Built on the ashes of the former New Orleans Kitchen in Futian, Wrecking Ball’s name seems thematically appropriate.
Inside, while trumpet chandeliers have been swapped out for fashion-forward Edison bulbs, the plain black booths and tables remain.
The menu will look familiar to anyone who frequents Xpats establishments in the CBD and by Honey Lake. As with its predecessors, Wrecking Ball offers Western drinks and dishes for reasonable prices.
Asahi and Budweiser are available on draft for RMB25 and 20 a serving, respectively. A more upscale option comes in the form of four Brewdog craft beers, all canned.
The Elvis Juice (RMB25) adds grapefruit to IPA for a bitter yet refreshing mix that goes down easy. The Dead Pony Club (RMB20) is lighter on alcohol but still tastes bright and hoppy, while the palatable Kingpin lager (RMB20) and Punk IPA (RMB25) round out the quartet.
Cocktails are slightly more expensive, with martinis going for RMB45 each. We sip on an uninspiring chocolate one while eying the glass of Grey Goose on the menu, which sells for the same price.
For food, we heartily enjoy saucy smokehouse ribs (RMB85 per half rack), which are worth the wait: they achieve fall-off-the-bone status without being too soft. The accompanying steak fries are well-seasoned, as are two florets of broccoli.
A veggie lovers pizza (RMB68) featuring more broccoli, carrots and olives atop a tortilla crust tastes both fresh and light, making it more snack than sustenance.
By contrast, Korean fried chicken (RMB48 per half chicken) is a letdown, the heavy crust defying our expectations of a thin, crispy bite.
Still, at this price range we’d gladly visit again – unless, that is, the wall-sized mural of a wrecking ball next to Shenzhen’s skyline proves prescient.
Price: RMB20-50 a drink
Who’s going: Xpats fans, budget drinkers
Good for: cheap craft beer, American classics
Nearest metro: Huanggang Village (Exit E), 6 minutes
See listing for Wrecking Ball by Xpats.
0 User Comments