The Place
Located in the center of Shenzhen’s Futian District and surrounded by soaring skyscrapers that give the area its distinct sense of joie de vivre lies Compass Cafe, Curator’s latest food and beverage establishment and sister venue to The Compass Bar.
Image courtesy of Hank Chiang
The Food
It’s no coincidence that the best way to describe the menu at Curator’s second F&B establishment in Shenzhen is “highly curated.” The list of food and drinks at Compass Cafe is both simple and worldly, presenting extensive combinations of cuisine offerings not easily found elsewhere in Shenzhen. Looking for chorizo, fresh sourdough bread, black truffles and steak tartare? Compass Cafe has it all.
Image courtesy of Hank Chiang
For carnivores looking for more traditional dishes, the cafe offers a steak au poivre with spinach and French fries (RMB198), a safe option for meat and potatoes types. However, for those looking to venture out into more exciting territory we recommend the oven-roasted salmon with chorizo and potato mash (RMB168), which is a nice choice even for those who seldom eat fish. Alternatively, try the black truffle morel mushrooms with linguine, cream and parmesan crisps (RMB88), which is an excellent foray into the world of black truffle hype.
Image courtesy of Hank Chiang
Of course, this being a cafe we also sampled some of the beverage offerings at Compass Cafe. With over 40 drinks to choose from on the menu (and many others at the bar) it was difficult to pick the perfect companion to our meal. We settled for the London Fog white tea (RMB38) and the iced dirty (RMB36) – both enjoyable and creative presentations of old classics.
Image courtesy of Hank Chiang
The Vibe
Great decor and a playlist featuring everything from jazzy Latin tunes to classic hip hop and rap give Compass Cafe an air of maturity and smoothness that inspires confidence. Though not overly pretentious, it is clear that the cafe’s ambiance has been curated to make you feel like you are somewhere rather hip – think New York City, Paris or any other global city where being cool is worth the shirt on your back.
Price: RMB150-200
Who’s going: entrepreneurs on a work lunch, Tantan third dates
Good for: fancy drinks, truffles
Nearest metro: Gangxia (Exit B) or Exhibition Center (Exit A3), 5 minutes’ walk
Open daily, 8am-2am. See listing for Compass Cafe.
[Cover image courtesy of Hank Chiang]
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