100
Who’s going: world travelers, Southeast Asians
Good for: authentic eats, classy dates
Read our full review here. See listing for Sambal.
9. Taste Moment
There’s a lot to praise about Taste Moment, which makes it surprising that something as small as the organic vegetables are such a highlight, particularly the sweet baby carrots used in the main dishes. The slow-cooked beef cheek (RMB148) is marinated for 12 hours, creating a dish that is buttery, fork-touch-tender and comes complemented by a robust red-wine sauce. Fresh ingredients, staff drilled to a fine dining standard and prices that won’t break the bank make the restaurant possibly one of Shenzhen’s best.
Price: RMB200-500
Who’s going: foodies, nouveau riche, hot dates
Good for: Instagram food posts, French cuisine
Read our full review here. See listing for Taste Moment.
10. Tora Kui
Tora Kui plays it humble, tucked behind a sliding glass door we miss on first pass. Behind the door and up a single-stone step is the tastefully dim interior of a Japanese-style roast meat joint, known as a yakiniku. There is bar-style seating for lone diners, but Tora Kui is undeniably better with friends, with a VIP backroom and wide, polished wood tables throughout the restaurant. Betting its name on quality, Tora Kui hasn’t skimped on caliber product, as the RMB118 beef tendon attests. It is slightly marinated, salted and soft enough to almost warrant an inner-mouth melting cliche.
Price: RMB250
Who’s going: Japanese expats, Korean BBQ fans
Good for: groups of friends, high-quality meat
Read our full review here. See listing for Tora Kui.
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