Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our March 2019 issue:
New Restaurants
Brownstone Tapas & Lounge
Image by Bryan Grogan/That's
One of a number of new restaurants to open in the newest MixC World in Nanshan District and within walking distance of Houhai Metro Station, Brownstone is an accessible and bustling destination for foodies and shoppers alike.
To begin our journey through the foodie plains of Espana, we tucked into Brownstone’s grilled Spain lamb chop (RMB58 for two pieces.) Super juicy with a hint of cumin and just the right fat content, the meat comes topped with cooked sliced almonds. The outer texture of the lamb chops is flaky, and soft, succulent pieces of meat fall away with ease.
To cap our meal off, we sampled one of the outlet’s gin specialties, the Gorden elf (RMB58). An interesting combination of mango and orange, with lemon juice also in evidence, this drink is a mixture of tame flavors. The presence of the Bombay gin is, however, a bit too strong and overwhelms the other flavors. While the food is great, their drinks could use a little bit more work.
Price: RMB100-250
Who’s going: Spaniards, tired shoppers
Good for: tapas, selfies, a taste of Europe
Nearest metro: Houhai (Exit G), 10 minutes’ walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Brownstone Tapas & Lounge.
Bricks
Image via Bricks
In Shenzhen’s packed High-Tech Park area, most of the dining options can be found inside large, decadent malls and shopping plazas. Convenient, sure, but also a little monotonous. Luckily, this isn’t the case with Bricks, a cozy stand-alone pub and restaurant tucked onto a street corner near the MixC Shopping Mall. With plenty of outside seating in a surprisingly quiet area, it’s a nice change of pace.
While Bricks calls itself an English pub, the British influence is limited to the actual venue (with a classic warm wooden interior) and a single fish and chips special (RMB188) on the menu.
After much deliberation, we choose the eponymous Bricks burger (RMB78), featuring all the usual cheeseburger toppings plus a homemade cheese sauce from the Bricks kitchen. The homemade sauce is served on the side, along with a healthy portion of Cajun-seasoned fries (or chips, as they say) and a blend of ketchup and mayo.
Despite being located near a busy street, Bricks is shielded from the chaos of High-Tech Park by some low buildings along the road. The result is a quaint, cozy vibe that is only enhanced by the classic English pub decor and al fresco seating.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: tech yuppies, nostalgic Brits
Good for: standard pub fare, English breakfast, a cheeky pint
Nearest metro: Hi-Tech Park (Exit B), 5 minutes’ walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Bricks.
New Bar
Imperial Inn
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
We heard about Imperial Inn’s grand opening in late January and were immediately excited by the grand vibes that the majestic name brought to mind.
On our visit, however, we found not the ‘imperial’ experience we’d expected, but instead a small hole-in-the-wall bar with a rather minimalist air about it. Unlike the bustling nightlife center that Sea World offers across the street, Imperial Inn feels distinctly quiet in comparison, with just one patron present when we arrived (granted, it is a new bar).
We skipped the beer options and went for three cocktails, the good ol’ Bloody Mary (RMB68), a whiskey sour (RMB96) and a non-alcoholic fruit punch (RMB48) mixed with orange juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, grenadine and 7-Up. Both alcoholic beverages were more than adequate, albeit a little pricey. The Bloody Mary was refreshing after a long day, and the whiskey sour was well-balanced, featuring bourbon, lemon juice and sugar syrup. However, we found the fruit punch a bit too sweet, with the grenadine flavor overshadowing all the other tastes.
If you’re in the mood to spend some time in seclusion away from the crowds at Sea World, this bar is certainly a convenient getaway.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: at least one other person on our visit
Good for: friendly service, serenity
Nearest metro: Sea World (Exit D), 3 minutes’ walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Imperial Inn.
New Cafe
Beeplus Lifestyle
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
With the goal of offering a creative co-working space that not only transforms office life but also supports patrons with high-quality and diversified products and services, Beeplus Lifestyle is so much more than a bakery.
If you don’t have the time or energy to tour the entire space, we recommend searching Beeplus Lifestyle on Meituan and scanning through the most-liked options. One popular food item is the ‘God of Croissants’ (RMB24), which is baked using almonds and almond cream and is stuffed with a salty cheese. It’s crispy and flaky on the outside with an interior texture that we’d describe as slightly chewy.
The team of bakers at BPL are also bold enough to add a Chinese twist to some of their creations, namely the kung pao chicken bread (RMB22), the meicai kourou bread (RMB26) and the shredded pork with fish-sauce bread (RMB26), the latter of which we sampled.
While we like the idea of experimenting with new things, the pork and fish-sauce bread was a bit of a letdown, reminding us of a dry, crusty baozi of questionable quality.
With unique food options, ample space to relax and a 600-seat working space, the vibe here can only be described as eclectic. We recommend popping in and checking it out for yourself!
Price: RMB50
Who’s going: friends, office-less workers, carb lovers
Good for: quality pastries, diverse dining options, working
Nearest metro: Houhai (Exit D1), 1 minute walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Beeplus Lifestyle.
Read more Shenzhen restaurant reviews and bar reviews.
[Cover image by Bryan Grogan/That's]
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