Tuesday, March 23, 2010

La Creperie

Goat cheese crepe

After the ravings I heard from a friend, a trip to La Creperie was in order for a Sunday brunch. The owner is very French. And the people working there are also very French (at least the French ones). This I am told by my French dining partner. That is a good sign of some authenticity.

The crepes were nice. Not too thick, but could be a little thinner. Perhaps I ordered "the wrong one" or one of the misses on the menu. The salad with walnuts and goat cheese was meager, though there was more goat cheese embedded in the crepe. The mushroom, bacon, and cream crepe sitting across from me looked way more attractive. Looking around, it did appear that the crepe menu was either a hit or miss. We did not opt for the brunch deal instead paying 78RMB and 72RMB for our respective crepes. My French dining partner did not make any indication if this creperie was complete crap or really good, giving a somewhat average impression of the place. Or this could be the French attitude.

Leaving somewhat satisfied from the light meal, the price matching the value is still debatable. More should be sampled from the menu to give these crepes a better judgment.

La Creperie. Taojiang Lu,near Fenyang Lu.桃江路1号, 近汾阳路 Shanghai, China

Monday, March 22, 2010

Pho Season

Tis the season of pho. It is cold and rainy, suitable to encourage that winter cold to worsen. Another restaurants hits the poorly pho saturated market of Shanghai by the creators of Nova on the DVD street of Dagu Lu. As we sat down, the owner asked if we had been to Nova before (sorry, no). The decor has that nouveau Asian feel with bright green walls and wooden furniture. The upper part of the split-level restaurant has shelves lined with bags of noodles and cans of coconut juice or other exotic fruit.

There is no set menu or special on the opening night of Pho Season. Diners reading about its opening on Smart Shanghai arrive in a steady stream hoping for something remotely authentic including a couple other photographers for the first reviews. Fresh spring rolls with pork and shrimp are 32RMB for two and a standard bowl of pho is 48RMB. There are no variations on their one version of pho.

Spring Rolls from Pho Season

The spring rolls are actually really nice, tasting fresh and prettily wrapped to feature the three shrimp lined up along the roll. It is kind of disappointing there are only two rolls for how much we were paying for an appetizer. It is part of the experience.

Pho from Pho Season

Now for the actual pho. It was presented with two sauces and a small bowl containing half a lime wedge, shoots, basil, and mint (no chilis). The size of the accompaniments is somewhat larger than what is given at other pho establishments. The broth was a little dark and if you look closely at the broth on your spoon, you could see a couple little bits of meat that would theoretically come off bones steeping for hours for broth. The broth tasted somewhat meaty, but more salty than it should. As we think back to the cheap bowls in Saigon, in comparison the broth tastes less fresh and more salted. ::sigh:: However, this is a better bet than the other bowls of pho sampled in Shanghai. The meat was alright, a little tough. There were no meat balls or tendons.

This is still the opening. Whether or not Pho Season will improve or worsen with time is another question...Just like with the other establishments in Shanghai.

Pho Season. 427 Dagu Lu, near Shimen Yi Lu (大沽路427号, 近石门一路). Shanghai, People's Republic of China

Monday, March 8, 2010

Longitutde Lounge

Toffee apple martini

Different from its sister restaurant downstairs, Latitude Bistro, Longitude Lounge aims to be a swanky bar in the heart of the French Concession. The upstairs reveals a cozy, dark sitting area and an outdoor terrace better enjoyed during the hot Shanghai summer nights than the rainy March showers.

When we arrived after dinner to an empty space, the server welcomed us to a martini happy hour. Martinis average at 55RMB and the deal was 2-for-1. This is an excellent deal for martinis in a city that can be as expensive as any large Western city. The martinis we had did not taste strong, but were strong enough. Plus, they actually tasted like what was on the menu. The Toffee Apple Martini actually did taste like a toffee apple with a bit of cinnamon. The lychee martini was light and not too sweet. Considering this lounge was empty for the most part, it makes for an excellent venue for uninterrupted conversation and relatively cheap martinis.

Lychee martini at Longitude

Longitude Lounge. 1 Yueyang Lu (by Dongping Lu), 2nd Floor, Shanghai, China