Resto Roundup
Sunday, April 29th, 2007Ooof it’s been a big week… May holiday is almost here and it seems like everyone wants to go for dinner.
Jimix on Beijing Xi lu is a combination Italian restaurant (with a nice large patio), wine shop, and kitchen ware store. Following a passable revue in one of the weekly ex-pat rags we went for pizza on their patio at L’s recommendation. There are many non-pizza items available (lasagne, vitello tonnato, pasta pasta pasta…) and a decent drinks list, despite their only having Bud on tap. The pizzas range from the mid 50mb range to over 100rmb for seafood dressed options. We went for a Quatro Staggione (68 rmb, 1/4 black olives, 1/4 mushrooms, 1/4 ham, and 1/4 something else), the Formaggi (93 rmb, cheese + cheese), and the Emiliana (93 rmb, standard + prosciutto). They were all about 12″ wide, and in truth damn good; thin crisp crusts with nicely smoky edges, well garnished considering we’d ordered some expensive toppings (gorgonzola, prociutto etc..). In the end everyone was satisfied and full, now if they could just take Billy Ocean off of “repeat” and get me a better beer on tap, all would be well.
Wandering back home after Jimix we couldn’t pass up a trip to Trader Vic’s for a little night cap. What to say? “Abandoned Tiki” would probably be the best way to describe it. The drinks are not cheap but they are tasty and strong(ish), and the place was not truly deserted, actually the dance floor was crammed some very skilled tango/salsa dancers who let it rip once the band started playing. I love the kitsch feel to the place, and sooo comfortable, but the drink prices are at the international level (about 10usd) and the menu of bar bites about the same (about 100rmb for a bite), although they do serve Crab Rangoon, a fabulously named ‘50 dish that I had totally forgotten about.
Fu Lin Xuan Cantonese Seafood Restaurant (2F Hong Kong New World Tower, 300 Huaihai Zhong Lu, 6372-1777, ALSO Pudong: 4F Superbrand Mall, 168 Lujiazui Xi lu, 5878-1777) is quickly becoming somewhat of a favourite with us, despite their rather overt love of the MSG. We’ve been for dim sum once, definitely some of the better dim sum we’ve had in Shanghai (again, despite being a bit dehydrated and tongue tingly afterwards), but what keeps drawing us back is S’s addiction to congee with preserved egg (something like pi dan zhou in mandarin), which FLX does very well. I’ll usually order my own congee, or pick around the pidan when I’m serving myself, but either way their congee is richly flavoured with ample bits of pork (or fish if you prefer). Another item not to pass up is the sesame shrimp rolls, consisting of shrimp wrapped in thin, sesame crusted pastry and baked. Much less lard heavy than your usual Chinese baking. Steamed cuttlefish, shrimp in rice roll (har cheung), and yam fritters (wu kok) are all competently done.
Whisk [( 1250 Huaihai Lu (淮海路1250号), near Huating Lu (very close to Exit No. 2 of the Changshu Lu Metro). Tel: 54047770], on Huihai lu next to Changshu lu metro may be old news but I just have to say how, every time I go there, I’m totally impressed with the place. Friendly owner, good professional service, decent prices, nice decor and presentation, and good food. I had the carbonarra which was just too much and so rich, T had the antipasto plate which she demolished, and S had a seafood penne. We had to stop there, unable to continue on to the desserts which should under no circumstances be passed up. The menu’s mediterranean in flavour and the desserts lean heavily towards chocolate which is just fine by us.










